The Darling Buds Of May Av H. E. Bates

<p><b>''Home looks nice. Allus does though, don''t it? Perfick''</b><br><br>And so the Larkins - Pop, Ma, Mariette, Zinnia, Petunia, Primrose, Victoria and Montgomery - return from an outing for fish and chips and ice cream one May evening. There, amid the rustic charms of home, they discover a visitor: one Cedric Charlton, Her Majesty''s inspector of taxes.<br><br>Mr Charlton is visiting to find out why junk-dealer Pop hasn''t paid his tax - but nothing''s that simple at the Larkins. Mariette takes a shine to ''Charley'' - as Pop calls him - and before long the family have introduced the uncomplaining inspector to the delights of country livin the lusty scents of wild flowers, the pleasures of a bottle of Dragon''s Blood, cold cream dribbled over a bowl of strawberries and hot, hot summer nights.<br><br>In fact, soon Charley can''t see any reason to return to the office at all . . .</p>