The Darling Buds of May

�Home looks nice. Allus does though, don�t it? Perfick� 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. 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 living: 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. In fact, soon Charley can�t see any reason to return to the office at all �