Talk of the Village Page 10

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  There was such a steady stream of visitors to see the flowers in the church that Willie was in attendance all day keeping a watchful eye on anyone who might be a threat to the arrangements. Sylvia's friend, who'd been in charge of the church arrangements, blushed with delight when Peter complimented her on the effective way her society had picked up the colours of the stained glass windows and the murals.

  'Wonderful, truly wonderful and we do appreciate you standing in at such short notice,' Peter said, whereupon Sylvia's friend blushed again to the roots of her hair and had to retire to the church hall for a cup of tea while she recovered. The organ recital, given by Mrs Peel and Peter, filled the church and most satisfactory of all, it was full again when the school choir did their performance prior to the church closing at seven.

  Ralph and Muriel, having travelled through the night from the airport, didn't put in an appearance until the school choir was performing. Willie Biggs, adjusting some lights so they shone on the children while they sang, was the first to notice their arrival.

  He whispered, 'Welcome home Sir Ralph, Lady Templeton.'

  Muriel whispered back that he had no need to stand on ceremony, they were still Ralph and Muriel as before.

  Harriet, standing at the back, gazing full of love and motherly pride on Fergus, Finlay and Flick singing on the front row of the choir, felt a slight nudge at her elbow. When she saw Muriel she broke into a delighted smile and whispered, 'See you afterwards.'

  When the church was finally closed for the night Harriet suggested that Ralph and Muriel, Peter and Caroline should come over to her house about eight thirty when she'd had a chance to get the children to bed and they could all catch up on Ralph and Muriel's news.

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  Caroline arranged with Sylvia to babysit for a while. 'I shall be glad to, my feet are nearly killing me. Would it be all right if I asked Willie in for a bite to eat? It'll be his first chance of a meal all day. I thought afterwards we'd watch TV.'

  'Of course, that will be fine. I've got the twins to sleep so they shouldn't be any trouble. Go and ask him to come in. Peter and I are nearly ready to go. Don't forget to switch the baby alarm on in case the twins cry, will you?'

  'I'll do that. I won't be a moment asking him.'

  Caroline grinned at Peter. 'As fast as we get one romance sorted out there's another one to be tactful about.'

  'I don't think anything will come of it, do you really?'

  'Come here, your shirt is out at the back. Why not? One should grab happiness while one can. There's too little of it in this world.' Peter turned round and linked his hands around Caroline's waist.

  'Except here in this house. I thought I was completely happy before, but I had no idea what happiness was till now.'

  'Thank you for saying that. I know I gave you a hard time when I found out about Suzy; I honestly believed the end of my world had come. That was until I recognised how much I needed you.'

  'I love you my darling. Give me a kiss.'

  'Peter, we mustn't start kissing. Sylvia will be back with Willie, and we've got to go.'

  'Have we? Well, yes, I expect we have. Just one then. Did you notice Sheila Bissett today? I hardly recognised her.'

  'Bought her outfit in Fisk's in Culworth.'

  'How do you know?'

  'I asked her when I complimented her on how charming she looked. Ron grew about two feet taller.'

  'Shall I check Beth and Alex?'

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  'Yes please. You played beautifully today, Peter.'

  'Thank you, my darling girl.'

  Willie was installed in the kitchen with Sylvia cooking an omelette on the Aga when they got downstairs.

  'We shall only be about an hour, Sylvia.'

  'Be as long as you like Dr Harris. Willie and I are going to watch TV so we shan't notice the time. We'll listen for Beth and Alex.'

  'Good night Willie.'

  'Good night sir.'

  Sadie was already there when they arrived at Harriet and Jimbo's.

  'Good evening you two, escaped for a while from your family cares?"

  'Good evening Sadie. No, we've escaped from playing gooseberry.'

  'Playing gooseberry?'

  Caroline winked at Sadie and put her finger to her lips.

  'Not able to disclose.'

  'Oh I see. It's Sylvia is it?'

  Harriet pushed a drink into her mother's hand. 'Hush, mother, you're getting into a real village gossip. Don't pry.'

  'My dear Harriet, what else is there to talk about but the goings on in the village? I swear I could write a column every week for the local rag on the comings and goings in this village. "Village Voice", I'd call it and I wouldn't be short of items for it either. A couple of evenings in The Royal Oak and I'd have enough material for three columns in no . .

  'You never go in The Royal Oak.'

  'I could always start. Do you suppose the Culworth Gazette would pay me for it?'

  'Don't say you need the money,' Harriet retorted.

  Peter laughed. 'Compose your first column Sadie,

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  right here and now.'

  'OK here we go. Item one. Venetia and Jeremy Mayer are opening their new health club in two weeks' time. The local rector is performing the opening ceremony by being the first to dive in the pool. He has been chosen because of his superb athletic figure, Venetia Mayer told your reporter. Local people are expected to gather in their hundreds to witness their trendy rector performing this duty.'

  'Oh no he's not,' Peter declared amidst a lot of laughter.

  'Item Two. What is this we hear? Villagers are no longer friendly caring people as in the past. Two local residents lay ill for three days before anyone realised. Their lives were saved by the prompt action of the verger. Village life is not what it was in days of yore.

  Item Three. What has prompted the said verger to spruce up his house, put a bathroom in and a new kitchen and buy new clothes? Is there romance in the air we ask?

  Item Four. A local aristocrat has abandoned her unbelievably tasteless clothes and become quite civilised. The hairdresser in Culworth has thrown away her last bottles of peroxide. Her best customer has gone mousey.'

  'Mother, that is cruel.'

  Caroline agreed. 'Very cruel Sadie. She has made a real effort.'

  'Yes, you're right, it was cruel. She is trying, I have to admit.'

  Peter suggested that Sheila was quite nice once she'd dropped her pretence of being landed gentry.

  The door bell rang and Jimbo went to answer it, to find Muriel and Ralph at the door bearing gifts.

  'Come in, delighted to see you both. Have you had a good trip?'

  'Absolutely wonderful Jimbo. But we're so glad to be

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  back. We couldn't wait another night. Ralph drove us straight here from the airport.'

  'Hello, everyone.'

  Muriel stood in the doorway looking tanned and radiant. Sadie went towards them crying, 'Why, Muriel you look ten years younger, what have you been doing?'

  Harriet blushed, 'Mother really, what a thing to say to someone just back from their honeymoon.' Muriel took the innuendo in her stride. Her arms were full of presents.

  'We've brought presents for everyone. This boomerang is for Fergus, this is a fearsome Aborigine carving for Finlay, and these carved wooden beads are for Flick. Harriet this is for you. It's a wrap for you to put on when you come out of your pool. Jimbo, we've bought you a beach shirt from Bondi Beach. Here are some toys for the twins, Caroline. I nearly got them some clothes but I wasn't sure of the size, babies grow so quickly. The huge parcel Ralph is carrying is a sheepskin rug for you Peter and for you Caroline. I do hope you like it. Sadie this is a silk scarf for you. I hope I've made a good choice, you're always so clever with your clothes. I do hope you all like them.'

  'Muriel spent most of the honeymoon choosing those presents. To say nothing of all the things she's bought for the house and for me.'

&n
bsp; 'Ralph, I did no such thing.' They all smiled at Muriel's indignation.

  'Let's all have drinks while we open our parcels.'

  When they'd opened their presents and caught up with some of the news from Australia and Turnham Malpas, Harriet suggested they went into the kitchen and collected whatever they liked from the left overs of the Flower Festival catering. And if Jimbo opened some wine they could sit down and talk some more.

  Caroline, about to put a roll filled with ham and cream

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  cheese into her mouth said, 'This ham looks delicious Jinibo. In fact everything you sell is delicious. You don't sell rabbit do you? We had some a while back. It was gorgeous. We used a recipe of Sylvia's grandmother's, all herbs and spices and things. Why don't you sell them in the Store, Jimbo? I'm sure Jimmy Glover could keep you well supplied and it would be a nice little addition to his income for him.'

  Jinibo glanced questioningly at her and said, 'Jimmy gave you them did he?'

  'Yes, that's right.' She unconcernedly continued eating until Jimbo said, 'I'm surprised at you Caroline.'

  'Surprised at me, what have I done?' Harriet tapped his knee and shook her head but he ignored her. 'I wouldn't have thought you would have condoned eating an animal that had been trapped and no doubt been in excruciating pain most of the night.'

  Caroline put down her fork and looked at Jimbo in surprise. 'What do you mean? He shoots the rabbits . . . doesn't he?'

  'No, he traps them.'

  'You're wrong, Jimbo. I've seen him with a gun.'

  'That's as maybe, but he traps his rabbits. Ask any of the villagers, they all know he does it.'

  'He wouldn't give me rabbits he'd trapped now would he? You're quite wrong Jimbo, isn't he Peter?'

  Ralph answered her question, 'He does trap rabbits, Caroline, and has done all his life and his father and his grandfather and no doubt his great-grandfather before him.'

  'I don't believe you. Traps them? I thought that all stopped years ago.'

  Ralph shook his head. 'It may have declined but Jimmy still does it. Prides himself on using the same type of snare his father used. I'm sorry Caroline.'

  'Not as sorry as I am. It's barbaric, absolutely barbaric.

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  And I ate them. I feel terrible.'

  Peter stood up and went across to her, taking her plate to prevent the contents sliding onto the floor. 'Darling, please don't upset yourself. You didn't cook them knowing how they'd . . . died, did you?'

  'That's the kind of remark people make about torture and mass executions. What could we do about it they say, we didn't know and they think it makes it all right. They think that takes away the guilt. It doesn't. He has to be stopped. Peter, I very nearly gave the twins a taste, but decided the gravy was too rich. I can't bear to think of how I would feel if I had done that. Oh God.' Caroline shuddered.

  'There you are then, at least they haven't eaten them.'

  'But they could have done. What time is it, I'm going round to see Jimmy right now.'

  Jimbo, who'd spent the last couple of minutes feeling decidedly uncomfortable and trying to avoid Harriet's angry looks, decided he must pour oil on the trouble he , had stirred up.

  'No good going tonight Caroline, I expect he'll be in The Royal Oak by now. Sleep on it, you'll feel better in the morning.'

  'Sleep on it? Ignore it, it'll go away. The rabbits won't feel the hurt so much if Caroline sleeps on it, is that it? I've eaten one of those rabbits. Actually eaten one and it makes me feel sick. The children have rabbits on their eiderdowns and they look so sweet, they're doing head over heels all round the edges, and I do love them.' She looked up at Peter, her eyes filling with tears.

  Peter started to feel real concern about Caroline, he couldn't remember when he'd seen her so distressed, apart from . . .

  'I think we'd better be getting home, we've left Sylvia quite long enough and it is her day off really.'

  Caroline jumped to her feet, 'I know, you go home

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  and I'll go into the pub and look for Jimmy.'

  Muriel, wishing the floor would open up and swallow her, murmured quietly, 'Don't you think The Royal Oak is a bit public for a discussion of this nature?'

  'Muriel! I thought you of all people would be on my side.'

  'Oh 1 am, I am, but I think you need to sleep on it first. Don't be too hasty.'

  'Ralph what do you think? And you, Harriet, where do you stand?'

  Harriet answered first, 'Frankly, I'm on your side but I'd want to act quietly rather than making a big public fuss.'

  'And you Ralph?'

  'Well Caroline, I suppose you could say I am at heart a country man having spent my childhood here and I have to admit to going poaching with Jimmy's father when I was a boy. When I think of the sum total of all the agony in the world, a few rabbits in Sykes Wood are a very minor incident aren't they?'

  'I'm afraid I can't agree with your argument.' As Sadie had contributed nothing to the discussion Caroline asked her how she felt.

  'Frankly one more or less concerns me not at all, there are far more pressing problems in this world than the demise of a few rabbits,' Sadie yawned. 'In any case I'm off home now.'

  Caroline pulled a disapproving face and said, 'Right, Peter, we'd better go, as you say. Thank you for the supper Harriet, I do hope I haven't upset things too much but . . . Anyway I must go.' Caroline marched for the door leaving Peter to follow. He thanked Jimbo and Harriet for their hospitality, wished Ralph and Muriel a goodnight and went out after his darling girl.

  As they passed the church she said, 'It's no good, Peter. I'm going to see if he's in the pub. You go on

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  home.'

  'Please Caroline, please don't.'

  'When we married we both agreed that there would be no trespassing on each other's moral ground. You are always free to behave according to your dictates and now I'm behaving according to mine.'

  'Please darling, I think you're rather overwrought, you've had a long day and . . .'

  Caroline turned to face him. 'I sincerely hope you are not humouring the little woman, Peter.'

  'Oh no, of course not, no, no, but I do think . . .'

  'See you later.'

  Caroline pushed open the door of the saloon. Being Saturday the bar was full. From every corner there were great gales of laughter and smiling faces. Such a contrast to the desolation she was feeling. It seemed as though three-quarters of Turnham Malpas were here tonight. And why not? It was a lovely summer's evening and they were all out to enjoy themselves. The glass doors into the little courtyard at the back were open and she could see people sitting out at the tables Bryn and Georgie had put there. In the far corner near the other entrance to the bar, ensconced on the settle, were Pat Duckett and Vera Wright. Jimmy sat opposite with a pint in his hand. Alan asked Caroline what she wanted to drink, but she refused. He shrugged his shoulders and stood watching her threading her way between the tables. Nice bit of stuff that rector's wife he thought. Well off too, by the looks of it. He'd remember that.

  Pat moved up to make more space. 'Good evening Dr Harris. Would you like a drink? You'll have to be quick, it's nearly closing time.'

  'No thanks.'

  'Getting away from them twins for a bit are yer? How are they getting on?'

  'Very well thank you. I've come to see Jimmy

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  actually.'

  'What can I do for yer Dr Harris? How did them two rabbits turn out I gave yer?'

  'That's vhat I want to talk to you about, Jimmy. It has been suggested to me tonight that you snared the rabbits you gave me. Is that correct?'

  'It is.'

  'Has it ever occurred to you that it is a very cruel way of catching an animal?'

  'No more cruel than most kinds of deaths.'

  'But they'd've been there all night probably, terrified out of their minds struggling to escape.'

  'Well, they is only rabbits yer know, not people
.'

  'They are still God's creatures aren't they? I'm very upset by it. I can't bear to think that I ate animals killed in that way. What's worse, I did contemplate giving the twins some of the gravy but decided it was too rich for them. If I had done, I can't imagine how I would be feeling right now.'

  'But that's what life's like in the country. It's a townee way of looking at things to think the country is all little lambs frolicking about and fluffy Easter chickens. It isn't. The country's tooth and claw, really yer know, and I'm part of it.'

  'If I asked you to stop would you do that for me?'

  Pat weighed in on Caroline's side. 'Jimmy I've told you before about them rabbits, you know I've stopped 'aving 'em from yer. Our Dean's dead against 'em since he saw yer coming 'ome that morning with that one with it's leg dangling.'

  Vera, incensed by what she saw as disloyalty to one's own, snapped, 'You've been glad enough in the past to 'avejimmy's rabbits. Saving money was 'ow you saw it, but now suddenly you've got principles.'

  Caroline intervened, 'Well, Pat, I admire you for changing your mind and sticking to it, now all we've got

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  to do is to get Jimmy to stop.' Something brushed against Caroline's leg and she jumped. 'What's that?' She looked under the table and saw Sykes, Jimmy's dog, under there. Beside him was an empty tankard.

  'It's only Sykes, mi dog. I gave you those rabbits because I'm glad you're both 'ere, and I'm glad you've got them twins, and because I was mad that time when Sheila Bissett was spreading them rumours, which most of us knew already but weren't telling. This is the thanks I get.'

  Alan called out, 'Time gentlemen please. Come along now.'

  Caroline silently absorbed what he'd said. 'I appreciate your kindness Jimmy, nobody appreciates it more than me, but will you stop Jimmy?'

  'No, Dr Harris, I won't. I've been catching rabbits all mi life and I'm not going to stop now. I 'ear what you say and I'll think about it. Can't be fairer than that.'

  'I really wanted a promise to stop altogether.'

  'That you won't get.'

  Vera chipped in with 'Quite right Jimmy, it's a free country.'

  'Not for them rabbits it isn't if Jimmy goes on snaring 'em.' By now Pat was getting very indignant. She liked Caroline and had no intention of her coming off the worst in the argument.