The Village Newcomers (12 page)
They crowded round to see, all hoping that they wouldn’t have to pretend to like it. It was about ten square inches in size, and every single bit of it was embroidered in exquisite colours with gold threadwork woven throughout. It was quite like a section of a peacock’s tail, incredibly detailed, almost blinding the eye with the richness of the colours. ‘Intense’ and ‘splendid’ were the words that sprang to mind.
There were gasps all round.
‘Who taught you to do this?’ asked Evie.
‘I taught myself. Took a lot of goes till I got the hang of it, then it came to me one day. I love colours. I never wear black nor grey. Have I made it too vivid? Maybe it’s all too gaudy? Is it?’
Sheila Bissett was instantly jealous of Mercedes’ skill. At one time she’d have been sarcastic about it and deliberately hurt Mercedes, but since the death of her baby grandson Sheila had mellowed. ‘Why, it’s wonderful,’ she said warmly. ‘Absolutely wonderful. Isn’t it, Evie?’
‘It most certainly is. We shall be proud to have you join us. Is that what you would like to do?’
‘Oh, yes please.’
‘Have you ever exhibited?’
Mercedes almost froze at the prospect. ‘No, of course not.’
‘Well, there’s an exhibition coming up in two months’ time in Culworth. We’re exhibiting a panel we’ve done for the church. Could we enter this as a sample from a Turnham Malpas embroidery group member?’
Mercedes blushed bright red. ‘Do you honestly think it’s good enough? Really?’
Evie waxed so enthusiastic that Mercedes was convinced.
Dottie said, ‘You know, we have a flag to do on that ship, perhaps Mercedes could do it? It’s got to be all vivid colours and very intense, no nice duck-egg blue background like I specialise in. This kind of work would be just right, don’t you think?’
Mercedes was taken aback by their very genuine approval. She hadn’t felt so happy since she’d arrived in Turnham Malpas.
Once they’d settled to work, naturally the main topic of conversation was the arrival of Suzy Meadows at the coffee morning.
‘Frankly,’ said Sheila. ‘I don’t know how she had the cheek. She did right to leave as soon as they were born. The hussy!’
‘She said that the twins were going to stay with her for a few days. I find it hard to believe,’ said Evie, who’d been helping behind the counter serving the cakes, and had heard every word.
‘So do I. Those poor children. Well, they’re not children, are they? They’re almost grown up. Was there really any need to broadcast a fact which we all know already but never mention?’ said Bel.
‘Well, you can’t, can you? As it happened, what he did turned out for the best anyway. Though he shouldn’t have, now should he?’
‘No, but heck, he was gorgeous at the time. Come to think of it he still is. He’s got no business wearing a dog-collar.’ Sheila looked rather yearningly out of the window.
Mercedes was thoroughly confused by all the innuendoes and no names. ‘I don’t wish to be nosy, but who are we talking about?’
Bel whispered into her ear the names of the main players and Mercedes’ eyes grew wider at each sentence. ‘No! Has she long blonde hair and big blue eyes and a round face and a lovely fair skin?’
Four pairs of wide eyes stared at her, awaiting further revelation.
‘She was leaving the Rectory when Ford went to call. He thought she was the Rector’s wife, till the Rector explained.’
Stunned silence greeted this remark. Needles were idly poised over the tapestry, mouths hung open.
‘She’d called at the Rectory? Is he sure?’ asked Sheila.
‘Well, that’s how he described the person who was just leaving. ’
Sheila dropped the needle she was threading and bent to pick it up. Her voice floated up from somewhere near the floor.
‘She’d better not turn up again in this village, or I shall have something to say.’
‘Dottie, did you know she’d called at the Rectory?’ Evie asked.
‘No. Nothing was said when I was there this morning.’
Sheila, emerging from under the table, said, ‘Well, Peter certainly had something to say Sunday morning. I’ve never heard him speak like that, ever. No matter how angry he is he’s always a
gentle
man, but he wasn’t yesterday. It’s a wonder Valda didn’t go into complete meltdown.’
gentle
man, but he wasn’t yesterday. It’s a wonder Valda didn’t go into complete meltdown.’
Someone muttered, ‘It’d have been better if she had, the old cow.’
Bel had been working at the Royal Oak that morning and was bursting to know what he’d said. ‘What did he say then?’
‘He came bursting out of church,’ said Dottie, ‘halfway through stripping off his paraphernalia, and caught Valda saying it all over again for those who hadn’t heard. But then I saw Beth running home and I ran after her, so I don’t know.’
‘
I
heard.’ Sheila put her errant needle down on the table, and, with the length of tapestry wool she’d been trying to thread clinging to the front of her jumper, she repeated almost word for word what Peter had said: ‘I have never in all my years as a priest been so devastatingly angry. Whatever Suzy Meadows-that-was said about my children going to stay with her it is absolutely untrue. The children, my
beloved
children, are not going to stay with her and have already told her so in a letter. It is not your fault that the tale you have told is untrue but it
is
your fault, Valda, that you are deliberately causing my wife and my children considerable pain with your tittle-tattle, knowing full well it’s very likely they’ll be within hearing. You should be ashamed of yourself. Nothing short of a public apology will satisfy me.’
I
heard.’ Sheila put her errant needle down on the table, and, with the length of tapestry wool she’d been trying to thread clinging to the front of her jumper, she repeated almost word for word what Peter had said: ‘I have never in all my years as a priest been so devastatingly angry. Whatever Suzy Meadows-that-was said about my children going to stay with her it is absolutely untrue. The children, my
beloved
children, are not going to stay with her and have already told her so in a letter. It is not your fault that the tale you have told is untrue but it
is
your fault, Valda, that you are deliberately causing my wife and my children considerable pain with your tittle-tattle, knowing full well it’s very likely they’ll be within hearing. You should be ashamed of yourself. Nothing short of a public apology will satisfy me.’
‘And did she, Sheila?’
‘Oh yes. Even Valda couldn’t refuse once she’d looked into Peter’s face and seen his pain. And quite right, too. He turned his back on us all and went back into the church. Caroline was absolutely stricken, she went home. Alex looked as though he was carved from stone and couldn’t move. The rest of us were shattered. We’ve kept their secret all these years and wham! It was all out in the open, just like that.’ She plucked the length of wool from her jumper and threaded her needle with shaking fingers. ‘I still feel funny even now just thinking about it.’
They broke for tea at this point. As they’d moved their chairs to the tea table, the sound of Zack striding up and down the churchyard with his super-mower reminded them of Ford Barclay.
Dottie said to Mercedes, ‘Didn’t we have a lovely day at the races with you and Ford? It really was so kind of him to take us all, and it was all so posh. I wonder if we thanked him enough, because we did enjoy it.’
‘Ford loves giving people treats, he really does. He’s worked twenty-four/seven for years and now he’s retired he can indulge himself in giving friends a good time.’
‘Well, that’s nice to know because it was smashing. Are you beginning to settle in, then?’
Mercedes paused for a moment and then said, ‘I am now. This afternoon, thanks to you all.’
‘You’ve got a lovely house,’ Sheila remarked.
‘Mmm.’
‘Where did you live before? Not round here because your accent’s different.’
Mercedes hesitated, then mumbled, ‘Birmingham.’
Bel remarked, ‘I’ve a second cousin who lives in Birmingham. ’
Mercedes hurriedly said, ‘It’s strange for us living here, all trees and country.’
‘Well, yes, but we all love it. You know everyone, you see.’
‘Will you be coming to our wedding anniversary party? You’ll all be invited.’
‘We’d heard. Well, yes, I expect we all will. Got all your plans made?’ Bel was puzzled that she couldn’t seem to remember where they’d lived before. It was odd.
Mercedes positively blossomed. A lovely smile came over her face as she said, ‘Oh, yes. That Jimbo is brilliant, you know. It’ll spoil it if I tell you everything that’s going to happen, but he’s got musicians—’
‘You mean a pop band?’
‘No, no. One in keeping with the Elizabethan banquet. And there will be dancers and a play and lots of lovely food and drink. I tell you, Ford has really gone to town on it, but we couldn’t have done it without Jimbo. He’s lovely isn’t he?’
Bel agreed. ‘Mind you, he has a temper. I remember once—’
‘I say,’ interrupted Sheila, who didn’t want to listen to yet another of Bel’s stories about working for Jimbo, ‘What’s happening with the youth club? There’s rumours going round that Ford has decided to spend some money on it instead of the lunch club for the Senior Citizens. Not that I go, so it doesn’t bother me.’
Mercedes launched enthusiastically into the latest news. ‘Ah, well, they’ve planned some splendid trips out. I can’t remember everything, but first there’s a midnight walk on Brocken High Barrow next week.’
Dottie was amazed. ‘Brocken High Barrow, at midnight? What are they thinking of? They’ll be up to all sorts of things they shouldn’t, up there in the dark.’
‘Well, anyway, after that they’re off on a weekend camping before the weather gets too bad with a hike along the South Coast Path.’
Someone muttered, ‘Rather them than me.’
‘They’re all very excited about that. Oh, and then there’s a trip to a bowling alley with another youth club before Christmas. And there’s talk of a narrowboat holiday in the summer, a boat for twelve. Ford’s so excited about that he’s even thinking of going with them. Then, before Christmas, they’re planning a ghost-hunting expedition in some castle or other, take your own candle.’
Bel was astounded. ‘Have they gone completely mad? When I went to a youth club we got all excited about a table-tennis match against the Scouts in the church hall with the vicar and his wife standing guard just in case, though in case of what we never knew. Fat chance with a load of boring scouts with bare knees and woggles. None of this gallivanting about.’
Dottie asked if Peter knew what was going on. ‘After all, it is a church thingy.’
Evie suggested that maybe Kate and Venetia had cleared it with Peter already.
‘Well,’ said Sheila. ‘I am amazed. It’s not quite the thing, is it? Too much temptation. You know what that lot in Penny Fawcett are like. They’re on a par with that pub of theirs in the High Street, the Jug and Bottle - all drunk and no class whatsoever. Imagine
twelve
of ’em on a boat. Can’t expect ’em to behave proper when it’s a mixed group. The mind boggles. Glad I’m not in charge; I’d never sleep a wink.’
twelve
of ’em on a boat. Can’t expect ’em to behave proper when it’s a mixed group. The mind boggles. Glad I’m not in charge; I’d never sleep a wink.’
Evie was far more trusting than the others. ‘Mrs Fitch wouldn’t allow anything untoward, I’m sure. She is a teacher after all.’
‘There was a piece in the paper the other day about these teenagers who’d gone swimming naked in a lake and—’
Sheila nodded briskly. ‘I read that. It was disgusting. But look at that time when we had the pyjama party and those two were found upstairs in the bedroom at Glebe House, knowing nothing about the house being on fire at all. A lot of
them
were from Penny Fawcett.
them
were from Penny Fawcett.
Mercedes was laughing. ‘Did you say at Glebe House? Really? A pyjama party? Which bedroom were they in?’ Her eyes were alight with fun.
‘It wasn’t funny at the time, believe me, Mercedes. They could have died ’cept they got the fire out in quick time.’
Bel, sensing that there would be a big argument if they weren’t careful, said softly, ‘I’m sure Kate Fitch won’t allow things to get out of hand. After all, some of them will have been at the primary school when they were younger. They know she has standards.’
‘Yes,’ said Sheila, tapping a well-manicured nail on the table, ‘but what about Venetia? You can’t say
she’s
got standards. We all know what she was.’
she’s
got standards. We all know what she was.’
Evie glanced at her watch and said, ‘Shall we get on?’
At that precise moment Zack walked in for his usual Monday afternoon treat of a cup of tea. ‘Hello, Merc! Surprised to find you here embroidering. Heard that wonderful mower of mine? I shall always be in debt to your hubby for that mower. Transformed my life, it has. Has Ford got any good tips this week? Last week’s turned up trumps. Fifty-four pounds and fifty pence I won. Gone towards me and the wife going to America to see our daughter.’
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