A Village in Jeopardy (Turnham Malpas 16) (13 page)

‘You’re absolutely right. I’ve always been so well looked after, with Mum and Dad loving me to bits all my life and Alex fighting my corner for me too. I knew you would talk sense to me. Thanks, Dottie. And you? Are you home where you want to be?’

Dottie placed her mug on the corner of the hearth, but sat, hands clasped, looking anywhere but at Beth.

The silence was a companionable one but Beth was impatient to talk about Dottie’s problems and couldn’t wait for her to speak. ‘Mum wants you back. She says no one cleans her house as well as you do and she can’t wait to hear you at the door, saying, “It’s only me.” She misses you; we all do. Well?’

When Dottie looked at her Beth was amazed to see tears in her eyes. ‘She means it, doesn’t she, your mum?’

‘Of course she does, otherwise she wouldn’t say it.’

‘And your dad? The reverend? What does that lovely, lovely man have to say about me?’

‘The same. He holds no opinion about the past, yours or anyone else’s. If coming back to work at the Rectory is all right with you, it certainly is all right with him.’ A wicked glint came in Beth’s eyes. ‘He claims your coffee is better than Mum’s anyway.’

‘No-o-o . . . is that true?’

‘Yes, he’s always telling her, but she just laughs.’

‘You are so lucky having lovely parents like you’ve got. I never knew my dad, and my mother was crazy in the head, you know. It wasn’t much of a start for me, especially being an only child, and when Willie said what he said, it brought all that back and I felt like dirt. Which I was.’

‘Dottie! Don’t say that. You’re not, not in my eyes. All that is long gone and I want to hear that you’ve been to the pub tonight and shown them what you’re made of. I know for a fact Willie does regret terribly what he said—’

‘How do you know that?’

‘Because I’ve been to see him about it and he told me, and he meant it. Sylvia is mortified about it and won’t let him forget. He’s right in the dog house, believe me.’

They both heard three sharp barks at the front door. ‘That’ll be Sykes,’ Beth said. ‘He must have followed me down here. He’s a dear little dog, but he is so bossy. Would you mind if he came in to wait?’

‘Go let him in. I like Sykes; he’s a good friend to me when I’m cleaning.’

So they sat together drinking another mug of coffee, talking and reminiscing with Sykes comfortably placed first beside Dottie, after giving her a big welcome, and then beside Beth, looking at her expectantly as though saying, ‘When are we going home?’

‘So do I have your promise about going in the pub tonight and coming to the Rectory to clean tomorrow? I shan’t be there – I’m helping Gilbert to keep his office tidy.’

‘That won’t be easy, I guess.’ Dottie laughed when she’d said this and she sounded comfortingly like the old Dottie. ‘I’ll definitely be at the Rectory tomorrow, but about the pub, I’m none too sure.’

Beth stood up. ‘In that case I shall go in there myself, and if you’re not there I shall come down here in my car and drag you there. You can’t spend the rest of your life not going to the pub, now, can you? You know you love the company, to say nothing of the gossip.’

‘No, I don’t suppose I can avoid it, but it’ll be hard.’

‘In any case, the embroidery group is complaining that you’re getting behind with your stitching and they say no one does background as beautifully as you do.’

‘Have they really said that?’

‘Dad said so; he’s been to see them. Apparently Sheila Bissett had a go at the background but it wasn’t nearly as beautifully done as you do it and Evie had to pull it all out.’

‘In that case then I’d better pull myself together and get back to work. Can’t have the tapestry for that medieval hall in Abbey Gate held up else we’ll get a bad name. I’m that proud we were asked to do it.’

Beth stood up, leaned over Dottie and kissed her. ‘I’m off, Dottie. Thanks for the coffee and talking to me; you always do me good.’

‘Thanks for my pep talk. Bye, love, bye, Sykes.’ Sykes wagged his tail at her as he ran for the front door.

The news of Beth helping Gilbert in his office reached the old table in the bar at the Royal Oak in no time at all and as fascinating topics of conversation were few and far between at the moment they were glad to have something to talk about.

Sylvia, her days as housekeeper at the Rectory now long gone, remembered sitting either side of the Aga helping Caroline to bottle feed the twins all those years ago. ‘Well, if she isn’t enjoying herself then she did right to come back home.’

Willie, however, had a different spin on the matter which he voiced in firm tones. ‘Got the chance for a place at Cambridge and throws it away ’cos she’s homesick. Plain daft that is. She should have stuck it out and made a go of it.’ He slapped down his tankard and looked round for approval.

Surprisingly there were no approving nods.

‘Frankly, what’s the point of her being miserable?’ Vince remarked.

Marie spoke up, saying, ‘Maybe she just wasn’t ready for it.’

Willie scoffed at their sympathy. ‘She’s got Alex there, hasn’t she? Always go see him if she’s miserable. Though, why they’ve gone to different colleges, I’ll never know.’

‘Sick of relying on each other, I suppose. They’ve got to grow up some time and manage without each other.’

This remark of Sylvia’s angered Willie even more. ‘We all know how much the girl relies on Alex; he’s a tower of strength, just like the rector. I’ve known the day when—’

Marie interrupted him. ‘So what you’re saying is if she ever gets married Alex will have to move in with her and her husband?’

Scathingly Willie replied, ‘I’m not that daft. What I am saying is she’s given up a marvellous opportunity. Cambridge on your references – what’s better than that, eh?’ He looked round and saw approval, even on Don’s normally expressionless face.

‘Mmm,’ said Don, ‘I just wish Dottie was here. She’d know about it and what’s going to happen.’

‘She would indeed,’ muttered Sylvia, ‘wouldn’t she, Willie?’

It seemed to Willie that Sylvia could make absolutely any topic of conversation relevant to him being the cause of Dottie’s sudden departure.

‘Not necessarily; she’s always very careful not to let on about what goes on in the Rectory, just like you were.’

Sylvia had to concede that point. They continued on with their gossiping by going round the table so that each one of them related the history of their own education in comparison to Beth’s missed opportunities, mostly at the Turnham Malpas village school, of course. Sylvia reminded them all about Dottie when she was at school. ‘Poor Dottie, her mother was already crackers when she was born, I’m sure, though we never mentioned it to her. She’d a terrible start in life. Her mother used to keep Dottie from school on her bad days, so if we started long division on a Monday Dottie would be away and by the time she got back we’d most of us got the hang of it, so she got left behind yet again. Pity that. That was why she became a . . . you know what, isn’t it, Willie?’

Willie groaned inside but bore it like a man. ‘Indeed. Never stood a chance. I miss her, just got that matter-of-fact side to her you can’t help but like. ’Nother round anybody?’ When they all nodded he got to his feet, picked up the tray and went to the bar.

With his back to the door Willie was unaware of who it was that had walked in. With mouths agape in surprise they silently watched him make his way to the bar, and Willie, busy balancing the tray to avoid spills, turned away from the bar to find himself facing Johnny Templeton.

Eyes wide with surprise he stuttered, ‘Come and join us, OK? If you want. Nice to have you back.’ Willie walked towards his table, eyes still wide with surprise. Putting the tray down, he began handing out the glasses saying softly, ‘Have you seen who’s just come in? Sylvia, go warn Alice.’

Sylvia stood up and quietly wandered over towards the ladies’, knowing the side door was most probably unlocked. It was. She dashed out, crossed in front of Jimbo’s house and Tom and Evie’s and tapped on Alice’s door. She’d be sure to be in. It was too late for piano lessons or singing lessons.

She heard Alice’s footsteps on the stone-flagged floor of the hall, heard the bolts being pulled back, and there stood Alice. Too late, Sylvia knew she should have worked out what to say before she knocked.

‘Hello! Sylvia, do come in.’

‘I wasn’t going to.’

‘Oh! I see.’ Alice couldn’t remember Sylvia ever knocking on her door before and was at a loss to know what on earth to say to fill the silence. ‘Can I help?’

‘There’s a message.’

‘Yes?’

When Sylvia remained silent Alice asked what the message was.

‘It’s just that someone’s come back.’

The blood drained from Alice’s face. ‘Who?’

Sylvia’s tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. ‘I thought you should be warned.’

‘It’s not Marcus, is it?’

‘No-o-o. It’s the other one.’ That sounded terrible, as though she had a string of men.

Alice’s knees began to buckle and Sylvia caught hold of her elbow. ‘Now, now, don’t you faint on me; it’s not that awful, is it? Him coming back – isn’t that what you want?’

Alice said, ‘Are you sure?’

‘I’ve seen him. He’s having a drink in the pub with the others, and we thought it best to warn you, then you couldn’t get a shock. Well, I don’t mean a shock, I mean a surprise, in case he’s come back a bit unexpected.’

Alice visibly pulled herself together, saying, ‘Thank you for telling me.’

Sylvia nodded and then headed back to the pub.

Unbeknown to Sylvia and Alice he’d already been asking about Alice, claiming he’d had to go back to Brazil in a hurry on important business. Then with no more ado he asked to their horror about Marcus.

Don, unfazed by his question, plunged in with, ‘Well, he’s up in London having got someone interested in buying his book, and hasn’t been seen since. Poor Alice; it’s just not fair leaving her all on her own. He hasn’t even got in touch. Mind you, she did turn him out one night, lock, stock and barrel, so there’s no wonder.’

At this point Sylvia slipped back into her chair as though returning from the ladies’. Under the table she pressed the palm of her hand on Willie’s knee and squeezed it to let him know her mission was completed, then smiled a greeting to Johnny. He acknowledged it and then said, ‘So she’s on her own now?’

‘Seems like it, but she’s lost her sparkle,’ said Marie.

Johnny appeared to clutch at this idea. ‘Has she now? I think I’d better go see how she is.’ He left immediately, his pint of home brew abandoned only half drunk.

‘I mean, let’s face it: like it or not, they were lovers.’ Sylvia gazed soulfully into her glass and Don reached across to pat her hand. In a loud voice he said, ‘Living in sin, more like.’

A gasp of embarrassment went round the table but Don remained oblivious. He drained his glass and got to his feet. ‘Come on then, our Vera, let’s be off.’

Without waiting for Vera to struggle out from the settle he set off, just in time to see Alice talking to Johnny at her front door.

‘Alice, please let me in. I need to explain.’

‘Why should I?’

‘Because I love you, as you well know.’

‘Then if you love me, why did you leave without a word of explanation?’

‘Because I misunderstood.’

Alice opened the door a little wider, and then reluctantly let him in. She didn’t intend telling him her news. Or was it
his
news?

What Alice needed at the moment was a cup of tea, so as it gave her something to do other than being flustered by Johnny being back, she filled the kettle and got out the tea cups.

He stood close to her, drinking in the beauty of her, the smell of her perfume, the sway of her body as she hurried to find a tray and a plate of biscuits.

‘Alice! What is the matter? Will you let me explain? Please stop rushing about and let me tell you.’

They sat together on the sofa in the kitchen. Alice, conscious this was the first time he’d been in her house, knew it felt good, but she’d have to wait for his explanation before she could begin to enjoy him being there. ‘Well?’

‘Well.’ He took her hand and though she tried to pull it away he wouldn’t allow it. Instead he kissed each one of her fingers, then turned her hand over and kissed the palm and the joy of his touch took her from being furiously angry to longing to hear his reasons.

He caught sight of her half smile and knew she was ready to listen. Johnny began by telling her of the women who pursued him back home in Brazil. ‘They said exactly the kind of thing you said, but unlike you they were not wanting me, not the real Johnny Templeton; they wanted the social position and the lifestyle that the wealth of my family could promise them. I’m not boasting; I’m simply telling it how it is out there. When you said about loving me, you were using words I’d heard before from women who didn’t care what kind of a man
I
was. They would have put up with any behaviour on my part just to get at the money. I can’t pretend I’m not well off – I am – but it counts for nothing compared to how I feel about you. I’ll give it all away if you’ll have me.’