Read Scandal in the Village Online
Authors: Rebecca Shaw
‘Well, not quite but nearly.’
‘My word, your two little ones must have had a nasty shock on Saturday. I’m glad I wasn’t there. Are they all right?’
‘Thankfully I don’t think they realised what was happening. They were so worried about their father fighting, that was what impressed them the most! Alex gave me a very graphic description when he got home. He was rather proud of Peter and couldn’t or wouldn’t understand that he wasn’t really fighting.’
‘Thank God for the Rector is all I can say. What a blessing he was there. Then when the Duch— Mrs Charter-Plackett let on that they weren’t married. You should have seen everyone’s faces, they couldn’t believe it. They were gobsmacked I can tell you …’ Linda propped her hip against a shelf and looked set for the morning. ‘Mrs Jones said …’
Jimbo ever mindful of his business interrupted. ‘Excuse me, Linda, but you were ten minutes late to begin with and I see you’ve someone tapping their foot by your counter. Could you get started, please. The customer is king in our set-up.’
‘Sorry, I must say.’ She hastened off and then had to come back for the key to open the post office till. Jimbo took it out of his pocket and she almost snatched it from him. He raised his eyebrows at Caroline. ‘Come in the back. Bring your coffee.’ Jimbo called out to Linda, ‘If I’m needed I’m in my office. Bel shouldn’t be long.’
He settled Caroline on his chair and perched on the stool.
‘Peter is not best pleased at what your mother said in the church hall on Saturday. It has proved to be true, I know, but Peter had been hoping it could be kept secret.’
‘I know, I know. She told me a week or so ago that she had some news about Dicky but I wouldn’t let her tell me. I said she musn’t say a word to anyone at all, keep mum, et cetera. But I expect the temptation proved too much.’
‘The other thing is, Jimbo, you’ll soon know so it won’t matter if I tell you first, Peter had a petition put through the letterbox this morning, stating that Dicky should be sacked from the Scouts. It was in your mother’s handwriting and her name was the first signature, I’m afraid.’
Jimbo groaned. ‘Oh no! I don’t believe this. After all I said to her. Obviously I didn’t say enough. I wish to goodness she’d never come here. She’s worse than a child. As soon as Bel comes I shall go pay her a visit. She really is the end. The absolute limit.’
‘Who is?’ Standing in the doorway was his mother. Dressed immaculately in black and white she was the epitome of the well-dressed older woman.
‘Close that door.’
‘I beg your pardon?’
‘I said close that door.’
She did. ‘Well? Who is?’
‘You are, Mother. I asked you not to say a word about what the sewing-machine man told you. But what do you do? You blurt it out in front of half the village. As if that wasn’t bad enough I hear you’ve signed a letter of protest about him. It simply will not do. What you do reflects on me. My position in this village is paramount to the success of my business. Are you determined to ruin it for me? Besides which it’s most unkind of you, quite thoughtless, in fact, to be a party to that petition.’
‘Don’t speak to me in that tone of voice. I am your mother!’
‘I do not need reminding.’
‘In any case it was bound to come out in view of Saturday. Bound to. Sooner rather than later I say. And I meant what I said about him in that letter, my grandsons’ moral rectitude is under threat and I won’t tolerate it, even if you condone it.’
‘I never said I condoned it, I said it was none of my business.’
‘Fudging the issue, that’s all that is. If you’d let me tell you at the time, you would know all the story. When I said Dicky was married the man in the shop said, “Dicky Tutt married! Not Dicky, he isn’t the marrying kind. Likes to play the field does Dicky, he wouldn’t let himself get trapped into marriage.” So I said, “Well, he is married now.” He said, “Well, I know for a fact he isn’t.” I said, “Well, he is.” And he asked me her name and of course I said “Bel”. His whole demeanour changed then, you could have thought I’d said a dirty word, he gave me a funny look, handed me my change and shut up like a clam. When I thanked him for saving my life with the spare part for my beloved machine he turned his back on me and didn’t even say goodbye. So it’s not just that Dicky isn’t married it seems to me there’s something else as well!’
‘Mother! You’re at it again! I warned you you’d have me to reckon with and …’
Caroline could see that Jimbo was working himself up into a colossal temper, his normally pallid skin was flushed deep red and his hands were clenching and unclenching at a furious pace, so she interrupted him. ‘Mrs Charter-Plackett, out of Christian charity I think it would be a good idea to let this suspicion go no further than these four walls. What on earth the significance is of the man behaving so oddly when you said his wife’s name was Bel I really cannot guess, but for everyone’s sakes, please don’t repeat it.’
‘As if I would. I must apologise for my son’s bad temper, he got that from his father not from me.’ Grandmama smiled at Caroline and in a completely different tone said, ‘Now, my dear, I am glad to see you out and about. You are looking well.’
Linda called out, ‘Mr Charter-Plackett! Can you come, they’re queueing at the till and Bel’s not here yet.’
‘Right ho! I’ll love you and leave you. Stay as long as you want, Caroline.’ Jimbo pushed past his mother and left.
Caroline watched him go. ‘I’m going too. It’s the first time I’ve been out I don’t want to overdo it.’
‘Of course not. Any time you’re fancying a little walk, call and see me, I keep my cottage very warm and cosy and we’ll have a cup of tea and a chat.’
Caroline stood up. ‘Thank you, I’ll remember that. Take you up on it some time, perhaps.’
‘You’ll be most welcome.’
When Grandmama answered her door bell that afternoon, she hoped it might be Caroline but she found Peter standing there. The reproachful look in his eyes shamed her. Why did the man always expect the best and look so sad when he didn’t find it? They were all of them only human.
‘What a lovely surprise, Rector, do come in.’
She offered him the best and biggest chair and sat herself down on the sofa. Peter sat with his forearms resting on his knees and his hands locked together.
‘Mrs Charter-Plackett. I’ve come to say how sorry I am that you told everyone about Dicky and Bel. The last time you started up a piece of gossip it was totally unfounded and would have been very damaging not to say heartbreaking to Caroline if she had heard it. This time what you said is true, but you didn’t know for certain it was the truth when you said it, and how I wish you hadn’t.’ He looked so sadly at her that her heart began to thump. ‘I really do wish you hadn’t. What do you have to say to me about it?’
This was it. This was when he was going to bring the best out in her when she didn’t want him to. She’d only spoken the truth. But, as he said, maybe it would have been best left unsaid. ‘Well, I … I’m sorry to have disappointed you. I didn’t think.’
‘Exactly. You see there isn’t a Scout troop in the whole of Great Britain with a more dedicated leader than Dicky. He’s excellent with the boys, quite excellent. We have boys attending from all three of the villages and way beyond and they are very lucky to have him. And so too is the church lucky to have him. He started the troop from scratch and has built it up in no time at all and he has the most tremendous influence on those boys, a wonderful influence for good. You only have to look at Rhett Wright to see how much good he can do. If you’d known the old Rhett you wouldn’t believe the change in him and it’s in part due to Dicky and his hard work. I will not, will not ask him to resign.’
‘I see.’
‘Do you though?’
Grandmama picked an invisible thread from her skirt to give herself a moment to think. ‘You mean he stays for the greater good?’
‘That’s right.’
‘But he’s living in sin.’
Peter studied what she said. ‘Indeed, yes I suppose he is. But what difference does that make to his work?’
‘None. I suppose.’
‘Obviously it would be better if he wasn’t living with Bel and why they don’t marry I don’t know …’
‘It’s the deceit of it, wearing a ring when they aren’t.’
‘But it is
their
business not yours nor mine. So am I any nearer to persuading you to withdraw your signature? You see Mrs Charter-Plackett, you have such an influence in this village.’ Grandmama smiled somewhat smugly. ‘Oh they wouldn’t admit it for the world, they wouldn’t want you to get above yourself you see, but you have. It’s partly through Jimbo, he’s so well liked for he’s such a generous kind-hearted man, and partly through yourself. Your style … and bearing and of course your intelligence. You’re no fool. You could be such an influence for
good
you see if you let yourself.’
By the time Peter had finished this speech Grandmama was glowing with pleasure. The dear man. He’d got right to the heart of the matter. Right to the nub. ‘I withdraw my signature. They’ll all be disappointed but there you are. Common sense and the greater good has prevailed.’
‘I can’t thank you enough. That’s wonderful, I knew you were too liberal-minded not to see my point of view. Now, can you do one more thing for me?’
‘Whatever you ask.’
‘Persuade the others to withdraw their signatures too?’
Alarmed, Grandmama said, ‘Oh, I don’t know about that. They were very adamant.’
‘Could you invite them round for a strategy meeting? I’m sure it wouldn’t be beyond your powers of persuasion to encourage them to agree with your point of view.’
‘I could try. Yes, I could try. I’ll do that. It’ll be a hard nut to crack, but yes I will. I’ll tell them they’ve got to for the boys’ sakes. Don’t you worry, Peter, you’ll be able to tear up that letter by the end of the week. Leave it to me.’
‘Thank you.’
‘I’m sorry for Georgie though, you know, she is very distressed. She’s so sickened by Bryn, and Dicky’s brought such happiness and excitement to her life. It’s all gone wrong between her and Bryn you see, and I can’t think of anything more terrible than being in a marriage which has gone rotten to the core. I don’t believe in divorce, you know for better or worse and all that, but I do feel very sorry for Georgie. A bad marriage must be hell. I beg your pardon, Rector, but it must be.’
Peter shook his head. ‘I don’t believe in divorce either, but I do begin to think that there must be times …’
‘I can’t believe the good Lord wants his children to be unhappy and if they’ve given it their best shot … Well. I’ve told her to grab happiness when she has the chance.’ She stood up. ‘Don’t let me keep you, a young man like you doesn’t want to listen to an old lady’s ramblings. Off you go. I promise to do as you wish.’
Peter looked down at her with such a loving smile on his face and said, ‘No, as
you
wish, surely?’
There was nothing else she could say but, ‘Yes, that’s right, as I wish.’
The week’s respite which Peter had got the four of them to agree to, wasn’t working as far as Bryn was concerned. He hadn’t had an inkling that Georgie was unhappy, not an inkling and out of the blue he had been presented with Dicky in courting mood and Georgie enjoying his attentions; to say he was stunned was an understatement.
He’d a sneaking feeling that maybe somewhere along the line he’d let her down but it was all too late to retrieve himself. She was sleeping in the other bedroom and providing his meals and working in the bar but there was no rapport between them. Barely even politeness, certainly not any conversation. Takings had slumped dramatically since Saturday, once the initial excitement was over, nobody wanted to drink in a pub where the landlord appeared to be capable of murder. Which he had been that day. Bryn could have thrown Dicky over, gone down carried him back up and thrown him over again for the sheer satisfaction of it. He’d been mad. Completely mad. He didn’t know how much longer he could continue like this. What was the point of being tied to someone who wished they were with someone else and a thousand miles away from you?
He’d come to recognise his mistake in not nurturing his marriage, thereby causing it quietly, unobtrusively, to die. It was a long time since he’d given Georgie any real thought. Oh, he’d paid for her clothes, admired her hair, enjoyed her bubbly personality, appreciated her hard work and her willingness but not thought about love. That was it. Love. Somehow he’d left that out of the equation and here he was with a wife being courted by an upstart of a dandy of a man, who’d captured her heart.
Perhaps if they moved away like he’d suggested. Bought another pub, or even heavens above, got that job running a bar on a cruise liner that he’d seen advertised in the trade paper last week. It was a cruise line which worked on the basis of cheap and cheerful and pack ’em in, but it would be a start. That might excite her. Not only might, it would. He seized on the idea like a drowning man a life raft. Yes, that just might … Bryn heard her coming down the stairs. He didn’t greet her because he didn’t know what to say any more. When he heard the thud of something heavy being put down on the stone floor of the passage he turned to see.
Georgie was dressed for going out. Beside her was a large suitcase.
‘It’s no good, is it? I’m …’
‘You’re not leaving? What about the bar?’
Georgie’s face crumpled. ‘“What about the bar,” he says. That just about sums it up. You’ll jolly well have to find someone else won’t you? There’s always Alan and that girl from Penny Fawcett who keeps pestering for a job. Alan will do more hours, he needs the money.’
‘That’s not fair, we’re in this together you know, we both took it on, you’re abandoning me.’
‘That’s true we did take it on together, but it’s your name over the door and I’m afraid you’ll have to get on with it.’ She pulled on her gloves and bent to pick up the case. ‘I’m abandoning you only after you’ve abandoned me.’
‘Don’t, please, don’t go Georgie. Nothing’s changed I still feel …’
‘You’re scoring well today Bryn. That’s the second bull’s eye in less than five minutes. “Nothing’s changed”, how right you are.’
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about, it’s all riddles to me.’
‘Exactly. You’re so turned in on yourself you can’t see beyond the end of your nose. I shall be at Mrs Charter-Plackett’s for the time being if you need me, not that there’s anything to say between us.’
‘Mrs Charter-Plackett’s? Not Dicky’s?’
‘No, not Dicky’s. There’s enough gossip without me doing that, and there is Bel to consider. I’m having a respite, to sort myself out.’
‘But Mrs Charter-Plackett! That old bat. Why her?’
‘She’s a kindred spirit.’
‘What’s that mean?’
‘Somehow she understands what it means to be miserable, when you’re married.’
‘Is that how you think of it? Miserable?’
Georgie looked sadly up at him. ‘I’m afraid I do and for some time now. I’ll be off then.’
Bryn watched her go. Habit made him offer to carry her case for her, but she shook her head and left by the back door. He stared at the door after she’d closed it. The sound of it shutting struck him right to the heart. That was it then. Marriage, Georgie, the pub. Ashes. All ashes. He might as well not have lived the last twenty-two years. It had all been for nothing. There was a banging at the back door. Three bangs. That was the brewery delivery. He picked up his keys and went to open up the cellar.
Georgie might have escaped, but he still had ordinary everyday life to face. Still had to keep going with the nitty-gritty of a daily grind he was beginning to loathe. Bryn felt weighed down with cares. He looked down at his feet surprised to find there was no ball and chain fastened to them. How could there not be when it was so difficult to walk?
‘This bedroom’s lovely, Mrs Charter-Plackett. Lovely! So warm and … well lovely!’
‘I’m glad you like it. These turquoise shades give such warmth to a room don’t they? Elegant but welcoming I always think. There’s plenty of space in the wardrobe, look.’ She opened the mahogany doors and displayed the empty coathangers. ‘Fill it up, there’s plenty of drawer space too, if you need it. Settle yourself in and I’ll make a coffee shortly and we’ll sit by the fire and talk.’
Georgie thanked her. ‘It’s most kind. I shan’t stay long. Just till I get my head sorted.’
‘Of course, I’m giving you a breathing space. I think it would be nice if you called me Katherine. It seems silly in this day and age to be calling me Mrs Charter-Plackett when we’re living in the same house. Come down when you’re ready.’
They sat by the log fire, a speciality of Grandmama’s. She had trained Greenwood Stubbs, the estate gardener, to keep her well supplied. Mr Fitch had said he didn’t mind and she paid him for them so it was all fair and square.
Georgie found the fire comforting. Like the two of them had said before, you can dream dreams in front of a fire. What were her dreams?
‘So what are your dreams?’ Georgie jumped at the question, surely she wasn’t a mind-reader? It took her a moment to find an answer.
‘In the best of all possible worlds what I’d really truly like is to be in a nice house with Dicky, each with our own careers and coming home in the evenings to spend time together and …’
‘That sounds very ordinary. Very unadventurous.’
‘What would you have us do?’
‘I had thought of a new life together in Australia or New Zealand or Canada or somewhere. The colonies, of course, not the USA, far too brash for permanent living.’
Georgie laughed. ‘Me? In Australia?’
‘Why not. You and Dicky would make a wonderful pair for managing a bar. You with your knowledge, Dicky with his jokes and his outgoing personality. Excellent!’
‘I’ve had enough of the licensed trade to last me a lifetime. Thank you very much.’
‘Ah! but is it the combination of Bryn and the licensed trade you hate, or is it just the licensed trade. You’ve got to distinguish between the two.’
‘Ah! Right.’ She gazed into the fire and said ‘I hadn’t thought someone like you would be so understanding. You don’t appear to be an understanding person at all.’
Grandmama shuffled a little uncomfortably in her chair. ‘Well, I do have my good moments. I’ve made a few mistakes since I came here, but I am trying hard. For instance tonight I’ve got a meeting of the people who put their signatures to that letter I wrote about Dicky.’
Georgie stared at her. ‘You wrote that letter then?’
‘I’m afraid so. The Rector made me see the error of my ways and I’m having a try at changing their minds. So I’m afraid tonight you’ll have to stay in the bedroom or go out. It wouldn’t do for you to be seen to be here.’
‘Thank goodness for that! You will do your best? Dicky wouldn’t be Dicky without his Scouts. They are his life’s work. Whatever I do I mustn’t part him from that.’
‘No, indeed, I think you’re right. Perhaps Australia wouldn’t be such a good idea. How’s Bryn?’
‘Shattered.’
‘I see.’
‘Do you know what his first words were when he realised I was leaving?’ Grandmama shook her head. ‘He said “What about the bar.” If ever I needed confirmation that was it. “What about the bar.” I couldn’t believe it.’
‘Oh dear! What about Bel?’
‘Dear Bel. She’s been so nice about it all. So understanding. She’s the one I feel guilty about, more than Bryn. Bel’s not at all upset about Dicky being in love with me, she’s very philosophical about it. What will be will be she says. I might go across there tonight and have a talk, though we’ve promised Peter we wouldn’t see each other, so perhaps I’d better not.’
‘Don’t rush into decisions. You know how impulsive Dicky can be.’
Georgie grinned. ‘I certainly do. He’s the loveliest man, you know. He sees the world through child’s eyes, yet when he’s with the boys he kind of grows in stature, literally. One click of his fingers and they’re all lined up, no nonsense. There’s such
strength
there as well as all the joking and laughter. I do love him. He’s such fun. The light of my life you could say.’
‘He sounds lovely.’
‘Oh, he is!’
‘You’re very lucky.’
‘It doesn’t feel like luck at the moment. Bryn’s guilty of attempted murder, and Dicky and I drove him to it. It was only the Rector’s being so persuasive that prevented Dicky from pressing charges, after all, who could blame him? He’d had a terrible fright, the poor love. Perhaps I’ll stay in the bedroom while you have the meeting, maybe I should leave Bel and Dicky to talk things out on their own.’
Dicky came in from work desolate. He’d promised Peter a whole week of thinking things over and only two days of it had gone by, and he longed to see Georgie and what was worse he was no nearer a solution.
‘Bel! It’s me.’ He could smell his dinner cooking, pork, he thought and stuffing. The kitchen was its usual haphazard self just like it always was when Bel was cooking. She had the most casual approach to the subject anyone could have, but it always turned out well. She worked on a bit of this and a bit of that basis and wouldn’t have been able to find the scales if she looked for them for a week. The kitchen was tiny and it was best to keep out when she was in there. He squeezed himself round the door and got them both a lager from the fridge. ‘I won’t pour yours just yet.’
‘Right. Five minutes.’
‘Right.’ Dicky seated himself in an easy chair and looked round the room. Bel had made this such a comfortable home. They hadn’t the money for all the frills but she’d done a marvellous job with what they’d had available. It had been a bare barren tip when she’d come and somehow out of nothing a home had materialised. Whatever happened, he wasn’t abandoning the Scouts, because the Scouts was where he made a real contribution. It was where he counted. It was where no-good loser Dicky Tutt could stand tall. He couldn’t count the boys he’d helped over the years, this was the second troop he’d started and it was the best.
His job? Well, he did it, he did it to the best of his ability but it was a useless, waste-of-time, cog-in-a-machine, kind of job. No future, no way. But the Scouts, he gave them and they gave him such energy, that was when he came alive. Now he’d got the band going! He had a vision of them entering competitions, not just entering but winning. He raised a clenched fist and punched the air.
Bel came in and saw him. ‘Daydreaming again?’
Dicky grinned. ‘I suppose so. You know me, Bel! Always moving on to the next thing, I can’t stand still.’
‘You’re right there, you can’t.’ Bel put the hot plates down on the table. ‘Get stuck in.’
‘Can’t resist. It looks wonderful, Bel, I don’t know how you do it.’
‘Hard graft?’
‘Yes, of course. You do work hard. I’ve always admired you for that.’ Dicky put his knife and fork back down again. ‘It’s no good, I’ve no appetite. Whatever am I going to do?’
‘You’re going to eat your dinner and get washed and changed and go to Scouts. It’s Scout night and that’s what you’re doing.’
‘OK! OK! Why are you always so practical? Can’t we just talk for once?’
‘When I’ve eaten my dinner, we’ll talk for half an hour and then you’ve got to go.’
She silently carried on eating her dinner without so much as even a glance in his direction. She ate her tinned fruit and ice-cream, finished her lager and sat back. ‘First and foremost I want you to be happy …’
Dicky shook his head. ‘There’s you to consider, can’t leave you out of it.’
‘If you being happy makes me happy then we’re all right, aren’t we? You won’t be happy without those boys. They’re your life’s work, not some piddling office job in a factory, though you can’t manage without the money it’s still not what you really want to do. So you’ve got to stick at that and you’ve got to stick at Scouts. Question is do you want Georgie so much that you’re willing to give it all up?’
‘I want the lot. You, Georgie, the job and the Scouts. Greedy aren’t I?’
‘No, you’re a man, it’s to be expected.’
‘Bel!’
‘With my two jobs I could just about manage, so don’t worry about me. You do your own thing.’
‘But where would you live?’
‘Haven’t worked that out yet. But what about Georgie? How could she live here, with Bryn just down the road. It wouldn’t be easy.’