Read The New Rector (Tales from Turnham Malpas) Online
Authors: Rebecca Shaw
The New Rector (Tales from Turnham Malpas) (4 page)
‘Well, we don’t sit here waiting for people to pass the door. We run a mail-order business selling farm products to the nation, and also have a catering business providing food for weddings and the Hunt Ball. This year, we’ve won a contract for catering for the VIPs at the Game Fair in the next county. I buy almost all our fresh food from the local area and all our cakes in the freezer and on the counter are made by local farmers’ wives, so I provide work for the people hereabouts as well as giving a good service to the local inhabitants. I pride myself that there are not many villages with as good a village store as Turnham Malpas. Now, these four chops are on the house, Rector – a small token of our delight at having youth in the Rectory for a change. We loved the old boy but he should have gone years
ago. When it comes to the Harvest Supper, Harriet and I would like to provide all the meats free of charge as our contribution.’
‘How extremely kind and generous of you, James.’
‘Jimbo, if you please. Here, put this box of sugared almonds under your good lady’s pillow with love from Harriet and me.’
‘You’re more than generous, Jimbo – she’ll be delighted. Must press on, got to finish painting my study. Thank you very much indeed.’
The lamb chops, delicately flavoured with rosemary and grilled to a turn by Caroline, were a gastronomic delight.
‘These chops are a vast improvement on the ones we used to buy in the supermarket, aren’t they, darling?’
Caroline, chasing the last of her mint jelly round her plate, nodded her agreement. ‘Everything in that shop is fresh,’ she enthused. ‘The fruit, the vegetables, the cakes, the meat, the cheeses … it’s a positive wonderland. They must have to work terribly hard, Peter, to keep it all up to scratch. That Jimbo is a bit of a lad, you know. Willie tells me that they swim “nakkid” every day in their pool at the back.’
‘Naked, eh? I bet that set the village tongues gossiping.’
‘In fact, one could get quite carried away with Jimbo. Harriet must have her work cut out keeping an eye on him.’
‘Caroline, really! Is there any of that cheese left that we had last night?’
The sugared almonds came to light when Caroline searched under her pillow for her nightgown.
‘Darling, what a lovely surprise! I do love you for it.’
‘Don’t thank me, thank Jimbo Charter-Placket – he gave them to me for you. Said I should put them under your pillow. Maybe it’s a secret method of his for getting his evil
way with Harriet.’
‘Well, you can have your evil way with me right now. Hurry up.’ She put the box of almonds on her bedside table and lay on top of the bed ‘nakkid’ with her arms outstretched in welcome.
Peter made love to reassure himself that everything was well between his darling girl and himself, but as he fell asleep the face of Suzy the Madonna floated into his mind. He rubbed his forehead to push her away.
The busy life she led keeping her three girls well cared for, compensated Suzy for the lack of her husband’s companionship. He was the archetypal mad scientist. She knew it when she married him so she’d no right to complain, but at the time it had seemed an endearing quality. Now, with lawns to mow and decorating to be done and the new sitting-room fireplace still laid out in pieces on the floor waiting to be fitted, Suzy was feeling bleak. Daisy, Pansy and Rosie were the delight of her life; without them she would have left Patrick by now. She’d willingly given up her career to have babies and had wallowed in motherhood for five years, but right now there was a powerful feeling that her life lacked purpose. Then she laughed at herself. Considering the mound of ironing waiting to be done she didn’t need to be looking for anything else to do. But the window wide open and the girls playing in the garden and the daffodils in the narrow-necked glass vase on the kitchen window didn’t provide the deeply satisfying feeling that had always lifted her spirits. Lonely, that’s what I am – lonely, she thought. She stood ironing Patrick’s shirt and felt that this was the closest she came to him nowadays.
He’d provided her with the babies she wanted, and then almost departed this life. Self-absorbed and erratic, he hadn’t wanted sex for nearly a year, and she was only thirty-two. Agreed he was forty-five, but the difference in years hadn’t seemed to matter to start with, although now it seemed like a yawning void. Maybe all men went off sex when they got to their middle forties – it wasn’t really something she could discuss with the mothers from the school. Even the girls all looked like her and not a bit like Patrick. Anyone would think she’d had three virgin births. It seemed as though he’d had nothing to do with them right from the first.
Suzy contemplated how many other wives stood ironing, wondering where their husbands had gone. For all practical purposes they might as well be dead. Perhaps there were thousands of women all over Britain who felt as she did this morning. A new hairstyle, a pretty nightgown, expensive perfume, a special candle-lit dinner when the girls were all in bed … she’d tried everything. And it had all been a total waste of time. She held Rosie’s tiny socks to her face and enjoyed their warmth and the recalling of Rosie’s delightfully happy personality. How she loved them all. For their sakes she had to keep going.
She heard the front door open and then bang shut. Patrick stood in the hall looking shattered. He’d come home to pack a bag en route to America to read a paper at a conference there. The researcher who should have done it had been taken ill and he’d stepped in at the last minute. She made him some sandwiches which he ate while she packed his bag. He was in a tremendous hurry and after he’d left she realised she didn’t know which hotel he would be staying at. Still, he would only be gone three or four days at the most; not much could happen during that short period.
‘Good morning, Miss Hipkin. Do come in.’
‘Good morning, Mrs Meadows. Have you a moment to spare?’
‘Yes, of course. I’m just going to make a drink for myself and the girls. Would you join us?’
‘Oh yes, please. There’s nothing I’d like better.’
Muriel stepped eagerly into the hall of Suzy and Patrick’s house. Laura Ashley had had a field day here. Muriel loved the delicate grey carpet and the complementary wallpaper. These old houses really were worth the effort of doing them up.
The three little girls stood shyly in the hall watching their visitor. Muriel made a special point of remembering children’s names as she felt it was so important to them. Daisy knew her from the infant school music lessons.
‘Hello, Daisy and Pansy, and you, little Rosie.’
‘Hello, Miss Hipkin. Have you come to see me?’ Daisy enquired.
‘Well, your mother really, but I’m delighted to see you, Daisy. Are you enjoying the holidays?’
‘Want to get back to school, I like that best. After the summer holidays Pansy will be going too.’
‘Yes, I know. I saw Mr Palmer putting her name on a list only the other day.’
Suzy brought the girls Ribena and wholesome-looking oatmeal biscuits. Muriel and Suzy had coffee.
‘Mrs Meadows …’
‘Suzy, please.’
‘Well, Suzy then, I’ve come on a little fishing expedition. Peter, you know, Mr Harris is wanting to start a playgroup
for the little ones. They are hoping to have it in the church hall, although that’s not definite, but they will be looking for someone to lead the group and for other helpers as well. It occurred to me that you might be interested in running the group. I know you were a teacher before the babies came along and I thought you would be an ideal person. Mr Harris, Peter, you know, doesn’t know I’ve come to see you, so it’s all very secret at the moment.’
‘You must be the answer to a prayer. I would
love
to do it. What an opportunity! I could bring Rosie with me because she’s the right age. Oh, Miss Hipkin, I could kiss you! In fact, I will!’
Suzy stood up, took Muriel by the shoulders and gave her a hearty kiss on each cheek. ‘Seeing as we’re in the Common Market you can have a continental kiss.’
Muriel hadn’t been kissed since she couldn’t remember when. Her mother hadn’t been one for kissing, and there wasn’t anyone else. She blushed bright red.
‘It isn’t definite yet, because Mr Harris doesn’t know I’m here, but if you seriously mean you want to do it then I’ll have a word.’
‘Oh, I do, I do. It will be such an advantage for the children to have a playgroup. Just think of all the children on the farms and the ones from the Big House. Those poor little mites will be in their seventh heaven.’
‘This coffee is lovely, thank you very much for it. I’ll go and see the rector now and tell him of our plan. Dr Harris says she thinks it will have to be a mother and toddler group until we get proper permission from the County. We must walk before we run. Bye bye, dear girls.’
‘Bye bye, Miss Hipkin,’ they said, their mouths full of crumbly biscuit.
‘My head’s exploding with plans, Miss Hipkin. I shan’t
be able to sleep tonight for thinking about it.’
‘Mr Meadows won’t mind, will he? I know some men can be funny about their wives having jobs outside the home.’
‘Oh, don’t worry about Patrick. He probably won’t even notice I’m doing it. Anyway, men don’t mind wives having jobs nowadays. Let me know as soon as you can about the playgroup. Liz Neal would probably help as well.’
‘Of course, I’d forgotten about her. Bye bye … Suzy.’
Muriel stepped along past the infant teacher’s cottage to the Rectory and rang the bell.
Peter answered the door wearing his decorating trousers and an old shaggy jumper relegated to the bin by Caroline but rescued just in time.
‘Come in, Muriel, you’ve caught me finishing painting my study. How do you like the colour I’ve chosen?’
‘Lovely, it’s really lovely. I’d no idea this room could be so light. What a difference! The white woodwork sets it off so nicely. It takes courage to choose such strong colours. I’m afraid my house is white or magnolia and that’s that. I’ve really come to see you on parish business. You remember we were talking about starting a playgroup? Well, I think – with your approval of course – that I’ve found the very person to be the leader.’
‘That’s excellent, Muriel. Who is it?’
‘Suzy Meadows. She can take little Rosie with her and when I mentioned it she jumped at the chance.’
Peter turned to look out of the window to hide his consternation. Muriel awaited his grateful thanks.
‘She used to be a teacher, you know, before the girls were born and I think she would enjoy getting back into the fray, so to speak.’
‘What a good idea, Muriel. I should never have thought
of asking her. Are you sure it won’t be too much for her with those three girls to look after and her … husband?’
‘This new generation of women are much more energetic and determined than their mothers used to be. She’s very keen.’
‘Very well. We’ll get the ball rolling. I’ll make arrangements to meet her and get down to brass tacks. Thank you for being so inspired, Muriel.’
‘Not at all. I’m looking forward to it all starting. Good morning, Rector. I’ll see myself out.’ And Muriel shut the Rectory door behind her.
Her next stop was the village store, where both Harriet and Jimbo were working. As Muriel entered, Harriet was serving Sharon and Scott from The Royal Oak.
Sharon was choosing her shopping with a disdainful expression on her face. ‘You haven’t got no convenience foods, have you, like what we sell in Tesco’s. Lovely Chicken Kiev and things all ready to pop in the oven, we have there. Scott, put that KitKat down. Mum said you weren’t to have no more chocolate today.’
‘Shut up you, I’ll do as I like.’ Scott picked up the KitKat, tore off the wrapper and began eating it.
Jimbo fumed. ‘You’ll have that to pay for, Sharon.’ ‘He can pay for it himself, I’m not paying.’ ‘Can’t, our Sharon. Haven’t got no money.’ ‘Wait till I get you home, I’ll tell Mum about this.’ ‘If you do I’ll tell her about where you were last night.’ Muriel felt compelled to intervene. ‘That’s not the way to talk to your sister, Scott. You should pay for it. Come to think of it, you shouldn’t have taken the chocolate in the first place if your mother says you shouldn’t.’
‘Shut up, Miss Prim Hipkin. Miss Neat an’ Tidy, Miss Dull an’ Boring, mind your own business.’
Jimbo marched round from the cheese counter, took hold of Scott by his collar and removed him from the store.
‘Out, you, and stay out. You can come back in when you’ve apologised for your bad behaviour. And if your father wants to know why I’ve sent you packing, ask him to come round to see me.’
Sharon didn’t even have the grace to apologise for her brother. She paid for the goods she’d bought and sauntered out of the shop, putting her tongue out at Muriel as she went.
Harriet sat Muriel down on a chair and gave her a coffee from the machine provided for customers.
‘Sit here, Miss Hipkin, and drink this. I’m sorry he was so rude. The parents are to blame, not him – remember that.’
Jimbo was fuming. ‘And you remember, Harriet, that Scott McDonald is not allowed in here until he has apologised – and I mean it.’
‘Jimbo, The Royal Oak is a very good customer of ours.’
‘I know, I know, but I won’t have him in. He’ll be shoplifting next.’
Muriel found her tongue. ‘He’s very difficult in school, you know. Mr Palmer has to keep him on a tight rein. He always plays up in music lessons.’
‘Doesn’t get enough attention at home, I suppose.’ Harriet had turned away to press on with collecting ingredients for some cheesecakes she was making for the freezer.
Jimbo went into the meat department to find some trimmings from a hindquarter of beef that he’d just cut into
joints for a customer. He presented them to Muriel in a smart dark green plastic bag with ‘Turnham Malpas Village Store’ printed on it.
‘To Pericles from Jimbo with his compliments.’
‘How kind you are, Mr Charter-Plackett. Pericles will enjoy himself. You indulge him too much.’
‘Not at all, it’s my pleasure.’
After Muriel had made her purchases she wandered off home. As she paused to check the road before she crossed, Scott McDonald approached from the green and, ramming something into her shopping bag, ran off laughing. When she looked inside she found his KitKat wrapper. He’d quite spoilt her day. It had begun so well, solving the problem of the playgroup leader and admiring Peter’s colour scheme and looking forward to shopping for her little bits and pieces – and now Scott had ruined it all. She couldn’t demean herself by speaking to Mr McDonald. She didn’t go into The Royal Oak: ladies didn’t. She had to hope it would all blow over. However, Pericles enjoyed his fresh meat and eventually her usual cheerfulness reasserted itself.
Muriel’s visit had left Suzy Meadows all of a dither.
‘Come on, girls, we’ll go round to Mrs Neal’s and tell her about the playgroup. I know it’s not official but I’m bursting to talk to someone about it.’
Rosie shrugged on her anorak and asked her mother what a playgroup was.
‘A school for little girls and boys who are not old enough to go to Mr Palmer’s school.’
‘Where?’
‘In the church hall, I expect.’
‘Oh.’ Rosie popped her thumb in her mouth whilst she sorted out her feelings about it.
Liz was pruning her roses in the front garden. Guy and Hugh were racing madly about on their bikes.
‘Liz, I just had to come round. Muriel Hipkin has told me that the rector is thinking of starting a playgroup in the church hall and she is going to suggest me as the leader.’
‘I know, I know.’
‘How do you know?’
‘Peter’s been round to see me this morning. It’s not going to be in the church hall – well, it might be to start with – but then with any luck it will be moved to that spare room in the Infants.’
‘Liz, has he asked you to be leader?’
‘Of course not, I’m not a teacher. He just wanted to know if I would be willing to help you, and help form a committee.’
‘Would you mind working with me?’
‘I’d love to. We both need some kind of outlet and this would be just the thing. Hugh, leave Pansy alone – she doesn’t want to ride your bike. Stop it, please. Let’s all go inside and get Chinese Checkers out or something. Come on, all of you.’
When Suzy left Liz’s house she decided to take the bull by the horns and call on Peter.
He answered the door and invited them all inside.
‘I hope you don’t mind me coming to call,’ Suzy began rather shyly. ‘Have I caught you when you’re busy on anything? No? Well, Miss Hipkin has been round to ask if I might be interested in starting a playgroup and I’ve come to say yes, I’d be delighted.’
Peter had lifted Pansy onto his knee and given her his watch to play with. Rosie was trying hard to get it off her.