Excellent Women by Barbara Pym Read Free Book Online Page B

‘He certainly has a forceful personality, and yet I can’t believe we’re really so wicked.’
    ‘No, but we have to be made to realise it,’ I said unconvincingly, for we certainly seemed harmless enough, elderly and middle-aged people with one or two mild-looking younger men and women. Indeed, Everard Bone had been the only person one would have looked at twice.
    ‘Of course a lot of very good people aren’t religious in the sense of being church-goers,’ persisted Mrs. Bonner.
    ‘No, I know they aren’t,’ I agreed, feeling that at any moment she would begin talking about it being just as easy to worship God in a beechwood or on the golf links on a fine Sunday morning.
    I must admit I always feel the presence of God much more when I’m in a garden or on a mountain,’ she continued.
    ‘I’m afraid I haven’t got a garden and am really never on a mountain,’ I said. Was it perhaps likely though, that one might feel the presence of God more in Whitehall or Belgrave Square, than, say, Vauxhall Bridge Road or Oxford Street? No doubt there was something in it.
    ‘A garden is a lovesome thing, God wot,’ said Mrs. Bonner rather half-heartedly. ‘Well, we must certainly go next week. It’s interesting having a different preacher every time—one never knows what will turn up.’
    When I got home it occurred to me that I might ask the Napiers whether they had anything suitable for the jumble sale, which was to be held the next Saturday. It also occurred to me that I might find out something about Everard Bone and why he had been at the service. Of course it was nothing to do with me but I was curious to know. Perhaps if I did know I should understand and like him better.
    As I walked upstairs past the Napiers’ flat I could hear that they were in, for they always seemed to keep their doors half open. Now their voices were raised in what seemed to be an argument.
    ‘Darling, you are filthy,’ I heard Rocky say, ‘putting down a hot greasy frying-pan on the linoleum!’ ‘Oh, don’t fuss so!’ came her voice from the sitting-room. I was just creeping slowly and guiltily past, feeling as if I had been eavesdropping, when Rocky came out of the kitchen with a cloth in his hand and invited me in to have some coffee with them.
    I went into the sitting-room where Helena was sitting writing at a desk. Pieces of paper covered with diagrams of little circles and triangles were spread around her.
    ‘That looks very learned,’ I said, in the feeble way that one does.
    ‘Oh, it’s just kinship diagrams,’ she said rather shortly.
    Rocky laughed and poured out the coffee. I had the impression that Helena was annoyed with him for having invited me in.
    ‘You mustn’t mind if I get on with this,’ she said. ‘Our paper is due to be read soon and there’s a lot to do.’
    ‘I expect you’ll be quite relieved when it’s over,’ I said.
    ‘I shall be,’ said Rocky. ‘At the moment I have to do all the cooking and washing up. I’m worn out.’
    ‘Well, you’re not in the Admiral’s villa now, and anyway it won’t be long. I thought you liked cooking, darling,’ said Helena in an edgy voice.
    I felt rather uncomfortable. I suppose married people get so used to calling each other ‘darling’ that they never realise how false it sounds when said in an annoyed or irritable tone.
    ‘I wonder if you could let me have anything for the jumble sale on Saturday?’ I asked quickly. ‘Old clothes, shoes or anything?’
    ‘Oh, I’ve always got lots of junk. It will be a good chance to get rid of it,’ said Helena without looking up from her writing. ‘I’ll look out some things this evening.’
    ‘I’ve got a pair of shoes and a suit that the moth got,’ said Rocky, with a glance at his wife. ‘I’ll bring them to you tonight. Everard Bone is coming to talk to Helena about the paper.
    ‘Oh, I saw him today,’ I said in what I hoped was a casual tone.
    ‘Did you?’ Helena turned round from her