Trouble in the Village (Tales from Turnham Malpas) by Rebecca Shaw Read Free Book Online

opposition and we thought, well, Caroline did, that as a councillor you might be able to point us in the right direction for mobilising some official support.’ Muriel put her head on one side and smiled sweetly at him. In the fading light she thought she saw a momentary glimpse of guilt in his face but then he was saying, ‘I’m afraid there’s nothing we can do, Lady Templeton. Quite out of our hands. It is his hedge, you see.’
    ‘Oh, I know that, but I would have thought …’
    ‘He is putting up a fence which will be very sympathetic to the environment, not some ghastly white plastic picket fence so …’
    ‘Oh I see. You know his plans then.’
    Caught on the hop by this innocent-looking member of the aristocracy – and one mustn’t forget that was exactly what she was and had Sir Ralph influence? By Jove, he had – Neville stuttered a little, and then said, ‘Well, I did happen to meet him in the Conservative Club the other week and we were discussing it.’
    ‘Ah! I see. I’m very sorry you can’t help our campaign.’
    ‘Campaign?’ Neville appeared to shuffle a little uneasily.
    ‘Oh, yes! Caroline and I are determined he shan’t do this to our village. Whatever his reasons. We shall fight him every step of the way, and believe me, we mean it, so if you see him … by chance … in the Conservative Club you can tell him just that. I’ll say goodnight then. Good night, Liz.’
‘Good night!’
    Muriel reported her evening’s activities to Ralph, not forgetting to mention the look of guilt on Neville’s face.
    Ralph muttered with disgust, ‘Our esteemed councillor is, to put it bluntly, a slimy toad.’
    ‘Ralph!’
    ‘I beg your pardon, my dear, but he is. There’s something else behind this fence business which has yet to be revealed.’
    ‘I shall bypass Neville and go straight to the fountain head.’
    ‘Who is that?’
    ‘I don’t know but I shall soon find out and I shall unashamedly use my title to gain access to whichever pompous, self-satisfied council official can do the trick.’
    ‘My word, Muriel Templeton on the warpath is someone to be reckoned with.’
    ‘I hope you’re not laughing at me, Ralph, because I am willing to do anything to stop that man from committing this terrible deed.’
    ‘Anything?’
    Muriel nodded and answered, with a firm nod of her head, ‘Anything.’ After a moment’s pause she added, ‘Within reason.’

Chapter 4
    On the first Monday morning that Tom and Willie were working together Willie made sure he got to the church five minutes early. But even that was not early enough, for Tom was already there sitting on the old wooden bench outside the boiler house drawing eagerly on a cigarette. He had on what looked like a new pair of overalls, bright orange with the words Constable Construction Company printed up each leg and in larger letters across the middle of the back. On his feet were a pair of steel-capped boots, in pristine condition. His unnaturally red hair was covered by a baseball cap, also bright orange with a logo of three capital Cs intertwined above the peak.
‘Morning, Tom! I like punctuality! Like the outfit, pity about the cigarette. No smoking whatsoever anywhere on the premises. Church, church hall, churchyard. Nowhere at all. Insurance, yer know.’
    ‘As you say, boss.’ He heeled the butt into the soft ground at his feet and stood up. ‘Nervous, you know. Sorry.’
    ‘That’s OK. So long as you remember. On Mondays I always get the logbook out and see what’s what for the week. What bookings we’ve got, what grave to dig if need be, what gardening jobs there are an’ that. It’s the verger’s Bible, as yer might say. That plastic box.’ Willie pointed to the smart box lying on the bench.
Tom smiled and bent to pick it up. ‘That’s my lunch. Evie’s out today so she made it up for me. My Evie always says –’
    ‘Bring it with you into the vestry and leave it there. We’ll have a brew up while we