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

for?’
    ‘That’s the key to the safe.’
    ‘Safe?’
    ‘Don’t kid on yer didn’t know we had a safe. Everybody knows that. Rector bought it after we had the church silver stolen.’
    ‘Stolen! Who the blazes would steal from a church?’
    ‘A teenage girl, daughter of the licensee of the Royal Oak before Georgie. Poor girl. She met a grisly end, believe me.’
    ‘Before my time, that. What happened to her then?’
‘Stabbed straight through her innards with a carving knife trying to escape the police. A holy retribution.’ Willie pointed skywards and nodded knowingly.
    Tom shuddered theatrically and hastily put down the key. ‘I shall need to know the combination, though.’
    ‘There’s two keys and they’re both needed to open it. The Rector has the other. So both of yer have to be there.’
    ‘Seems a big fuss for a few bits of silver.’
    ‘Bits of silver! Few bits of silver! Don’t let anyone hear you say that. The whole village got together to stop it all being sold. It’s a long story but, believe me, that silver’s precious to us all and you’re not a true villager if you don’t subscribe to that either. So watch your step.’
    ‘Sorry! Sorry! I didn’t realise.’
    ‘It’s not just its sale value it’s its value to the village as a whole. We’re very proud of it. Most churches have had to sell their silver to keep going but we have benefactors who make sure we don’t need to. Like Mr Fitch at the Big House, and Sir Ralph too.’
    ‘Of course. A real gentleman he is, is Sir Ralph. Got the common touch.’
    ‘Indeed. Real aristocracy. Finished?’ Tom nodded and Willie picked up his cup, opened the vestry door and threw the dregs out on to the grass. ‘Not much on this week, it being almost August. We’ll take a good look at the logbook and study it properly another day when I’ll show you how to manoeuvre things to get the best out of the bookings. For now we’ll go to the shed and get the gardening stuff out and get a move on while the weather holds.’
    Almost too casually Willie thought, Tom asked him, ‘The Rector’s wife? Does she have much say in things?’
Willie looked at Tom and wondered what was behind the question. Somehow there seemed to be a reason he couldn’t fathom behind everything Tom asked. ‘The Rector’s wife keeps a low profile. You’ve no need to worry about her.’
    ‘Oh, I’m not worrying. Just wondering. Tales going about. Wish I’d been at the party after the play when old Don spilled the beans.’
    Willie couldn’t help but chuckle. ‘I was and, believe me, it wasn’t pretty. Never seen him drunk before. Teetotal all his life and then that exhibition. Yer could have laughed if it hadn’t been so awful.’
    ‘There was some truth in it, then? Her and that actor fella? It wasn’t just the beer talking?’
    ‘You know as much as me. Let’s get on.’
    ‘My Evie says …’
    ‘With all due respect I don’t give a damn what your Evie says, I’m being paid to work, so let’s get on.’
    Tom followed him out into the sun and meekly mowed and weeded all morning. Willie couldn’t fault his application and he took orders and started the mower first time even though it was temperamental and sometimes took ten or more goes before it started, and altogether proved a willing pupil. When it got to lunchtime Tom sat on the bench ouside the boiler house and opened up Evie’s tempting packed lunch saying a bright ‘See yer later,’ to Willie as he left for home.
    Half-way through his lunch Willie heard the latch lift on the front door and Ralph calling out, ‘With Peter being away, thought I’d call to see how things went today.’
‘I’m in the sitting room.’
    ‘Sorry to interrupt your lunch, I won’t be a moment. I’ve seen Tom, had a word and he seems quite happy. Very appreciative of your help and advice.’
    ‘He’s quick to learn, I’ll say that for ’im, and he’s got the hang of the mower in no time at all. If he can keep