Village Fortunes (Turnham Malpas 17) by Rebecca Shaw Read Free Book Online Page B

being able to prove it.’
    ‘I see.’ Grandmama was stunned. She’d been very prepared for being magnanimous about his guilt and being in prison, and here they were claiming he was innocent. Well, maybe he was. Barry from the estate had said how difficult it was for Ford to know whether the metal he’d bought was stolen or genuine.
    ‘Help yourself to more juice if you wish, and I’ll clear the table. Then we’ll have pudding. It’s lemon passion with fresh cream.’
    Merc and Grandmama chattered on about what had happened in the village since they’d done their moonlight flit but still Ford hardly said a word. He enjoyed the pudding and had two cups of coffee, and then out of the blue he said he must go. ‘Got to supervise everything. You never know.’ He left a big silence behind him. Eventually Merc said, ‘He’s taken it all very badly. But now we’re back where we love to live, he’ll soon pick up, I’m sure.’
    ‘I’m sure he will. Everyone is delighted you’re back and by Monday afternoon you’ll know I’m speaking the truth. By the way, they’re starting a new project, the embroidery group are, this very Monday. They’ve been very secretive about it.’
    ‘Come back at the right time then, haven’t I?’
    ‘Yes, you certainly have.’
    After Merc had gone, Grandmama cleared the kitchen, set her dishwasher going and then hurried over to the store to see her favourite daughter-in-law. Well, her only daughter-in-law, Harriet. She found her in the kitchen at the back, as she guessed she might, making things to fill up the dessert freezer at the front of the store.
    ‘Trifle? That looks wonderful. Single portions? What a good idea. I’ll take a couple when I go. I love trifle.’ Grandmama established herself on the chair Harriet used when she’d been on her feet for too long, and before she could say a word Harriet asked, ‘Enjoyed your company?’
    ‘Well, really, you can do nothing in this village without everyone knowing before you’ve even thought of it yourself. Yes, I did. Apparently . . .’ The two members of staff who were assisting Harriet stopped working and came to listen. ‘They claim that Ford was innocent and he went to prison when he shouldn’t have. Ford has lost four stone in weight. I don’t know what that is in new money; you young girls will know I expect. But whatever you calculate it in, it’s a lot of weight. Very quiet he was, not himself at all. You won’t recognise him. Merc’s just the same though, and dying to get back to embroidering again.’
    ‘They all say that. “A miscarriage of justice” it was, he’s entirely innocent of any crime. Oh yes.’
    ‘Harriet! How unkind. I’ve no reason to disbelieve them.’
    ‘Makes everyone feel sorry for them though, and it let’s them slip back into life as respectable people when they are patently not.’
    ‘Harriet! You’re working too hard, you must be. You need a holiday. Tom’s good at being in charge and so you persuade Jimbo to fly you somewhere exotic. By the way, how’s my Fran? She hasn’t been round to my house for weeks.’
    ‘No. We scarcely see her nowadays. Always out.’
    Grandmama sat up attentively. ‘Boyfriend?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘Who is it?’
    ‘No idea.’
    Grandmama shot to her feet. ‘No idea? Hasn’t Jimbo questioned him about his intentions?’
    ‘We haven’t met him.’
    ‘ Not met him ! Huh! Whyever not? You should have.’
    ‘You don’t do things like that now, Katherine.’
    ‘I suppose not. Still, Fran has always been very sensible. I expect he’s thoroughly respectable.’
    Harriet didn’t answer straightaway, and when she did Grandmama was not reassured.
    ‘We will meet him, I expect, all in good time,’ Harriet said.
    ‘I think you sound worried.’
    Harriet finished the last of the individual trifles with a glace cherry and looked up at Grandmama, who, having known her daughter-in-law for almost thirty years, recognised the underlying worry in