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Authors: Rebecca Shaw
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everybody. No hoity toity with her. Tell you what, I wish Sir Ralph was up at the Big House and it was like my mum remembered it before the war. The Village Flower Show in the grounds, all them side shows and the flags flying . . . that's how it ought to be, not all tarted up like she's making it. Our Dean went up there on his bike the other day, says it's like a building site. That Jerry Mayer bossing 'em all and diggers and machines all about. It'll never be the same again. Never.'
'It's what's called progress,' Willie moaned. 'But it will mean jobs. They've been advertising.'
Pat banged her lager down. 'If she offered me a king's ransom I wouldn't work up there. All them bare folk plunging about, it's not decent. My Duggie would turn in his grave if I worked up there, God rest his soul.' She raised her eyes piously to heaven and sketched a cross with the hand that wasn't holding her glass.
'Your Doug didn't have much time for God when he was down here Pat. Reckon he went up there do yer?'
56
'That's enough from you Jimmy Glover. Yer'll be civil when yer talk about my Doug. He was always kind to me.'
'I could tell that by the black eyes he kept giving yer.'
'That's as maybe, but he didn't mean it.'
They were sitting right by the door so they had a full view of the stranger when she walked in. She had a kindly fresh country face, with twinkling eyes. Well, they had the potential to be twinkling, but she was nervous just now. She wore a royal blue coat and smart high heeled court shoes which helped to increase her height. She went to the bar and asked for a white wine.
'Who's that?'Jimmy asked.
Pat nudged him and said, 'Isn't it Sylvia Grossman that was? Worked over at Culworth Hospital for years as a cleaning supervisor. Wonder what she's doing here?'
Sylvia looked around the bar for a table but they were all occupied. Pat caught her eye and, hitching further along the settle, invited the newcomer to sit down.
'You're Sylvia Grossman that was, aren't you?'
'Yes, I'm Sylvia Bennett now.'
Jimmy introduced the three of them to her and then followed it up by saying they hadn't seen her in the bar before.
'No, well, I only moved into the Rectory this week. Dr Harris needs help, what with that big house to run, and the twins, and helping the rector and answering the phone all day long. I rented a little cottage over at Penny Fawcett for years but the landlord wants it for himself now and I couldn't afford a bigger rent, everywhere I looked the rents were far too high, so Dr Harris suggested I lived at the Rectory for a while till I find something. I've got a lovely room and I have my own bathroom too. They're both so pleasant to work for. Do you know them very well?'
Willie didn't answer so Jimmy answered for him,
57
'Willie 'ere, who seems to have been struck dumb, is the verger at the church.'
'Oh well then, you won't need me to tell you how nice they are. Those babies are a delight. I love looking after them. Dr Harris feeds one and I feed the other and we sit chatting, or watching the TV. It makes a real change from supervising at the hospital, I can tell you. I've never been in here before.'
'We all know one another and we get on fine. Some of the newcomers are a bit pushy . . .'
'Who had you in mind Pat?' Jimmy asked, knowing full well to whom she would be referring.
'Well, that Sir Ronald and Lady Bissett. Ron and Sheila really, but they stand on ceremony a bit. Think they're somebody special 'cos he's on telly now and again. Most folks is all right. Funniest folks is Gwen and Beryl Baxter. They've lived here all their lives, if yer can call it living.'
Pat, sensing a chance to pass on some local gossip, hitched herself closer and began regaling Sylvia Bennett with the story of Gwen and Beryl. Willie hadn't spoken because he couldn't. He felt as though he'd been pole-axed. He stole glances at Sylvia when she wasn't looking, and found himself more delighted with her than he could possibly have imagined.
'It's what's called progress,' Willie moaned. 'But it will mean jobs. They've been advertising.'
Pat banged her lager down. 'If she offered me a king's ransom I wouldn't work up there. All them bare folk plunging about, it's not decent. My Duggie would turn in his grave if I worked up there, God rest his soul.' She raised her eyes piously to heaven and sketched a cross with the hand that wasn't holding her glass.
'Your Doug didn't have much time for God when he was down here Pat. Reckon he went up there do yer?'
56
'That's enough from you Jimmy Glover. Yer'll be civil when yer talk about my Doug. He was always kind to me.'
'I could tell that by the black eyes he kept giving yer.'
'That's as maybe, but he didn't mean it.'
They were sitting right by the door so they had a full view of the stranger when she walked in. She had a kindly fresh country face, with twinkling eyes. Well, they had the potential to be twinkling, but she was nervous just now. She wore a royal blue coat and smart high heeled court shoes which helped to increase her height. She went to the bar and asked for a white wine.
'Who's that?'Jimmy asked.
Pat nudged him and said, 'Isn't it Sylvia Grossman that was? Worked over at Culworth Hospital for years as a cleaning supervisor. Wonder what she's doing here?'
Sylvia looked around the bar for a table but they were all occupied. Pat caught her eye and, hitching further along the settle, invited the newcomer to sit down.
'You're Sylvia Grossman that was, aren't you?'
'Yes, I'm Sylvia Bennett now.'
Jimmy introduced the three of them to her and then followed it up by saying they hadn't seen her in the bar before.
'No, well, I only moved into the Rectory this week. Dr Harris needs help, what with that big house to run, and the twins, and helping the rector and answering the phone all day long. I rented a little cottage over at Penny Fawcett for years but the landlord wants it for himself now and I couldn't afford a bigger rent, everywhere I looked the rents were far too high, so Dr Harris suggested I lived at the Rectory for a while till I find something. I've got a lovely room and I have my own bathroom too. They're both so pleasant to work for. Do you know them very well?'
Willie didn't answer so Jimmy answered for him,
57
'Willie 'ere, who seems to have been struck dumb, is the verger at the church.'
'Oh well then, you won't need me to tell you how nice they are. Those babies are a delight. I love looking after them. Dr Harris feeds one and I feed the other and we sit chatting, or watching the TV. It makes a real change from supervising at the hospital, I can tell you. I've never been in here before.'
'We all know one another and we get on fine. Some of the newcomers are a bit pushy . . .'
'Who had you in mind Pat?' Jimmy asked, knowing full well to whom she would be referring.
'Well, that Sir Ronald and Lady Bissett. Ron and Sheila really, but they stand on ceremony a bit. Think they're somebody special 'cos he's on telly now and again. Most folks is all right. Funniest folks is Gwen and Beryl Baxter. They've lived here all their lives, if yer can call it living.'
Pat, sensing a chance to pass on some local gossip, hitched herself closer and began regaling Sylvia Bennett with the story of Gwen and Beryl. Willie hadn't spoken because he couldn't. He felt as though he'd been pole-axed. He stole glances at Sylvia when she wasn't looking, and found himself more delighted with her than he could possibly have imagined.
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