Read Online Talk of the Village by Rebecca Shaw - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Rebecca Shaw
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Every move she made fascinated him. He'd been around a bit, but it was the first time he'd ever met a woman who had affected him in this way. One glance from her lovely grey eyes and his insides melted. He felt ridiculous. His heart was racing, his blood pressure seemed to have gone clean through the roof and he was sweating as though it was high summer and he was hay making. At his age . . . fifty eight and his heart beating twenty to the dozen. It must be this new beer the landlord was selling. That was it, it was the drink. He stood up pushed back his chair and, cutting across Pat's monologue, said abruptly, 'I'm off home.
58
Goodnight.'
'What's up with Willie?' Jimmy inquired as Willie pushed his way past a crowd coming in. 'He's in a hurry.'
Willie went home to his little cottage between the church and the rectory, bewildered by his reaction to Sylvia Bennett. He took one look around his sitting room and his heart sank to his boots. He saw everything with new eyes as if he'd never been in his own cottage before. He'd never noticed how awful it was. Something would have to be done. If ever he plucked up courage to invite Sylvia in he'd be mortified. In fact he couldn't invite her in. It was all too dreadful. He'd do what he'd been promising himself for years, dip into his savings and get it done up. He needed a new bathroom for a start. Couldn't ask Sylvia Bennett to go up the garden to that old privy when she got caught short.
59
Chapter 6
The news about Willie's improvements not only to his cottage but to his general appearance too, caused a great deal of interest in Turnham Malpas. The first meeting of the newly inaugurated Flower Festival Committee provided a good moment for an exchange of views, as Willie, co-opted onto the committee to advise on the feasibility of their plans, was unable to attend due to a severe cold. Peter had arranged the chairs in a circle to give the impression that no one person was in charge though nominally it was himself. Harriet Charter-Plackett, Mrs Peel the organist, Lady Bissett and Sylvia Bennett with Peter and Willie constituted the committee. Their speculation as to the cause of Willie's sudden burst of activity drawing no conclusions, they had to reluctantly begin the business of the meeting.
Lady Bissett removed her imitation Burberry and got down to brass tacks immediately. 'I'm full of ideas for this Flower Festival. We did one in Culworth Church, and it was compliments all round. Good organisation is the key.' Sheila Bissett had a vision of all white arrangements punctuated here and there by soft green foliage.
'Why all white, Sheila?' Harriet asked.
'Because it is restrained and tasteful.'
'Downright boring if you ask me,' Harriet retorted. 'There's no variety in that. I'm not much of a flower
60
arranger but even I know there's not much to catch the eye if every arrangement is white.'
'Believe me I do know,' Sheila bridled. 'I've been a member of the Culworth Flower Arranging Society for the last five years. They did a very effective one in the Cathedral only two years ago. The variety comes in all the differing shapes of the petals and the foliage.'
Harriet pressed her point, 'The Cathedral is very light though, full of huge windows, while our church is small, dark and mediaeval. We have those beautiful murals and the painted tombs. Surely it would be better to echo the colours in those?'
'I agree,' Sylvia said. 'I think the colours of the murals and the tombs would look good. Rich reds and purples and pinks and blues. Quite excellent.'
'Who's the one with the experience here? Me. I'm the only one who is even a member of a society. Please allow me to know what is best.' They could see Sheila was beginning to lose her temper.
Adept at stepping in when storms were brewing, Peter cleared his throat and said, 'Were we celebrating Easter, marriage, baptism or confirmation then I'm quite sure Lady Bissett, that your idea of an all white display would be highly
58
Goodnight.'
'What's up with Willie?' Jimmy inquired as Willie pushed his way past a crowd coming in. 'He's in a hurry.'
Willie went home to his little cottage between the church and the rectory, bewildered by his reaction to Sylvia Bennett. He took one look around his sitting room and his heart sank to his boots. He saw everything with new eyes as if he'd never been in his own cottage before. He'd never noticed how awful it was. Something would have to be done. If ever he plucked up courage to invite Sylvia in he'd be mortified. In fact he couldn't invite her in. It was all too dreadful. He'd do what he'd been promising himself for years, dip into his savings and get it done up. He needed a new bathroom for a start. Couldn't ask Sylvia Bennett to go up the garden to that old privy when she got caught short.
59
Chapter 6
The news about Willie's improvements not only to his cottage but to his general appearance too, caused a great deal of interest in Turnham Malpas. The first meeting of the newly inaugurated Flower Festival Committee provided a good moment for an exchange of views, as Willie, co-opted onto the committee to advise on the feasibility of their plans, was unable to attend due to a severe cold. Peter had arranged the chairs in a circle to give the impression that no one person was in charge though nominally it was himself. Harriet Charter-Plackett, Mrs Peel the organist, Lady Bissett and Sylvia Bennett with Peter and Willie constituted the committee. Their speculation as to the cause of Willie's sudden burst of activity drawing no conclusions, they had to reluctantly begin the business of the meeting.
Lady Bissett removed her imitation Burberry and got down to brass tacks immediately. 'I'm full of ideas for this Flower Festival. We did one in Culworth Church, and it was compliments all round. Good organisation is the key.' Sheila Bissett had a vision of all white arrangements punctuated here and there by soft green foliage.
'Why all white, Sheila?' Harriet asked.
'Because it is restrained and tasteful.'
'Downright boring if you ask me,' Harriet retorted. 'There's no variety in that. I'm not much of a flower
60
arranger but even I know there's not much to catch the eye if every arrangement is white.'
'Believe me I do know,' Sheila bridled. 'I've been a member of the Culworth Flower Arranging Society for the last five years. They did a very effective one in the Cathedral only two years ago. The variety comes in all the differing shapes of the petals and the foliage.'
Harriet pressed her point, 'The Cathedral is very light though, full of huge windows, while our church is small, dark and mediaeval. We have those beautiful murals and the painted tombs. Surely it would be better to echo the colours in those?'
'I agree,' Sylvia said. 'I think the colours of the murals and the tombs would look good. Rich reds and purples and pinks and blues. Quite excellent.'
'Who's the one with the experience here? Me. I'm the only one who is even a member of a society. Please allow me to know what is best.' They could see Sheila was beginning to lose her temper.
Adept at stepping in when storms were brewing, Peter cleared his throat and said, 'Were we celebrating Easter, marriage, baptism or confirmation then I'm quite sure Lady Bissett, that your idea of an all white display would be highly
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