A Village Feud Read online

  ‘Darling, Beth. How I’ve missed you.’

  ‘I’ll go get Alex, he mustn’t miss this.’ She raced away with Caroline calling after her, ‘Your slippers, Beth!’ But she didn’t heed the warning and went straight to wake Alex by shaking him vigorously and shouting, ‘He’s here! He’s here. Come on.’ Then she raced downstairs again to put the kettle on.

  Alex’s greeting was more subdued than Beth’s but then he had been woken rather abruptly and was taking time to wake up properly. The handshake he offered Peter was ignored and he was clasped in his father’s arms like it or not. ‘You’ve grown since I saw you last. But that’s only to be expected. You need to put some weight on, Alex.’

  ‘So do you, Dad.’

  ‘Yes, but I’ve been where there’s not much food about. Maybe you’re thin because you’re growing so quickly. That’ll be it.’ But Peter felt this unexpected estrangement from his son very badly. Beth was hanging on his arm as though she would never let him go, but Alex almost made him feel there was no place left for him in the Rectory any more. He looked at Caroline and she gave a faint shake of her head so he pretended he hadn’t noticed Alex’s lack of enthusiasm. ‘Come on, Alex, get the mugs out, and mine’s the blue one, don’t forget.’

  Alex did so then filled the teapot to the top and got out the biscuit tin, and they sat round the kitchen table and tried to draw closer together.

  ‘So what’s been happening in the village while I’ve been away?’

  Beth got in first. ‘Jimmy Glover’s Sykes has died of old age and he isn’t getting a new dog, says he can’t be bothered with the walking. Evie Nicholls has bought a puppy and she’s called it Tatty, and it is! Jimbo has closed the Store, and—’

  ‘Jimbo’s closed the Store? Really?’

  The three of them nodded and said yes.

  ‘What does he do all day?’

  ‘Works on his new website where he sells his mail order stuff and apparently Mrs Jones is working so hard she’s going to have to work full-time or get an assistant.’

  ‘How does everyone manage without the Store?’

  Caroline told him how difficult it was but that now they had two mobile shops that came round instead, although it wasn’t the same at all. She recognized then that Peter was looking exhausted, and decided it was time he went to bed.

  ‘Children, it’s time Daddy went to bed, he needs to sleep. Can we tell him the rest of our news tomorrow? Would you mind?’

  Beth protested indignantly. ‘But you’ve had Daddy ever since yesterday. We want to talk to him, too. You’re not tired, are you, Daddy?’ But then she looked at Peter and saw the fatigue in his face, and agreed he did need to sleep. ‘All right, then. We’ll go to bed. Night-night, Daddy. So glad you’re home. We’ll talk tomorrow.’ She reached up to kiss his cheek, patted his hand and disappeared upstairs. Alex gave him a curt nod, managed a small smile and followed her.

  Peter said, ‘I’m going to sit in my study for ten minutes then I’ll be upstairs.’ He trailed a finger along Caroline’s jaw then bent his head to kiss her mouth so tenderly it was almost like the kiss of a butterfly, then his face lit up with a beautifully generous smile, glowing with love. This was the Peter Alexander Harris she’d married, the man she adored.

  In his study Peter found his files, neatly arranged, just as they always were, except now they were sorted differently. The papers on his desk were spread about too casually for his liking, the computer at a different angle, the keyboard too close, the chair too high, the sofa facing the wrong way, and the matching easy chair loaded with a collection of odd cushions, none of them his own.

  So how had she got on? He leafed through the parish diary and had a wry smile for some of her comments. Nothing appeared to have occurred that couldn’t be rectified; same place, same study, same church, but different. He’d imagined everything would be the same but it wasn’t, not quite. Did it matter?

  Beth with a knife she was apparently quite prepared to use. Alex almost sullen in his attitude towards him. Thank God for Caroline, she was still the same. Without her … where would he be? He really needed to hold her in his arms, to explore her closeness, touch her skin, smell her hair, her perfume, everything and anything that was her. He roared up the stairs two at a time, went into their bedroom to find Beth in a sleeping bag on the floor his side of the bed snoring gently, and Alex in his sleeping bag on the rug his mother’s side of the bed, also apparently fast asleep. Caroline looked up at him and put a finger to her lips, then gestured towards Alex. Obviously he wasn’t asleep.

  This could be overlooked for one night but after that … When he finally got into bed he drew Caroline close to him and they lay together, talking softly. ‘The best thing about tonight is that glorious shower I’ve just had. I’d forgotten how good it was.’

  ‘Just think, you can have a good shower every single night from now on, and morning come to that.’

  ‘It’s worth coming home just for the shower.’

  Caroline half sat up in bed to say, ‘Cheek!’

  ‘What about us, Dad? Is it worth coming home for us?’ said a voice from the floor on Caroline’s side of the bed with more than a hint of pleading in it.

  ‘Alex! I was only teasing your mum. Of course you and Mum and Beth are why I’m here. And am I glad to be home. Believe me. God bless you, Alex. Goodnight.’

  There was a silence filled with Beth’s gentle snoring and then very quietly, but sincerely, Alex said, ‘And God bless you, too, Dad.’

  Chapter 17

  Caroline woke the next morning to find Peter no longer in bed beside her. She listened for him moving about downstairs, but it was quiet. He must be in his study. It seemed a long time since she had woken feeling as peaceful as she did this morning. She was so glad he was home again and that she could speak to him whenever she wanted and not have to wait for e-mails or phone calls he made when he could.

  It was six-thirty in the morning, but Peter wasn’t in the Rectory. He was in the church saying his prayers. He’d found the huge key for the main door of the church exactly where he’d left it and had smoothed his fingers over it, enjoying its age, its shape, its familiarity. Then he pushed open the door and walked in onto the stone flagged floor, and it was then that he knew, finally, he was home. He gazed up at the rafters and rejoiced.

  For some reason prayer did not come easily to him this morning. He knelt in the memorial chapel as always, but the throb of excitement he’d felt when he walked in didn’t help him to concentrate. Maybe it was because he couldn’t settle to sleep last night as he had hoped, for he’d been dog tired. Thoughts had raced through his head, tumbling over each other, one after another, till he became even more exhausted. At last his mind had unwound and, slowly but surely, deep sleep had caught up with him.

  When he rose to his feet half an hour later he was a man refreshed in mind and spirit. He locked the church door. Took off his track suit, tucked it under the porch seat and set off for his run. But the legs weren’t working like they had and his energy levels were low, so his three-mile run was shortened to one mile and he arrived back at the Rectory sweating and out of breath.

  Caroline was in the kitchen getting breakfast. ‘Good morning, darling. Three miles as usual?’

  ‘No. I couldn’t do it, I’m so out of condition. One mile, that’s all. Going for a shower.’

  ‘Well, that’s what you came home for, remember? A good shower.’

  Peter grinned. ‘OK. OK. Children awake?’

  ‘I thought I heard them about.’

  ‘Won’t be long.’

  They had a joyful breakfast together, laughing and joking as though he’d never been away. Alex in particular had lifted his mood and enjoyed pulling his dad’s leg. They were just finishing their breakfast when Dottie Foskett let herself in at the front door.

  ‘Don’t panic, it’s Dottie.’

  Peter looked surprised.

  ‘Good morning, Dottie. The Rector’s home at last,’ Caroline called
out.

  Dottie stood in the kitchen doorway putting on her cleaning apron. ‘Well, this is lovely, Rector, having you here at last. Welcome home.’ She gave him a big nervous smile.

  Peter thanked her for her welcome, and hid his surprise very well. This was something Caroline had forgotten to tell him.

  Caroline began clearing the table. ‘Sylvia tells me she’s full of admiration for your cleaning abilities. She enjoyed staying with the children while I went to meet Peter.’

  ‘She’s very nice, is Sylvia. I had the idea she might be a bit annoyed with me taking her job, but she wasn’t at all. She’s just like a grandma to the twins and they played snakes and ladders with Willie as though their lives depended on it. The poor chap was worn out!’

  ‘They’ve always liked playing that game with him. He takes it so seriously.’

  ‘Right. I’ll press on, then. The usual?’

  ‘Yes, please.’

  After Dottie disappeared Peter asked, ‘Sylvia’s all right, is she?’

  ‘Yes. Long story, I’ll tell you another time.’

  The twins chattered away to Peter, helping him to catch up on the news, and before they knew where they were it was Anna’s key they heard, brisk and businesslike as usual.

  ‘That’s Anna, darling, you’d better go.’

  ‘Clean my teeth first.’

  Alex got up from his chair and set off to race his dad to the bathroom. He won but graciously gave Peter first turn at the basin. ‘I’ll take my brush up to the other bathroom. Put me some toothpaste on, please. I might start sleeping up there, what do you think? I’ve always liked that bedroom.’

  ‘Ask Mum.’

  Anna was waiting for him to appear. She felt rather out of place in his study, it so very much belonged to him. She’d kept it tidy, tried to keep his files orderly, but somehow she had the feeling she would be at a disadvantage the moment he walked in. She recognized that he was one of those men who have no idea that they are very attractive to women. His sex appeal was renowned at the Abbey and it was that which worried her.

  It was nothing that he did, because he came in quietly, having knocked first, and he’d stood, hand outstretched, smiling and saying, ‘Good morning, Anna.’ And as she expected, she was immediately overwhelmed by the vitality of the man.

  ‘Hello, Peter, nice to have you back.’

  He went to sit on the sofa and she offered him the desk chair, which he refused. They both spoke at once and Peter said, ‘No, you first.’

  ‘I can’t remember what I was going to say.’

  ‘Well, I’ll start. I had a quick flip through the parish diary last night and I found some of your comments absolutely spot on. Have you enjoyed being here? I hope so, because I love it here and from now on I have no intention of offering my services anywhere else at all.’ He smiled as he spoke and she smiled back.

  ‘You say that now but wait another few years and something else will come to tempt you.’

  ‘It won’t. Tell me, how did you find the children? Caroline’s very concerned about them. How have you found them?’

  ‘I’ve not really had much to do with them, but Beth is very disturbed, and she’s kind of keeping it bottled up, except at night when she has screaming nightmares, or so I understand. Alex is disturbed, too, but he’s tried to carry on as though nothing has happened, which it obviously has. I just hope his dad will be able to help him, because he won’t allow Caroline to know what troubles them both.’

  ‘I shall tackle that problem at an appropriate moment. Is there anyone in the parish who is in dire trouble at the moment?’

  ‘Not dire trouble, just the usual worries, but—’

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘There is one who is deeply worried.’

  ‘Who’s that?’

  ‘Sheila Bissett.’

  ‘That’s not like her.’

  ‘Oh! Well, she is. We’ve had a few talks but she is adept at steering the conversation away from her problem. Maybe you could get somewhere with her, I’d be glad if you could.’

  ‘Any clues?’

  ‘Well, her daughter Louise had a premature baby who was badly deformed, and they thought blind too, and he died rather suddenly when he was in an incubator fastened up to tubes and wires without which he couldn’t exist. Sheila’s never been the same since. I daren’t think what I’m thinking. She wouldn’t, would she?’

  ‘I’d be surprised but one never knows what people will do when faced with that kind of tragedy.’

  ‘Apart from that, we’ve had a murder – newcomers … Jimbo’s had a bad fall from a ladder and seriously broken his ankle, he’s been the subject of some poison pen letters and damage to the shop so he’s closed it. Otherwise everything has gone according to plan … and …’

  ‘Well, that’s enough to be going on with, heavens above. A possible murderer in our midst and everything’s going to plan?’

  Anna had to smile. ‘But my word, Peter, I’ve found it hard to fill your shoes. So far as your flock is concerned, no one, but no one, can take your place. If you think about going away again I honestly believe they’ll lock you up in that old prison in Little Derehams that Mr Fitch restored, and never let you go, and you’ll be taken by armed guard to take the Services. I’ve been told to stay on here and give you a chance to take a holiday and help the changeover, so there’s no loose ends, you know. You’re not going back again, are you?’

  ‘Definitely not.’

  ‘Well, I’m living at Grandmama’s and have been since last September, so it’ll take a while to pack I’ve collected so many things. My microscopic flat at the Abbey is empty now so I can go back when I want. Do you feel ready to pick up the threads?’

  ‘Absolutely, well, almost. I wouldn’t be averse to you staying a while longer to bridge the gap, so to speak.’

  ‘I could keep well away from your study. I’ve got things I could do out and about. Would that be OK?’

  ‘God bless you for standing in for me so well. I’m sure they all appreciate what you’ve done. A couple of extra weeks would help me to orientate myself.’

  With a rueful smile Anna began picking up her own bits and pieces from the desk. ‘I don’t think they feel that enthusiastic about me. However, a few more months and perhaps I might be more acceptable to them, though I doubt it. One very big plus, though, has been the chance to use your books. You’ve a marvellous library of theological books. I’m envious, Peter. They’ve been very helpful.’

  The phone began to ring, then. Peter pointed to her, suggesting she answered it, but she refused. So he picked up the phone. It was Jimbo, and the mad mess that had been his life for so many months began falling into place. He spent the whole of the next week catching up with everything, seeing people, preaching, praying, attending to administration, telling everyone he met how much the money they had raised had helped the little mission church he’d grown to love. Saturday soon came round again and he had not yet spoken to his children about their problems, but then neither of them had suggested he did. But that night Beth had one of her screaming nightmares. Caroline immediately began to get up, but Peter said, ‘No. Let me go.’

  The moment Beth saw her father standing in the doorway she continued screaming but from under her duvet.

  Alex came down from the attic, pulled the duvet off Beth and grabbed hold of her, saying, ‘Hush, hush, you’re home now, safe at home. Gently, gently. Mum’s here and Dad. Hush, hush. Remember we came home. We’re OK. Right?’

  The sobbing began to subside and although she clung to Alex she did become calmer.

  Caroline appeared in the doorway with a glass of water and gave it to Peter. He held it out to Beth and she took it from him. ‘Thank you.’ She gulped a few more times and then drank the water down greedily. When she’d finished it right to the bottom she gave the glass back to Peter and said, ‘Daddy?’

  ‘Yes, darling, what is it?’

  ‘Are you staying here for ever?’

  ‘Of course. I to
ld Mummy only the other night that I was never going away from the three of you ever again, because I can’t bear to be parted from you.’ He knelt beside the bed so he could hold her hand to reassure her.

  She rubbed her eyes, pulled the duvet around herself and grabbed hold of his hand, gripping it tight. ‘I wonder … is there time to talk, right now? I need to tell you something that happened and Alex does, too. We’ve been longing for you to come home and we can’t tell anyone else. We’re so scared, Daddy, just so scared.’

  ‘Yes, there is time, nothing like the present actually.’ Alex stayed but Caroline melted quietly away.

  Alex perched on the end of her bed and left it to her to begin. Beth cleared her throat once or twice and then whispered, ‘You see, we can’t tell Mummy, she loves us so much it would break her heart. You love us lots but you’re strong and you’ll manage, you see, and you’ll understand and tell us what to do.’

  ‘Tell me, then. Close the door first, Alex.’

  The moment he sat down again Alex plunged straight into the story.

  ‘You know they set the car on fire when those rebels stopped us that night? Well, we ran like hell from that car and only just in time because it was roaring with flames in seconds. It was dark and we couldn’t see and we kept falling and picking ourselves up and then we lay down to get our breath back and we saw … in the light of the flames … we saw them shoot the missionary. He was such a nice man and trying so hard to help them grow better crops on their land, but they killed him just the same. How can they, Dad, kill the ones who are helping them to make better lives for themselves?’

  ‘If we knew the answer to that a lot of the world’s problems could be solved. So?’

  Beth answered him. ‘We lay all night waiting for the dawn so we could see where we were. Daddy, it was terrible and we were so hungry, and all we wanted was to be home with you and Mummy. So we thought when it was light we’d be able to find the road and walk along it to home. But we were silly to think that because there were soldiers and rebels going by all the time, spreading out into the bush and searching for anyone they could and if they didn’t approve of them we could hear them begging and screaming as they were being killed. The soldiers and the rebels had machetes and guns and coshes, and you didn’t know which was which, a government soldier or a rebel.’