Fowler. We all live at close quarters, and we simply must be understanding and tolerant.'
'I've been that long enough,' retorted Mrs Fowler, buttoning up her mouth.
'Well, I'll tell my husband that you called,' said Diana, rising to her feet, 'but I don't promise that he will intervene. I still advise you to mention the matter politely to Sergeant Burnaby. It's probably just male thoughtlessness. After all, he's getting very old, you know.'
'It's the old 'uns,' said Mrs Fowler darkly, as she crossed the threshold, 'as is the worst!'
'Bad-tempered old harridan,' was Peter Hale's comment that evening when he arrived home from school and was told the tale.
'Let them get on with it. We're not taking sides. Anyway, it's only a storm in a tea-cup. That woman's liverish. You can see that plain enough from her complexion. What she needs is more exercise. A sharp three-mile walk daily would soon put her right.'
'I'll leave you to tell her that,' commented Diana dryly.
10. Awkward Neighbours
NO more was heard of this incident, and as Sergeant Burnaby refrained from lighting a bonfire during the next few days, Diana hoped that all would be well.
Fairacre was so lovely in the May sunshine that nothing could daunt her spirits for long. They soared even higher when Bert told her that they reckoned to be finished in a week.
'Marvellous!' cried Diana, with heartfelt relief.
'Been a nice job, this has,' said Bert, turning up the transistor's volume a trifle.
'That's right,' shouted Frank, above the racket. 'Peaceful out here. I like a bit of country myself.'
'What say?' bellowed Bert, climbing the stepladder.
Frank executed a few intricate dance steps round a paint pot and ended up nearer his friend.
'Eh?'
'I said "What say?"' repeated Bert, fortissimo.
'Dunno what you're on about,' yelled Frank cheerfully, moving on a yard or two, and beginning to ply his brush languidly.
Diana retreated from the din, savouring this most welcome news. At last, to have the house to themselves!
She told Peter as soon as he came in.
'Now that,' he said approvingly, 'calls for a glass of sherry. And it will give me strength to tackle Form One's History essays.'
His glass was empty, and the pile of exercise books reduced by half, when he sat back, sighing.
'Do they teach spelling these days?'
'I think so. Why?'
'Well, it appears from this young man's account of the finding of the treasure ship at Sutton Hoo, that "they discovered golden bowels, spoons and things." What d'you think of that?'
'Odd.'
'Very. Mind you, I must admit to getting a bit tangled with "necessary" and "occurred" myself.'
'And "antirrhinum",' agreed Diana thoughtfully.
'Luckily,' said Peter, 'that doesn't seem to crop up very frequently in History.'
He resumed his marking doggedly.
Now that the house was almost straight, the Hales began to entertain their friends. In a cottage as small as theirs, the perfect way to see one's friends was to invite two, or at most four, to dinner.
Diana enjoyed cooking, and the frequent dinner parties which they gave in the early summer evenings gave everyone much pleasure.
The weather was so warm that it was possible to have drinks, and sometimes after-dinner coffee, in the garden. Mrs Fowler and Sergeant Burnaby were interested and not-too-well-hidden spectators on these occasions.
One evening, the Hales had an old college friend of Peter's for the evening. He had been invited to talk to the boys, have tea with the Headmaster, and then drive out to Fairacre.
'Poached salmon?' said Diana. 'Everyone likes it, and if it's cold we needn't hurry with drinks.'
'Fine, fine,' replied Peter, hastily finishing his breakfast.
Diana spent most of the day on her preparations, poaching and skinning the fish, making a green salad, scraping new potatoes, whisking a strawberry mousse, and beating up fresh mayonnaise.
By six-thirty the table was set in the diminutive dining room and Diana awaited their guest. How many years since she had
'I've been that long enough,' retorted Mrs Fowler, buttoning up her mouth.
'Well, I'll tell my husband that you called,' said Diana, rising to her feet, 'but I don't promise that he will intervene. I still advise you to mention the matter politely to Sergeant Burnaby. It's probably just male thoughtlessness. After all, he's getting very old, you know.'
'It's the old 'uns,' said Mrs Fowler darkly, as she crossed the threshold, 'as is the worst!'
'Bad-tempered old harridan,' was Peter Hale's comment that evening when he arrived home from school and was told the tale.
'Let them get on with it. We're not taking sides. Anyway, it's only a storm in a tea-cup. That woman's liverish. You can see that plain enough from her complexion. What she needs is more exercise. A sharp three-mile walk daily would soon put her right.'
'I'll leave you to tell her that,' commented Diana dryly.
10. Awkward Neighbours
NO more was heard of this incident, and as Sergeant Burnaby refrained from lighting a bonfire during the next few days, Diana hoped that all would be well.
Fairacre was so lovely in the May sunshine that nothing could daunt her spirits for long. They soared even higher when Bert told her that they reckoned to be finished in a week.
'Marvellous!' cried Diana, with heartfelt relief.
'Been a nice job, this has,' said Bert, turning up the transistor's volume a trifle.
'That's right,' shouted Frank, above the racket. 'Peaceful out here. I like a bit of country myself.'
'What say?' bellowed Bert, climbing the stepladder.
Frank executed a few intricate dance steps round a paint pot and ended up nearer his friend.
'Eh?'
'I said "What say?"' repeated Bert, fortissimo.
'Dunno what you're on about,' yelled Frank cheerfully, moving on a yard or two, and beginning to ply his brush languidly.
Diana retreated from the din, savouring this most welcome news. At last, to have the house to themselves!
She told Peter as soon as he came in.
'Now that,' he said approvingly, 'calls for a glass of sherry. And it will give me strength to tackle Form One's History essays.'
His glass was empty, and the pile of exercise books reduced by half, when he sat back, sighing.
'Do they teach spelling these days?'
'I think so. Why?'
'Well, it appears from this young man's account of the finding of the treasure ship at Sutton Hoo, that "they discovered golden bowels, spoons and things." What d'you think of that?'
'Odd.'
'Very. Mind you, I must admit to getting a bit tangled with "necessary" and "occurred" myself.'
'And "antirrhinum",' agreed Diana thoughtfully.
'Luckily,' said Peter, 'that doesn't seem to crop up very frequently in History.'
He resumed his marking doggedly.
Now that the house was almost straight, the Hales began to entertain their friends. In a cottage as small as theirs, the perfect way to see one's friends was to invite two, or at most four, to dinner.
Diana enjoyed cooking, and the frequent dinner parties which they gave in the early summer evenings gave everyone much pleasure.
The weather was so warm that it was possible to have drinks, and sometimes after-dinner coffee, in the garden. Mrs Fowler and Sergeant Burnaby were interested and not-too-well-hidden spectators on these occasions.
One evening, the Hales had an old college friend of Peter's for the evening. He had been invited to talk to the boys, have tea with the Headmaster, and then drive out to Fairacre.
'Poached salmon?' said Diana. 'Everyone likes it, and if it's cold we needn't hurry with drinks.'
'Fine, fine,' replied Peter, hastily finishing his breakfast.
Diana spent most of the day on her preparations, poaching and skinning the fish, making a green salad, scraping new potatoes, whisking a strawberry mousse, and beating up fresh mayonnaise.
By six-thirty the table was set in the diminutive dining room and Diana awaited their guest. How many years since she had
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