just like that.’ She plucked the length of wool from her jumper and threaded her needle with shaking fingers. ‘I still feel funny even now just thinking about it.’
They broke for tea at this point. As they’d moved their chairs to the tea table, the sound of Zack striding up and down the churchyard with his super-mower reminded them of Ford Barclay.
Dottie said to Mercedes, ‘Didn’t we have a lovely day at the races with you and Ford? It really was so kind of him to take us all, and it was all so posh. I wonder if we thanked him enough, because we did enjoy it.’
‘Ford loves giving people treats, he really does. He’s worked twenty-four/seven for years and now he’s retired he can indulge himself in giving friends a good time.’
‘Well, that’s nice to know because it was smashing. Are you beginning to settle in, then?’
Mercedes paused for a moment and then said, ‘I am now. This afternoon, thanks to you all.’
‘You’ve got a lovely house,’ Sheila remarked.
‘Mmm.’
‘Where did you live before? Not round here because your accent’s different.’
Mercedes hesitated, then mumbled, ‘Birmingham.’
Bel remarked, ‘I’ve a second cousin who lives in Birmingham. ’
Mercedes hurriedly said, ‘It’s strange for us living here, all trees and country.’
‘Well, yes, but we all love it. You know everyone, you see.’
‘Will you be coming to our wedding anniversary party? You’ll all be invited.’
‘We’d heard. Well, yes, I expect we all will. Got all your plans made?’ Bel was puzzled that she couldn’t seem to remember where they’d lived before. It was odd.
Mercedes positively blossomed. A lovely smile came over her face as she said, ‘Oh, yes. That Jimbo is brilliant, you know. It’ll spoil it if I tell you everything that’s going to happen, but he’s got musicians—’
‘You mean a pop band?’
‘No, no. One in keeping with the Elizabethan banquet. And there will be dancers and a play and lots of lovely food and drink. I tell you, Ford has really gone to town on it, but we couldn’t have done it without Jimbo. He’s lovely isn’t he?’
Bel agreed. ‘Mind you, he has a temper. I remember once—’
‘I say,’ interrupted Sheila, who didn’t want to listen to yet another of Bel’s stories about working for Jimbo, ‘What’s happening with the youth club? There’s rumours going round that Ford has decided to spend some money on it instead of the lunch club for the Senior Citizens. Not that I go, so it doesn’t bother me.’
Mercedes launched enthusiastically into the latest news. ‘Ah, well, they’ve planned some splendid trips out. I can’t remember everything, but first there’s a midnight walk on Brocken High Barrow next week.’
Dottie was amazed. ‘Brocken High Barrow, at midnight? What are they thinking of? They’ll be up to all sorts of things they shouldn’t, up there in the dark.’
‘Well, anyway, after that they’re off on a weekend camping before the weather gets too bad with a hike along the South Coast Path.’
Someone muttered, ‘Rather them than me.’
‘They’re all very excited about that. Oh, and then there’s a trip to a bowling alley with another youth club before Christmas. And there’s talk of a narrowboat holiday in the summer, a boat for twelve. Ford’s so excited about that he’s even thinking of going with them. Then, before Christmas, they’re planning a ghost-hunting expedition in some castle or other, take your own candle.’
Bel was astounded. ‘Have they gone completely mad? When I went to a youth club we got all excited about a table-tennis match against the Scouts in the church hall with the vicar and his wife standing guard just in case, though in case of what we never knew. Fat chance with a load of boring scouts with bare knees and woggles. None of this gallivanting about.’
Dottie
They broke for tea at this point. As they’d moved their chairs to the tea table, the sound of Zack striding up and down the churchyard with his super-mower reminded them of Ford Barclay.
Dottie said to Mercedes, ‘Didn’t we have a lovely day at the races with you and Ford? It really was so kind of him to take us all, and it was all so posh. I wonder if we thanked him enough, because we did enjoy it.’
‘Ford loves giving people treats, he really does. He’s worked twenty-four/seven for years and now he’s retired he can indulge himself in giving friends a good time.’
‘Well, that’s nice to know because it was smashing. Are you beginning to settle in, then?’
Mercedes paused for a moment and then said, ‘I am now. This afternoon, thanks to you all.’
‘You’ve got a lovely house,’ Sheila remarked.
‘Mmm.’
‘Where did you live before? Not round here because your accent’s different.’
Mercedes hesitated, then mumbled, ‘Birmingham.’
Bel remarked, ‘I’ve a second cousin who lives in Birmingham. ’
Mercedes hurriedly said, ‘It’s strange for us living here, all trees and country.’
‘Well, yes, but we all love it. You know everyone, you see.’
‘Will you be coming to our wedding anniversary party? You’ll all be invited.’
‘We’d heard. Well, yes, I expect we all will. Got all your plans made?’ Bel was puzzled that she couldn’t seem to remember where they’d lived before. It was odd.
Mercedes positively blossomed. A lovely smile came over her face as she said, ‘Oh, yes. That Jimbo is brilliant, you know. It’ll spoil it if I tell you everything that’s going to happen, but he’s got musicians—’
‘You mean a pop band?’
‘No, no. One in keeping with the Elizabethan banquet. And there will be dancers and a play and lots of lovely food and drink. I tell you, Ford has really gone to town on it, but we couldn’t have done it without Jimbo. He’s lovely isn’t he?’
Bel agreed. ‘Mind you, he has a temper. I remember once—’
‘I say,’ interrupted Sheila, who didn’t want to listen to yet another of Bel’s stories about working for Jimbo, ‘What’s happening with the youth club? There’s rumours going round that Ford has decided to spend some money on it instead of the lunch club for the Senior Citizens. Not that I go, so it doesn’t bother me.’
Mercedes launched enthusiastically into the latest news. ‘Ah, well, they’ve planned some splendid trips out. I can’t remember everything, but first there’s a midnight walk on Brocken High Barrow next week.’
Dottie was amazed. ‘Brocken High Barrow, at midnight? What are they thinking of? They’ll be up to all sorts of things they shouldn’t, up there in the dark.’
‘Well, anyway, after that they’re off on a weekend camping before the weather gets too bad with a hike along the South Coast Path.’
Someone muttered, ‘Rather them than me.’
‘They’re all very excited about that. Oh, and then there’s a trip to a bowling alley with another youth club before Christmas. And there’s talk of a narrowboat holiday in the summer, a boat for twelve. Ford’s so excited about that he’s even thinking of going with them. Then, before Christmas, they’re planning a ghost-hunting expedition in some castle or other, take your own candle.’
Bel was astounded. ‘Have they gone completely mad? When I went to a youth club we got all excited about a table-tennis match against the Scouts in the church hall with the vicar and his wife standing guard just in case, though in case of what we never knew. Fat chance with a load of boring scouts with bare knees and woggles. None of this gallivanting about.’
Dottie
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