The Village Newcomers by Rebecca Shaw Page A

asked if Peter knew what was going on. ‘After all, it is a church thingy.’
     
    Evie suggested that maybe Kate and Venetia had cleared it with Peter already.
     
    ‘Well,’ said Sheila. ‘I am amazed. It’s not quite the thing, is it? Too much temptation. You know what that lot in Penny Fawcett are like. They’re on a par with that pub of theirs in the High Street, the Jug and Bottle - all drunk and no class whatsoever. Imagine twelve of ’em on a boat. Can’t expect ’em to behave proper when it’s a mixed group. The mind boggles. Glad I’m not in charge; I’d never sleep a wink.’
     
    Evie was far more trusting than the others. ‘Mrs Fitch wouldn’t allow anything untoward, I’m sure. She is a teacher after all.’
     
    ‘There was a piece in the paper the other day about these teenagers who’d gone swimming naked in a lake and—’
     
    Sheila nodded briskly. ‘I read that. It was disgusting. But look at that time when we had the pyjama party and those two were found upstairs in the bedroom at Glebe House, knowing nothing about the house being on fire at all. A lot of them were from Penny Fawcett.
     
    Mercedes was laughing. ‘Did you say at Glebe House? Really? A pyjama party? Which bedroom were they in?’ Her eyes were alight with fun.
     
    ‘It wasn’t funny at the time, believe me, Mercedes. They could have died ’cept they got the fire out in quick time.’
     
    Bel, sensing that there would be a big argument if they weren’t careful, said softly, ‘I’m sure Kate Fitch won’t allow things to get out of hand. After all, some of them will have been at the primary school when they were younger. They know she has standards.’
     
    ‘Yes,’ said Sheila, tapping a well-manicured nail on the table, ‘but what about Venetia? You can’t say she’s got standards. We all know what she was.’
     
    Evie glanced at her watch and said, ‘Shall we get on?’
     
    At that precise moment Zack walked in for his usual Monday afternoon treat of a cup of tea. ‘Hello, Merc! Surprised to find you here embroidering. Heard that wonderful mower of mine? I shall always be in debt to your hubby for that mower. Transformed my life, it has. Has Ford got any good tips this week? Last week’s turned up trumps. Fifty-four pounds and fifty pence I won. Gone towards me and the wife going to America to see our daughter.’
     
    Mercedes rooted about in her bag and took out a square of paper. ‘Here you are. Polar Knight. Three-thirty at Doncaster on Saturday.’
     
    No one in the embroidery group said a word. They finished their cups of tea as though not a thing had been said about betting, nor about Doncaster, nor the three-thirty, nor a horse called Polar Knight. They popped their cups and saucers back on the tray, and left Zack looking at his square of paper and sipping his own, very welcome cup of tea.
     
    Polar Knight won at Doncaster, and every member of the embroidery group had put a bet on him. They couldn’t wait for Zack to call in for his cup of tea the following Monday until they remembered he’d said it would be the last time he’d be cutting the grass until the spring. Drat!
     
     
    Peter sensed the challenge in Beth’s voice when she announced she was going with the youth club on the midnight walk on Friday to Brocken High Barrow. He winked at Caroline and, taking the hint, she didn’t protest.
     
    ‘Alex going, Beth?’ Peter asked.
     
    ‘No, and don’t suggest it to him. He’ll only interfere and tell me what to do, or, more likely, what not to do, and I’m not having it. Pass the sauce, please.’
     
    Caroline passed Beth the tartare sauce. ‘Here you are. You sound very definite.’
     
    ‘No, but I am sixteen going on seventeen and so I’m going.’
     
    ‘I see.’
     
    ‘I mean it about Alex. Anyway, it’s not his kind of thing. Too daring for him!’
     
    ‘It’ll be cold this time of year,’ Caroline remarked.
     
    ‘I’m tough, didn’t you know? I don’t