A Village Deception (Turnham Malpas 15) (18 page)

At last! Jimbo and Harriet were back! No one greeted them with more enthusiasm than Tom. They got back about half past eight in the morning, just as the pre-school rush was beginning, and he could have handed the business over to them then and there; the keys, the till, the post office, the whole blessed lot, he was so exhausted.

Glad though he was to see them, he couldn’t drum up the enthusiasm to show them his delight and so both Jimbo and Harriet independently thought that things must have gone terribly wrong while they’d been away.

Jimbo nodded his head towards the stock room and Tom followed him. ‘Well. How’s things been? Mmm?’

‘Absolutely fine, but I’m exhausted to be honest. When you go away together next time we’ll have to organise more help, it’s too much for one person to handle.’

‘Look here, Tom. Hand me the keys and you go home. You look shattered. Come back tomorrow rested and recharged.’

‘I can’t do that, it’s not fair. You must have jet lag, and you can’t possibly do a full—’

‘We spent the night at an airport hotel and drove here this morning. Believe me, I shall be glad to get back into harness. You’ve obviously done a brilliant job and I insist, on threat of dismissal, that you go
home.
At once.’

‘The greetings cards need revitalising, I haven’t done those for days, and I was going to—’

Jimbo took Tom by the shoulders and propelled him towards
the door. ‘Out! This minute!’ Then he gave him a final push through the open door.

‘Well, I must say I shall …’

‘Out!’ Jimbo then turned, smiling, towards the customers waiting at the till. ‘Now, who’s first?’ He rubbed his hands together in anticipation and got down to work.

His customers were delighted to see him too and for the next hour Jimbo immersed himself in the day-to-day nitty-gritty of running a village store. It was only when Zack came in for a snack lunch for himself in his shed in the churchyard that Jimbo cleared his head for a moment and asked him the state of play on the church silver.

Zack leaned his forearms on the counter. ‘Well, now. Nothing has happened while you’ve been away. The weather’s been that extreme we’ve none of us given it a thought, except …’ Zack glanced round to make sure he wasn’t being overheard, then continued, ‘I have heard that Gilbert has sent a letter to Bishop whatever his name is, to say that the whole village and the two other villages are dead against selling the silver. Now that’s all I know. Whether or not he’s had a reply, I do not know.’

‘Gilbert? Eh! My word. I’m surprised by that. I thought maybe lots of people wouldn’t care a button.’

‘He’s written without asking anyone their opinion. He’s said in his letter that they think like he does, without asking ’em, but I can tell you that there’s them who wouldn’t mind it being sold. They’re thinking along the lines of if the church falls down, then where would they be when they want burying or something similar.’

Briefly Jimbo hesitated while he thought about what on earth could be ‘similar’ to being buried. Half-buried? Three-quarters buried? Or burned on a pyre on the village green? He shook his head to clear it and said, ‘I’ll go and see him as soon as I have a minute.’

‘That won’t be easy.’

‘What won’t?’

‘He’s in York, you see. He’s been called in as a specialist on an excavation problem at the minster. He could be there for weeks.’

‘Right. Must press on. One sausage roll, one prawn cocktail crisps, one bottle of orange and one Chelsea bun. Right?’

Zack nodded. ‘Glad you’re back, things just don’t seem right when you and your Harriet aren’t here in the village. There’s nobody to take charge, except for the rector, and he’s not flavour of the month, believe me.’ He beamed at Jimbo as he handed him his change and bounded out of the door, but returned to shout, ‘Harry’s dead set up with Jimmy’s Cottage and old Sykes is as happy as a sandboy, off to work every morning with him. They make a right pair. See you.’

However, Greta, who’d finally emerged from the Mail Order office, had a different slant on village life from Zack. ‘Glad you’re back, and Harriet. Did you have a good time?’

‘Excellent. Thank you, Greta. I’m longing to get back in the groove.’

‘Mmm?’

‘And what does “Mmm” mean?’

Greta leaned against the counter, glad for a moment’s peace in the store so she could tell him. ‘Mail order is doing well. I’m glad Harriet’ll be doing her round again. I’ve almost run out of stuff to complete my orders ’cos Tom was so busy. But the big thing is Harry and Venetia. Everyone knows, they can’t help but know.’

‘What?

‘Don’t tell me you don’t know, because you do.’

Jimbo spread his hands as though he had no knowledge of what she was talking about. ‘How can I? I’ve been away two whole weeks.’

‘You know what I mean. They don’t care who knows. They even go in the pub together, holding hands and kissing. Georgie
told them off one night. She said they shouldn’t kiss and cuddle like that in public, not in her pub anyway.’

‘I see. Has he been working? You know, doing his job?’

‘Oh, yes. Cashing up for Tom each morning and then off to the bank, regular as clockwork.’

‘I see. Poor Tom, I’ll see he gets extra help the next time we go away. I didn’t realise how much there is to do once I’m not here, nor Harriet. What you’re saying is that they’re having a love affair?’

Greta nodded her head. ‘Absolutely, no doubt about it. What Jeremy must think, I do not know. Poor chap, I never really liked him, but you can’t ’elp but feel sorry for him. All that going on in such a brazen fashion. Must press on, you do keep me talking when you shouldn’t.’ But she smiled and patted his arm saying, ‘So glad you’re back, it’s not been the same without you.’

Greta shot back to the Mail Order office, leaving Jimbo feeling slightly worried about Harry. It was when Greta said ‘cashing up for Tom’ that he felt alarm bells begin to ring. He had not intended for Harry to actually cash up and make out the banking slips. Tom, yes. Harry, or anyone else for that matter, definitely not. In particular, he remembered his mother’s doubts about Harry not giving references and he wondered … but he had to rush into the post office ‘cage’ to deal with some parcels so he didn’t do anything about it. Nor did he give it another thought until he finally closed the store at seven and staggered home to find out what Harriet had been up to and to give Fran a good welcome back after her sojourn at his mother’s.

She was full of what had happened while they’d been away. ‘The talk is all about Venetia and Harry. They’re out and about together all the time.’

‘In working hours?’

‘Oh no! They all say that they are both diligent about their work, it’s their extra-curricular activities that are fascinating
everyone.’ Fran leaned forward confidentially, as though making sure they heard every word of her spectacular news. ‘They got caught one night in Home Park. It was a very hot night. By the way, we’ve had brilliantly hot weather while you’ve been away. In flagrante delicto is what they’re all saying. Well, not those exact words, but we all
know
…’ She rolled her eyes and Jimbo looked appalled.

‘Harriet! Is this right for Fran to …’

‘For goodness sake, Jimbo, she’s almost fifteen …’

‘Still.’

‘Oh, Dad! Grow up. I know what life’s about.’

Harriet had hardly dared ask who found them, but she did.

‘Well, you’ll never guess, so I’ll tell you.’ Fran paused for effect. ‘Peter.’

This statement left Harriet and Jimbo stunned.

‘We missed all the fun then?’ commented Harriet, unable to take in the almighty explosion there must have been when this piece of news got out.

‘Absolutely. Grandmama said she wasn’t surprised, considering what was going on in Jimmy’s Cottage. She’s got the sign up, by the way. Jimmy’s Cottage it is, for eternity.’

‘Has Harry paid his rent, do you know?’ Jimbo enquired.

‘Each Friday morning in cash in an envelope through her letterbox.’

This greatly stilled Jimbo’s alarm at what he’d heard from Greta. Obviously jet lag was making him unreasonable and the sooner he got to bed and got over it, the better it would be for him. But he still had this niggling feeling deep inside and he almost wished they’d never gone away. But then he looked at Harriet and how glowing with health she was. He thought about the wonderful evenings they’d had sitting out on the palm-fringed shores sipping their drinks and languidly chatting and he changed his mind.

‘So … Apparently Peter stalked away and never spoke to
either of them, but he turned up at the Old Barn office the following day and spoke to Harry. Now what was said is all speculation, but …’

‘Well?’ asked Jimbo, a little too eagerly.

‘There are those who say that Harry gave him a “none of your business” reply. But I find that hard to believe. Anyone who can say that to Peter … Well … takes their life in their hands, I would have thought. He’s so compelling and brilliant at making you feel a complete worm for not matching up to his standards.’

‘Agreed.’ Jimbo helped himself to another portion of date and rhubarb crumble and pondered on what had happened between Peter and Harry up there in that lovely office. Would Harry be completely honest about other people’s money when he was behaving like that with Venetia?

That night in bed, desperate for sleep and with no time for really talking, Harriet said, ‘Are you very bothered about what you’ve heard? About Harry’s fundamental honesty?’

‘Yes, but I’m too tired to think about it. I’ll keep it till morning.’ Jimbo then fell asleep.

But it was his first thought the moment he woke.

He was not expected to be in the store first thing that morning, but he was. He told Tom what he was doing and Tom, too busy to talk, nodded to him and carried on serving his early morning customers. Jimbo took out all the banking slips filled in while he was away, the box with the cash rolls from the till, downloaded the current bank statements, and sat down in his office behind the store with the door firmly shut.

He emerged, two hours later, grey-faced, and immediately disappeared home.

‘Harriet!’

‘In the utility room, Jimbo.’

She appeared to be running a Chinese laundry because the entire floor of the utility room was piled with washing. ‘My God! Have you started taking in washing?’

‘No. It’s washing we left behind, washing we brought home, and Fran’s washing as I forbade her to let your mother do it for her and Fran doesn’t know one end of the washing machine from the other. Now?’ It was only when she looked him full in the face that she saw how upset he was. ‘Darling!’

‘Something has gone terribly wrong while we’ve been away.’

Harriet propped herself against the washing machine, arms folded, waiting to hear the worst.

‘We’ve taken over three thousand pounds less than we would have expected to. Some days it’s so bad it would have been cheaper to keep the shop closed because the takings didn’t cover the wages.’

‘Now, look here. You’ve still got jet lag, you’ve feared the worst, and now you think it’s happened. I’m sure there’s a simple explanation.’

‘Such as a new supermarket having opened in Culworth? All our food has gone off and no one wants to buy it? They let the customers help themselves? In the dim and distant past, I qualified as a chartered accountant, as you know, and I haven’t forgotten
all
I learned. It’s true. When I say three thousand pounds, I mean it.’ Jimbo stood absolutely still, staring at Harriet, not knowing what to say next.

‘What the blazes?’

‘How do I say to Tom, “where’s the money?” Mmm? Or Bel? Or the part-timers, eh? Or Greta?’

‘Very difficult.’

‘Exactly. Having their honesty put under the microscope, they’ll leave en masse.’

‘Jimbo! I hate to say this, but your mother did query with me about …’

‘Who? As if I need to ask. Harry Dickinson.’

Harriet nodded.

‘But everyone has trusted him right from him first coming. He comes across as being so honest and straightforward. He even told me to think about it overnight when I asked him about taking the money to the bank for me while we were away. “Sleep on it,” he said. “I’d feel happier if you did.” So I did. What if it isn’t simply a downturn in trade due to the extreme weather? What if it’s the start of the business going downhill because people can’t afford us? What if that damned cheapo place on the bypass has persuaded everyone to buy there? We’re done for.’

‘Look! We’ve had crises before and weathered them. We’ll weather this one too, believe me. We’ll have to have order quality food at budget prices. You know, essential food but slightly less good quality.’

‘That’s my ideals down the pan. You know how I like to rely on quality.’

‘Hard times make for hard decisions. Anyway, it may not be as bad as you think.’

‘No?’

Having put the wind up Harriet, Jimbo then decided to face a few unpleasant facts and went to the Old Barn to see Harry Dickinson. Since he’d known him, he’d always been Harry, but somehow he’d changed into Harry Dickinson today, in a kind of withdrawal of friendship until Jimbo had made sense of his predicament.