A Village Deception (Turnham Malpas 15) Read Online Free Page B

ever married, you see. A hundred and one she is … Was. I’ll put the details in the book for you. Right? You know which grave, don’t you? The Gotobed one under the apple tree, not the one out by the yew tree.’ Zack nodded. ‘Right you are, sir.’
    ‘Nice to have met you, Harry. See you again sometime.’
    ‘I’m sure you will.’
    ‘Kind of you to help Zack with the mowing.’
    ‘A pleasure … Sir.’
    Harry didn’t speak for a while after Peter had left then, having finished his tea right to the bottom of the mug, he said, ‘Nice man?’
    ‘The day he leaves here, and please God it won’t be for years yet, will be a bad day for this village. He’s seen us through a lot these last years. He’s always there if you need support and whatever you tell him, it’s absolutely confidential. He never breathes a word, even though some of the busybodies round here try to get him to say what he knows. A wonderful rector, couldn’t be bettered.’
    ‘Good-looking man. Is he married?’
    ‘He is. Married to a doctor. She’s a lovely lady who sees the best in everyone and brings out the best in everyone, believe me. You seem very interested.’
    ‘The clergy interest me in general. I just can’t understand why they do it. A fine, upstanding chap like him. He’s obviously intelligent and has a lot going for him, and he becomes a rector. I mean, you know. Clerical collar, and all that. It’s a funny occupation for a real man.’
    ‘Well, he’s a real man and he’s good at his job.’
    ‘Didn’t say he wasn’t.’
    ‘And, what’s more, he means every word he says. He prays for half an hour every morning in church from six thirty to seven, then he does a three-mile run, home for his breakfast and then on with his work.’
    ‘He has a pretty penetrating stare.’
    Zack grinned. ‘You’ve noticed. Nobody can hide things from him. He knows you inside out, so you’d better watch out!’ Zack nudged Harry and laughed out loud, ‘Come on then, let’s get cracking.’
    ‘Let’s go to the pub after and you can introduce me to some of the others. Right?’
    ‘Great.’ Zack glanced at his watch. ‘Half an hour should see us finished. Come on then.’
    Harry went back to finish his mowing and started raking up the grass, thinking hard. The less he saw of that rector, the better it would be for him. He hated it when he met people who wanted to find out too much about him. He liked to keep his life private, after all, his life was his life and no one else’s, and that’s how it should be. He’d never been close to anyone in his life. In fact …
    ‘I’m done, are you? I’ll rake this bit here up for you and that’ll be it, won’t it?’
    ‘OK, Zack. Thanks.’
    They each had a ploughmans. The cheese was wonderful, the salad fresh and the pickle homemade. A glass of Dicky’s home-brew topped it all off wonderfully well. Harry enjoyed meeting Dicky properly. He was a ‘hail fellow well met’ kind of person, there didn’t seem to be any unknown depths to him, nor his wife Georgie, who was bright, blonde and jolly. Just the kind of wife he would …
    ‘Hi there!’ It was Jimbo from the store, delivering a side of cooked ham for the dining room. ‘Mind if I join you? I just fancy a glass of ale. I’ll see Georgie first.’
    Jimbo exchanged the side of ham for a fistful of notes from the till and ordered his ale. ‘On the house, Jimbo, you dear boy. We’ve run out of ham and I never thought you’d deliver today. You’re special, you are.’
    Jimbo came across to sit with Zack and Harry and a general conversation ensued, in which they told Harry all about the advantages of living in Turnham Malpas. Some things they thought were good, Harry knew for sure he wouldn’t like, but others he could see the advantage of, and wondered why he’d never chosen to live in a village before. Jimbo downed the last of his ale and, after wiping hismoustache in case of froth lingering on it, said, ‘I don’t