Civvy Street Read Online Free Page A

who had once held her in esteem and now she’d be their paid lackey? He turned his attention back to his soup and carried on eating. Not worth kicking off a row about it now, the job hadn’t even been advertised. Maybe when it had been and if Susie applied for it, maybe he’d try and get her to see his point of view then. And if she didn’t? Well, maybe then he’d try and kibosh her plans.
    *
    ‘You’re late,’ said Maddy as Seb arrived home for lunch fifteen minutes after she’d been expecting him. She was in the kitchen clearing up the mess left from the kids’ lunches.
    ‘Had to see Rayner.’
    ‘Poor you. What about?’
    ‘That’s the thing...’
    Maddy looked at him expectantly. ‘What’s the thing?’
    ‘I’m getting acting rank and taking over from Mike.’
    Maddy’s eyes widened. ‘You! Bloody hell. No, I mean congratulations and clever, clever you.’ She put down the dishcloth and gave her husband a kiss. ‘Craig must be pissed off. He must have thought he was in with a shout.’
    ‘It’s not common knowledge yet, so don’t say anything.’
    ‘Does Mike know?’
    Seb shook his head. ‘Rayner’s telling him this afternoon.’
    Maddy took a loaf out of the bread bin and began buttering slices to make them both a sandwich. ‘How do you think he’ll take it?’
    Seb shrugged. ‘Badly, I should think.’
    ‘You reckon?’
    ‘It’s a bit of a kick in the teeth, in my view. I’m not exactly his equal, am I? I think if he’d been getting replaced by a senior major he might feel a bit more valued but as it is...’
    ‘Oh God, and Susie won’t be happy either, will she, with me usurping her as the OC’s wife.’
    Seb shook his head. ‘No, I shouldn’t think so.’
    *
    Susie had spent the afternoon in Warminster trawling round estate agents. She knew what she wanted: four bedrooms, gas central heating, south-facing garden, off-street parking, good local schools and within a ten mile radius of where she lived now. She was hardly asking for a ridiculous amount, was she? And it seemed not because with the redundancy package they would have a decent deposit, and with Mike’s projected earnings there were a fair few properties to choose from. She came home laden with particulars of possible houses to show Mike. She parked the car outside the house and let herself in. She could hear movement coming from the kitchen.
    ‘Mike?’
    ‘Where have you been?’
    He sounded in a right grump, she thought. She wondered what had happened now. She walked down the hall, into the kitchen and dumped the sheaf of papers on the table.
    ‘Just popped into town see what the estate agents have got to offer.’ The look on Mike’s face told her he didn’t want to talk about houses. ‘What’s the matter, hon?’
    ‘The last fucking straw.’
    ‘What?’
    ‘I’ve just been told who is replacing me.’
    ‘Not Craig, surely.’
    ‘No, although I almost think that would be better than who is getting the job.’
    ‘And that is?’
    ‘Seb.’
    ‘Seb? But he’s a babe in arms. How can he possibly command a company? He hasn’t even gone to Staff College yet. And Maddy is hardly OC’s wife material. I mean she’s a nice kid but...’ Words failed her.
    ‘I know.’ Mike looked at her bleakly. ‘It seems to me that the army thinks so little of me that I can be replaced by someone who has got almost no experience and zero seniority. Well, thank you very much. And it’s pissed off Craig so much he’s talking about resigning. Honestly, if he goes, it’ll be like the Night of the Long Knives in B Company.’
    Susie gave her husband a hug. ‘With Seb emerging out of the chaos and carnage smelling of roses.’
    ‘I know it’s not his fault, said Mike, morosely, ‘but with this sort of HR bloodbath going on it makes me think I’m better off out of it.’
    ‘Maybe.’ Susie didn’t look convinced.
    She was about to put the kettle on to make them both a cup of tea when the phone rang. She picked up the