The Village Green Affair Read Online Free

till I’ve finished—’
     
    ‘No, Neville, I won’t wait. I won’t. This time you’re putting me first. Put those papers in your briefcase now - you can read them when we get home.’
     
    Neville hesitated. This really wasn’t on. He checked the solid silver clock on his desk. It was ten minutes before the office would close and he was never seen leaving so early. Bad example, he always thought for the owner to be witnessed leaving before time. Begrudgingly he muttered, ‘Let’s wait till half past then. I never leave early.’
     
    Liz flung her arms wide. ‘Oh, my God! The world’s come to an end!’ She went round his desk, reached a hand out and snatched the papers he held, then stuffed them into the briefcase standing at the side of his chair.
     
    ‘There we are, that wasn’t difficult. Your spectacles, let’s have them.’ She pulled them from his face before he had a chance to do it for himself, forced open his case, put them in and snapped it shut, almost trapping her fingers. ‘Now, off we go. I quite fancy that new bar and restaurant up the Headrow.’
     
    Neville watched her set off for the door with his briefcase and didn’t know what to do. No glasses, no figures - there was no point in staying on. Furious anger welled up inside him. He’d been press-ganged, commandeered, taken prisoner almost and, most importantly, he’d lost control of his life. He set great store by his strong control.
     
    Liz called out, ‘I’ve kidnapped your boss, Penny. Goodnight. Make sure everything’s locked up when you go.’
     
    Neville followed her, his face unfathomable, his eyes unwilling to meet Penny’s. Instead they slid away from her and focused on Liz, whom at that moment he hated more than anything in the whole world for putting him in this intolerable position.
     
    Once they were outside he said through gritted teeth, ‘Give me my briefcase.’
     
    ‘No.’ Liz tucked her hand in the crook of his elbow and steered him up towards the Headrow.
     
    This was the modern bit of the Culworth shopping area, a road unfamiliar to Neville because he still shopped where he’d always shopped - in the traditional old part. Not only was he furious he was also uncomfortable, because he didn’t recognize where he was.
     
    ‘I won’t go another step. I’m not moving, Liz.’
     
    ‘If you want to look a fool being dragged along by your wife then be my guest.’
     
    Making an exhibition of himself didn’t fit with being an important figure in the community, so he followed Liz. The area was full of bars and just busy enough to make it feel full of buzz. When they sat down at a table in a spanking new bar they were handed a vast menu with all the drinks listed plus the food for later.
     
    ‘Now,’ said Liz, smiling sweetly, ‘isn’t this pleasant?’
     
    Neville, leaning towards her, snarled, ‘Have you bloody taken leave of your senses? You’re making me look a fool.’
     
    She ignored him. ‘A spritzer. What would you like? A whiskey as usual?’
     
    ‘Do you listen to a thing I say?’
     
    ‘All the time, Neville, all the time. It’s a whiskey, then, is it?’
     
    ‘Double.’
     
    ‘Steady, now. Stepping out of your square like this could be dangerous. However, a double whiskey it is.’
     
    Liz saw someone she knew and twinkled her fingers at them, a gesture she knew Neville hated.
     
    ‘As if being in this place at this time in the evening isn’t bad enough, do you also have to draw attention to yourself? I am so angry I can barely speak.’
     
    Liz patted his knee and said gently, ‘Neville, she’s just someone I know. She runs a nursery the other side of Culworth. What’s the harm in me acknowledging her? It’s an exceptionally pleasant spring evening, your glamorous wife is beside you, and all you have to do is enjoy yourself.’
     
    ‘I haven’t time to enjoy myself.’
     
    ‘I’ve made you time to enjoy yourself. Get your whiskey down you and, as Dicky would