Village Fortunes (Turnham Malpas 17) Read Online Free

else’s. She’d taken an old wholemeal loaf from one of the wheelie bins at the back of the store and was about to feed the geese. This morning there were mallards too and, unusually, a couple of coots. She supposed the cold weather had persuaded these strangers to try elsewhere for food. Just as the loaf was almost finished Peter came across the grass from the direction of the church. Now this was another person she didn’t really fancy talking to. She wasn’t in the mood for his piercing blue eyes that seemed to be looking right into your soul; she’d had enough of inquisitions for today.
    ‘Good morning, rector. Cold, isn’t it?’ He towered above her, but not threateningly so, nevertheless she needed to escape.
    ‘Good morning, Fran. Taking a break?’
    ‘Well, I started work at half-past six this morning like you always do, and so I take a break about this time.’
    ‘It’s always surprises me that you didn’t go to university like your sister and brothers did.’
    ‘My choice. I just wanted to follow in Dad’s footsteps and so I didn’t want to go. Nowadays it’s so easy to work hard, get a degree, and then it leads absolutely nowhere.’ Fran squinted up at Peter to see the effect her comment had made.
    ‘True, very true.’
    ‘Time I went back to work.’ It wasn’t, but it suited the moment to tell a fib.
    ‘Fine, that’s where I’m heading.’ So instead of getting rid of him he escorted her back to the store.
    Now Fran had stopped going to church it embarrassed her to be seen with Peter. As a child she’d adored him, but now she’d put away childish things.
    He opened the shop door for her as though she was some kind of fragile Victorian creature. The doorbell jangled joyfully as always and even that annoyed her. With a brisk nod and a smile to say thank you to Peter, she vanished into the back, washed her hands thoroughly and then began to restock the bacon display, which she’d noticed, as she stormed in, was looking empty. Absorbed in her work of restocking any item that needed it because she liked the displays to look tempting, Fran’s objective was really to keep out of everyone’s way, especially Peter’s. Why had she so surprisingly found talking to Peter so difficult? In her heart she knew very well why. It was because he was a totally honest person. In fact, shiningly honest. And she wasn’t.

Chapter 3
    By the middle of the afternoon, Fran was her charming self once more. After all she was an adult now, and was doing only what adults did, so why should she feel so guilty? Mr Fitch had come in to get some bits and pieces his wife Kate had forgotten to include in her weekly order. While she packed Mr Fitch’s carrier bag for him she decided to ask how he liked living in Sir Ralph’s old house, having now had plenty of time to settle in. ‘How long is it now, two years?’
    ‘Almost. Never will, but as Kate would say, beggars can’t be choosers.’
    ‘Oh! Come now. Beggars? I think not.’
    Mr Fitch, slightly surprised by the frankness being displayed by the girl at the checkout – Fran was it? – contemplated his answer while he put his debit card away. ‘Perhaps not by today’s standards, I keep thinking up all kinds of ideas for starting anew, but then I change my mind when I think of the expense and the effort.’ He picked up his carrier from the counter top and swung away, saying as he left, ‘Be seeing you soon, no doubt.’ He went out to untie his dog Sykes and set off for home. He paused by the school wall to watch the children leaving for the day. There was far less chaos with the two minibuses taking the children home to the outlying farms and villages now. To think he’d been rich enough to pay for it himself at one time and then later had been relieved when the council took over when he couldn’t afford it any more. Sykes began scrabbling at the wall asking to be lifted up. So he grabbed him under his ribcage and hoisted him up. Some of the children out