Whispers in the Village Read Online Free

totally devoted to gardening, and she does a good job, doesn’t she, Rhett?’
    ‘Well, if doing a good job means knowing when to put the boot in, then yes. There’s no sneaking off to the hot houses when there’s work to be done.’
    ‘She’s a tartar. I have to admit she’s blo … blinking good, she is, Michelle.’
    ‘I’d like to meet her.’
    Dean had to confess that Michelle wasn’t much of a one for church.
    ‘And you are?’
    Rhett snorted his amusement at the question. ‘This could be interesting.’
    Dean looked her straight in the eye and said quietly, ‘Not much, until just recently.’ He took refuge in his shandy, intensely aware of Anna watching him. ‘Rhett’s in the scouts, but I left when I was doing A-Levels. Working hard, you know how it is.’ He found the courage to meet her eyes but she was looking at Rhett now.
    Rhett answered. ‘Dicky here is the leader and I’m one of his little helpers. He’s great.’
    Anna looked at Dicky, who was busy serving, and raised her glass to him. ‘So, it’ll only be a small group? Ten, twelve boys?’
    Rhett became indignant at the hint of derision he heard in her voice. ‘Ten or twelve? Come on, there’s at least forty boys, and then another twelve in Venture Scouts, and about forty in the cubs. Contrary to the general trend nowadays we’ve a waiting list as long as your arm. They come from all around: Penny Fawcett, Little Derehams, Turnham Malpas. They’d come from Culworth except we draw the line at that. Poaching, you know. Not fair. Best and most successful scout troop in the county. We’ve even got our own band. You should hear us.’
    Anna smiled at Rhett and asked what instrument he played.
    ‘Big drum, given the chance.’
    ‘And you, Dean, what do you play?’
    ‘I don’t. Like I said, I’m not involved.’
    Dean felt his isolation again, but before he could do anything about it, Rhett was asking Anna if he could buy her another drink.
    ‘Thank you, yes, I’d like that. Mine’s a gin and orange.’
    Rhett asked Dean if he wanted another and got out his wallet ready to pay, but Dean pushed him away. ‘It’s my round.’
    As Dean passed Anna’s drink to her there was something in his manner, a kind of reverence that was disconcerting. But then he deliberately turned his back and engaged himself in a conversation with Rhett and she decided she’d been mistaken.
    She turned to survey the bar. So, here apparently was a cross-section of her flock for the next twelve months. What a mixture! What a challenge! From sons-of-the-soil to sons-of-the-soil elevated out of their true element by education.
    Anna knew from Peter’s notes that there were those with whom she’d have to tread very carefully. She’d noted the looks of disapproval on some of their faces when they’d sung the first hymn to The Beatles’ tune. But in her opinion they needed shaking up. Peter’s rather orthodox, old-fashioned way of doing things was all right in its way but how could they expect young people like these two beside her to respond to such outdated ways? Gloriously dignified and solemnly reverent, and certainly no less devout, but not for the twenty-first century. Oh no. What would they say when she introduced some of the old slave hymns that she learned when she was in Alabama? She smiled to herself, not realizing that Dean was looking at her and was clearly mistaking her smile as being personal to him. He flushed and returned her smile.
    Anna said, ‘Must be going. Work to do. Nice to have met you, Rhett. See you again no doubt?’
    ‘It’s Dean.’
    ‘Sorry, yes, of course, Dean. Bye, Rhett, looking forward to seeing you on the big drum.’
    As Anna reached the door, knowing they were all watching her, she raised both her arms without turning round and waved, calling out loudly. ‘Bye, everyone. Be seeing you.’
    Her reply was a general chorus of ‘goodbyes’ and a silence fell until they thought she was out of earshot. Then a babel