Free Village Fortunes (Turnham Malpas 17) by Rebecca Shaw Page A

‘Glenfiddich?’
    ‘Yes, please.’ Chris took an appreciative look around the dining room. ‘Lovely house you’ve got here. I’m slowly getting used to Johnny’s old house. We’ve nothing like it back in Brazil as you can imagine. The architecture is exactly right for Johnny though. Wonderful solid old woodwork. Frankly I’m more keen on the modern stuff, but there we are. It wasn’t me who inherited, so it’s all worked out for the best. I’m amazed that though he owns the house he can’t just tear it all out and modernise it. Still I suppose if you don’t have rules about what you can and can’t do with an ancient house, you wouldn’t have any old houses left. But would that be a bad thing, I ask?’
    ‘We like our old houses, and we don’t want to lose them.’
    ‘But we have to advance into the twenty-first century, and keeping the old perhaps means we allow ourselves to be held back.’
    ‘What’s wrong with being held back? The old houses are perfectly splendid and very comfortable to live in. The house Alice used to live in has an inglenook fireplace in the kitchen, and everyone naturally gravitates there.’
    ‘Like the one Johnny has in the hall?’
    ‘Exactly, but not as big of course. They have an inglenook fireplace in the pub; have you seen that?’
    ‘No, I can’t say I’ve noticed.’ Chris offered to carry the tray. ‘I’ve a good steady hand, even when I’m drunk.’
    ‘We’ll take the drinks into the sitting room, OK?’ Chris followed Jimbo, carefully balancing the tray so as not to spill anything on Harriet’s immaculate cream carpet.
    ‘How’s business? Given the current downturn?’ Chris asked. In the absence of Harriet and Fran they chatted about the store and the old barn, and the variety of events he held there until Harriet called out, ‘Lunch is ready.’
    Harriet’s food immediately drew flattering remarks from their guest. Even Harriet felt it was nice of him to make such pleasing comments when she’d slaved in the kitchen to make it all as appealing as possible. But after a while his compliments ceased to ring true, and Harriet began to wish he would stop. His brother Johnny, who during his bachelor days had been a frequent guest at their table, genuinely complimented her food beautifully, but he didn’t overdo it. Where as Chris bordered on gushing with his compliments, as though she was the little woman who, for once rather surprisingly, had excelled herself.
    Fran was very quiet and Chris almost entirely ignored her. After lunch Chris suggested a walk, an idea that Jimbo and Harriet declined, thinking Fran would enjoy a walk with him and that she certainly wouldn’t want both her parents with them. So the two of them went off in Chris’s sports car to a destination known only to themselves.
    Jimbo gave Harriet some very useful help in the kitchen, and almost before they knew it they were seated in their favourite chairs, free to have a post-mortem of the lunch over coffee.
    ‘Well, I’m sorry, I may be biased, but he is a pain in the proverbial. Honestly, the way he complimented me about the food, it was insulting.’
    ‘I don’t think he meant it to be. It’s just his way.’
    ‘Do you like him?’
    ‘Not especially, no. Condescending, you know, about our business.’
    ‘Jimbo, it is small compared to theirs. Let’s be honest.’
    ‘It is, but we don’t half make a lot of money considering our size. You know, as a father, I don’t see what Fran sees in him.’
    ‘Neither do I. She’s dazzled by his good looks and his lifestyle. He is very attractive to a young woman like Fran.’
    ‘Can’t see it, but there you are. I’m not happy about it. He comes across as less than truthful.’
    ‘Can’t you have a word with Johnny? He’ll feel the same as us, I’m sure.’
    ‘I might.’
    ‘Not might. You must, Jimbo. For Fran’s sake. Before we know where we are she’ll be off to Brazil with him.’
    ‘All right, all right. I will then.