Free Talk of the Village by Rebecca Shaw

appropriate and very effective, but we are celebrating summer and the beauty of our church. Mrs Peel and I have been planning some very buoyant and cheerful music for our recital and I think that coloured arrangements would be more suitable at this time. We'll let the committee vote, shall we? Those in favour of coloured arrangements please signify.'
    Every hand bar Lady Bissett's went up.
    'That settles it then: arrangements reflecting the colours of the church. Now Lady Bissett, do you think that your society would do us the privilege of arranging the flowers? We would foot the bill for the flowers of course. Their expertise and your flair would I am sure provide a
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    wonderful display. The money we raise will go towards urgent church repairs. I wish we were well enough off to give it for charity, but I'm afraid that's not possible. I think cups . . .'
    'Just a moment Mr Chairman, I haven't said yes.'
    'I'm so sorry, I thought you'd accepted the decision of the Committee.'
    'I have not. The way I feel at the moment I could very well say that I won't have anything to do with the Festival at all.'
    'Come now Sheila, you can't have everything all your own way,' Mrs Peel objected.
    'If it's about flowers I can. I've worked my fingers to the bone over the church flowers and now when it comes to the best bit, my wishes are completely disregarded. It's not fair. I think all white arrangements would set off the colours in the church beautifully.'
    Peter, trying to be as diplomatic as possible, argued that the committee had voted and they had to take the decision of the majority.
    Sheila drew herself up and said with tight lips, 'I know why they voted like they did. It's not because they didn't want white flowers, it's because they don't want me.'
    'That's hardly fair, Sheila. We all know we couldn't manage without you,' Harriet protested.
    'Well Rector, the decision is yours. Either we have all white flowers and I do it or you have coloured ones and someone else does it. I would have thought that you of all people would have backed me up.'
    'We are doing this to help the church, not to satisfy our own egos, and I feel that . . .'
    'Are you saying I'm wanting my own way for the glory of it?'
    'No, not that at all. It's just that ..."
    'Oh yes, you are. Well, that's that then. I shall have nothing to do with your festival at all. You can organise
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    it all by yourselves and then we'll see what a mess you make of it. You'll soon be crawling to me to do it for you, but I shan't. I wash my hands of it completely.' Sheila stood up, pulled on her raincoat and stormed out of the vestry.
    'Sheila won't you recon . . .' But Peter's words went unnoticed.
    The remainder of the committee sat silently for a moment gathering their thoughts.
    'We've done it now, Peter,' Harriet murmured.
    'It looks very much like it. But it's no good, I don't honestly think all white would be a good idea.'
    'Neither do I. I have a friend,' Sylvia said quietly, 'who is a member of a flower arrangement society and I'm sure she would be delighted at the opportunity to organise a festival in such a lovely church as we have here. She would accept it as a real challenge and she's very talented. Would you like me to put it to her?'
    'That sounds a very good idea, don't you think so Mrs Peel?' Harriet said, seeking support.
    'Indeed I do. We've all had enough of being bossed about by Sheila Bissett.'
    'I don't think we should be too critical. She has put in a lot of work while I've been here.' Peter shuffled his papers together and suggested that Sylvia should contact her friend and perhaps could let him know the outcome as soon as possible. With that the meeting closed.
    Sheila spent the next morning in readiness for Peter coming to apologise and agree to her suggestions. She'd plumped the cushions, vacuumed the carpet, rearranged the flowers, and given her houseplants a spray of leaf shine. She'd dusted the coffee table, left a few of her flower magazines on it and