Free Scandal in the Village by Rebecca Shaw Page A

she?’ They scurried away each holding one of Sylvia’s hands looking back all the time as they walked down the path. Caroline could hear Beth saying ‘Is my Mummy very poorly, Sylvie?’ Oh God, she was. She watched them walking away. She had to be strong, for their sakes. She had to fight.
    Grandmama helped her home as soon as she felt able to walk. She didn’t come in; left her at the door for Sylvia to take care of, and went back to the service.
    Only by a supreme effort of will, apparent to everyone there, did Peter manage to see the service through to the end. As he stood shaking hands with everyone and accepting their concerns for Caroline the truth dawned on him. How selfish could a man be? Occupied with his own work, striving to be a good pastor to his flock, being a father and a husband, the one thing he should have noticed he hadn’t. Caroline had been losing weight. In fact she looked quite ghastly. She’d been uncharacteristically short-tempered with him and irritable with the children and not the slightest bit interested in him as a man. Be blunt here, he thought, she hadn’t wanted sex, and that had always been one of the mainstays of their marriage.
    He was standing at the door nearly twenty minutes, longing to leave, but so many people to see. So many reassuring him that Caroline would be all right, no wonder she fainted. So hot. Lovely service. Thank you, Rector. Lovely as usual. Never better. Sheila came hobbling out on her crutches with Ron in attendance.
    ‘Sheila! Many many thanks … The church looks wonderful, truly wonderful! Never better.’
    Overcome by his gratitude she muttered her thanks.
    ‘Will you thank your committee personally from me? I’m so grateful for all you do.’
    ‘Of course I will, they are a brilliant team, they’ve really rallied round this year. And thank you, I’m glad you liked everything. It’s time you went home to Dr Harris. See how she is.’
    ‘I will shortly. Mind how you go.’
    Finally he excused himself and left.
    Sylvia had settled the children down with some toys and Caroline was sitting at the kitchen table sipping tea. The colour had come back into her cheeks and she greeted him with something like her usual enthusiasm.
    ‘So sorry, Peter, for causing a sensation in the service. I really do apologise. I know how important it is to you.’ She turned up her face for him to kiss. Peter bent down and kissed her cheek.
    ‘Please don’t apologise. I’m only too sorry I couldn’t leave to bring you home myself. Sylvia, Willie has nearly finished. You go home and get him lunch. I can cope.’
    Sylvia standing out of the line of Caroline’s vision pointed her finger at Caroline and said, ‘Are you sure?’
    ‘Absolutely.’
    Sylvia nodded her head in the direction of the hall. ‘I’ll leave then.’
    He followed her out of the kitchen, closing the door behind him.
    Sylvia didn’t speak until they’d reached the front door. ‘She hasn’t confided in me, but you must get her to confide in you. I don’t like the look of things, Rector. Not at all.’
    ‘I’ve tried, but she won’t. We’ve agreed she’ll tell me when she’s good and ready.’
    ‘Then you’d better try your utmost. This business of you not trespassing on each other’s ground is quite out of place now. That girl in there is either ill or there’s something worrying her quite dreadfully. I’ll be here first thing tomorrow.’ With her hand on the front door latch Sylvia turned back and said, ‘Remember, I shall want some answers tomorrow morning or else. I think a lot about Dr Harris, you know. It needs sorting.’
    Peter stripped off his cassock and hung it in the hall cupboard, braced his shoulders and returned to the kitchen with the firm intention of finding out.
    ‘Don’t seem right coming straight in ‘ere from church, but I’m dying to know what’s going on.’ Vera, accompanied most unusually by Don, settled herself down with Jimmy at his favourite