Free Trouble in the Village (Tales from Turnham Malpas) by Rebecca Shaw Page A

hesitated before she replied. Sheila, who easily took offence, said, ‘If it’s not convenient …’
    ‘It’s not that. I’ve been polishing today and I was sure I heard mice in the church moving about, you know, and I hate mice or … rats and such and I’ve not really got over it.’ She trembled again at the thought. ‘But I’ll get Ralph to sit with me and read or something just in case. Tom’s going to put traps down and I hate them too, but there’s no other way is there?’
    Sheila drew her confidentially to one side. ‘I don’t think he’s doing all that good a job, actually.’
    ‘You don’t?’
    ‘Night before last the lights were left on in the church. I got up to make a cup of camomile tea because I couldn’t sleep and while I waited for the kettle to boil I looked out of the window and the lights were on. Some of them, not all. And if we’ve got mice in then …’ She shook her head as though despairing of Tom. ‘I can see straight across the green down Jacks Lane between the school and the old oak and there was no doubt about it. Lights had been left on. And obviously, if there’s mice, he’s not cleaning properly, is he?’
Muriel, hating to agree with her for really she liked Tom, replied, ‘I wouldn’t go as far as to say that …’
    ‘Willie was much more conscientious. However, if you are able I would be grateful.’
    ‘You can rely on me.’
    Muriel realised that Bel was patiently waiting for her, ‘Oh, thank you. I paid when I ordered it.’
    ‘That’s right, that’s what it says. Is it good then?’
    ‘Oh, yes. We missed it when it went the rounds of the cinemas and I did want to see it.’
    Sheila joined in with ‘You’ve missed the last two Flower Club meetings too. We need all the people we can get now the hire charge for the room is going up.’
    ‘I know, we just seem to have been so very busy lately, but I will make an effort.’
    ‘It’s that Tom. It’s all his fault the charges going up. Bring back Willie, I say.’
    ‘I understand it was the Rector who broached the idea first.’
    ‘Spurred on by Tom, I’ve no doubt, and he’s got more salary than Willie got.’
    Somewhat primly Muriel said, ‘We don’t know that.’
    ‘I do.’
‘Well, then, Sheila, I’ll do next week and you can do the next two weeks and then we shall be straight again. That right?’
    ‘Fine. Everywhere I look there’s posters about the protest meeting. Very stylishly done and very eyecatching. Who’s made them for you?’
    ‘A friend of Ralph’s. Will you be there? We’re very keen to get everyone on our side. Almost everyone I speak to is sympathetic to our campaign, except for …’
    ‘I know, except for Grandmama Charter-Plackett. I think she’s the only one on his side. But I’ll do my best to drum up support wherever I go. I’m so glad Caroline is at the forefront of it all. She carries such weight with her opinions. Do her good too. She’s never looked the same since …’
    Muriel hastily diverted Sheila from saying any more. The Village Store was not the place to air one’s views about anything, least of all about the upset at the Rectory.
    ‘Thank you, Sheila, I shall be glad of your support, and Sir Ronald’s if he can see his way.’
    ‘He won’t dare to do any other than support you once I’ve had a word with him,’ she patted Muriel’s arm, ‘and don’t worry about the mice, I’m sure they’ll have been caught by next week.’
    Muriel debated about taking Ralph with her the following week when she went to clean the brass. In fact she even thought about not going at all. Was it perhaps a little excessive to clean it every week? Perhaps every other week would be sufficient? But Muriel recognised the coward in herself and brushed her weakness aside. The Christian martyrs had had far worse things to face than a few mice and she, Muriel Euphemia Templeton, was not one for weakness. No, she’d go all by herself and face the music.
There was a