naked flouncing about and it probably would be done that way if it got to the West End, but we’re not doing it like that. And we’re cutting out the worst of the swearing because I insisted it couldn’t be said on church premises. Perhaps I’m being overly careful, I don’t know. Nowadays anything seems to go.’
‘Can I see the script?’
Caroline hesitated for a moment and then said, ‘I’ll go get it.’
Peter spent an hour going through the script. He had certain misgivings but that was only when he read it from the point of view of Caroline in the leading part. Otherwise the play was good, and in a strange, convoluted way had a strong moral theme to it. In the end good triumphed.
Peter could hear Sylvia singing as she worked upstairs, he called out ‘Sylvia, where’s Caroline?’
‘Gone to the Store, Rector, she won’t be long. Is there anything I can do?’
‘No, that’s all right. I’ll speak to her when she gets back.’
Peter had a while to wait before Caroline returned. When she’d entered the Store a sudden silence had fallen and she became aware of sidelong glances at her, which she found puzzling.
‘Jimbo, is Harriet here?’
‘In the kitchens. Go through.’ He raised his straw hat to her as she slipped past the till. At least he was looking her straight in the face if no one else was.
The kitchens at the back of the Store had been made by opening up a series of small rooms to become two big kitchens. One for outside catering and one for making the confectionary and savoury products with which they filled the Store freezers. Caroline herself had been grateful for their homemade quality on more than one occasion when she’d been too busy to cook.
Harriet, wearing her white overalls and the net cap she wore in deference to the hygiene regulations, was elbow deep in a huge mixing bowl.
‘Hi! Come to see me? Won’t be a minute. Go get a coffee from the machine and I’ll be with you in a trice. There’s a couple of chairs in the freezer room. Take a pew there.’
Caroline did as she was told, found the chairs and sat down to wait. She should have waited for Peter’s opinion before she’d come to see Harriet, but she had the feeling that whatever he said she’d still agree to doing the play. Hang whatever anyone else thought, she’d a right to please herself for once.
‘Right. I’ll just pour mine into a cup. I hate these plastic cups but there’s no alternative when it’s for the customers – the washing up, you know. Here, let’s pour yours into one too. There, that’s better. Well?’
‘Well?’
‘Oh, I thought you’d come to tell me something.’
‘Oh, I see. Yes. I’ve decided. I’m doing it.’
‘Wow!! This coffee’s hot! Jimbo must have just brewed it. I’m glad. Very glad. Really pleased. It’s going to be so exciting.’
‘Peter’s reading the script.’
‘Oh. Right. Is that a good idea?’
‘We are doing it in the Church Hall, so …’
‘Of course. Yes, you’re right.’
‘Hugo doesn’t know, I haven’t seen him yet.’
‘He’s not feeling too perky this morning so he’s having a lie in.’
‘Right.’
‘Caroline, you are sure you’re doing the right thing? I mean, don’t say yes and then change your mind half way through, will you?’
‘Of course not. I’ve decided I’m doing the play no matter what.’
Harriet looked at her, curiously surprised by her emphatic reply, said as though she was still convincing herself she was right to do it. ‘You are sure, aren’t you? I mean it’s not … well it’s not Hugo, is it, by any chance? I do know him for the absolute charmer he is.’
‘I am almost forty, Harriet. For heaven’s sake, a husband and two children whom I adore. I’m quite insulted really that you should think that I might be so stupid as to …’
‘What?’
‘Take a liking to him. I swear things will not get out of hand. Honestly.’
‘OK then.’ Harriet stood up. ‘Sorry, got to get on, must
‘Can I see the script?’
Caroline hesitated for a moment and then said, ‘I’ll go get it.’
Peter spent an hour going through the script. He had certain misgivings but that was only when he read it from the point of view of Caroline in the leading part. Otherwise the play was good, and in a strange, convoluted way had a strong moral theme to it. In the end good triumphed.
Peter could hear Sylvia singing as she worked upstairs, he called out ‘Sylvia, where’s Caroline?’
‘Gone to the Store, Rector, she won’t be long. Is there anything I can do?’
‘No, that’s all right. I’ll speak to her when she gets back.’
Peter had a while to wait before Caroline returned. When she’d entered the Store a sudden silence had fallen and she became aware of sidelong glances at her, which she found puzzling.
‘Jimbo, is Harriet here?’
‘In the kitchens. Go through.’ He raised his straw hat to her as she slipped past the till. At least he was looking her straight in the face if no one else was.
The kitchens at the back of the Store had been made by opening up a series of small rooms to become two big kitchens. One for outside catering and one for making the confectionary and savoury products with which they filled the Store freezers. Caroline herself had been grateful for their homemade quality on more than one occasion when she’d been too busy to cook.
Harriet, wearing her white overalls and the net cap she wore in deference to the hygiene regulations, was elbow deep in a huge mixing bowl.
‘Hi! Come to see me? Won’t be a minute. Go get a coffee from the machine and I’ll be with you in a trice. There’s a couple of chairs in the freezer room. Take a pew there.’
Caroline did as she was told, found the chairs and sat down to wait. She should have waited for Peter’s opinion before she’d come to see Harriet, but she had the feeling that whatever he said she’d still agree to doing the play. Hang whatever anyone else thought, she’d a right to please herself for once.
‘Right. I’ll just pour mine into a cup. I hate these plastic cups but there’s no alternative when it’s for the customers – the washing up, you know. Here, let’s pour yours into one too. There, that’s better. Well?’
‘Well?’
‘Oh, I thought you’d come to tell me something.’
‘Oh, I see. Yes. I’ve decided. I’m doing it.’
‘Wow!! This coffee’s hot! Jimbo must have just brewed it. I’m glad. Very glad. Really pleased. It’s going to be so exciting.’
‘Peter’s reading the script.’
‘Oh. Right. Is that a good idea?’
‘We are doing it in the Church Hall, so …’
‘Of course. Yes, you’re right.’
‘Hugo doesn’t know, I haven’t seen him yet.’
‘He’s not feeling too perky this morning so he’s having a lie in.’
‘Right.’
‘Caroline, you are sure you’re doing the right thing? I mean, don’t say yes and then change your mind half way through, will you?’
‘Of course not. I’ve decided I’m doing the play no matter what.’
Harriet looked at her, curiously surprised by her emphatic reply, said as though she was still convincing herself she was right to do it. ‘You are sure, aren’t you? I mean it’s not … well it’s not Hugo, is it, by any chance? I do know him for the absolute charmer he is.’
‘I am almost forty, Harriet. For heaven’s sake, a husband and two children whom I adore. I’m quite insulted really that you should think that I might be so stupid as to …’
‘What?’
‘Take a liking to him. I swear things will not get out of hand. Honestly.’
‘OK then.’ Harriet stood up. ‘Sorry, got to get on, must
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