‘...and poor Reverend Washington stood there not knowing quite what to do or say’

‘That’s a first fae the man if his sermons are anything tae go by’ Jeannie chortles.

‘Oh, I find them rather fun’ Harriet disputes ‘occasionally long-winded, I have to agree with you there but the way he brings humour rather than fire and brimstone into his message makes it so much more palatable, especially to the younger members of the congregation and Lord knows we could do with attracting a few more of those into the church’

‘Aye...comes tae something when me an’ my Duncan are the youngest there some Sundays.’  Jeannie says, taking a casserole dish from the oven and setting it on the hob, lifting the lid to inspect the contents and poking at them with a fork before putting it back and closing the oven door. ‘Wants a wee while longer, will I pour yer a glass while ye waiting?’

‘Let’s both have one, shall we?’ Harriet gets up and takes the few steps to the dresser in the dining area to upturn two glasses from the tray on its top and take them and a bottle of dry sherry back to the table.

‘Och, yer want me tae fall in tha stew?’

‘On one very small glass of sherry?’ Harriet waves away her objections and pours a second glass ‘Sit down, do...Please.....and tell me what I should do about Imogen’

Jeannie perches on the edge of the chair ‘There’s little ye can do wi’the wee minx.’ A delicate sip from the glass does nothing to soften her scowl ‘Coming here an’ upsetting ye’

‘She did not so much upset as infuriate me. Christopher and Lynn have been completely hoodwinked, Ellis too and it makes me so cross!’

‘Aye, she’s her mother’s wean right enough’

‘And I had so hoped things would be different’ Harriet‘s chin wobbles ‘That without Ruth’s influence, she would become less.....’ she searches for an apposite phrase in the depths of her sherry.

‘Less a the de’il’s spawn!’

‘Yes...I am afraid you are right, the devil’s spawn, although it breaks my heart to have to say it. And what am I to tell Christopher?’ She lifts her face, another question wavering on her lips ‘SHOULD I tell Christopher? He will be so angry, I am not sure if he would ever accept an apology for her previous behaviour, even if she were to offer one. ‘

‘Did yer speak wi’ Reverend Washington aboot it? He’d be the man tae ask when it comes tae conscience’ Jeannie takes a second small sip and puts her glass down while she goes to fill the kettle. ‘Mash, hen?’ she asks, reaching a saucepan from the rack.

Harriet clasps her hands together, briefly sidetracked by the idea of crusty bread with her casserole. ‘Was that a fresh loaf I saw you with earlier?’

‘Aye, t’was still warm when I brought it from the baker’s’

‘Then I think I will have a slice of that instead...a thick slice, if you please’

‘Ye’ve been wi’ma Duncan too often’ Jeannie lifts a knowing finger ‘Ye’ll be wanting a piece an’ a sporran tae keep it in before long. Bread it is’ she says, putting the pan back and returning to the table. ‘Ye didna talk tae the minister?’

‘No, it would have meant going into great and complicated detail about the saga that has been Christopher’s life ever since he had the misfortune to meet that blasted woman!’

‘Ye wouldnae have Kester nor young Ellis if he’d not, an’ they please ye, hen. Ye’s tae think a them an’ forget the wee witch if she’s tae hae none a ye’

‘But her deceit! My son truly believed she had put all that behind her, we all did. That the short, sharp shock he delivered had brought her to her senses at last. I feel I must tell him, yet at the same time....’

‘Ye’re a feared a what he might do’ Jeannie nods sagely.

‘What a dilemma, Jeannie, what a dilemma’

Tawny House, Manor Road

Chapter Forty-three

The White Horse

‘It’s going well’ Daniel remarks, lifting his glass in a personal toast to Viv when she joins him at the bar.

‘Not bad’ she says looking around ‘I suppose we was lucky to get anyone in on a night like this, free buffet or no free buffet.’ She makes a face ‘One or two people I’d like to have been here who aren’t and one or two here I’d rather have gone somewhere else but any custom is better than none at all.’

‘True’

‘You do reckon I’ve done the right thing, don’t you?’ worry lines form between her brows ‘We’ve been closed for so bloomin’ long, people‘ve probably got out of the habit of coming here....’

‘Rubbish!’ Daniel calls the barman over and, after draining his glass, bangs it down on the bar ‘Stick us another one in there....You going to have one?’ he turns to Viv to ask.

‘No...ta all the same...I’ve got to do me meetin ‘n greetin...no good me fallin off me shoes ‘n busting me leg or summat, that be a bleetin good start wouldn’t it?’ she laughs, looking down and lifting her foot to turn it this way and that ‘Got ‘em in a sale’

‘Very nice’ he eyes the strappy sandals with the precariously high heels ‘mmm...nice ankles as well’ his eyes spark with mischief ‘...nice legs......and nice knees....’

‘That’s far enough!’ she slaps his arm. ‘You’ll give me ‘ot flush, you keep on like that.’ She smiles at the barman when he puts a fresh pint in front of Daniel ‘Alright, sweetheart? You sing out if you get in bother with anything’

The barman glances over his shoulder at the gaggle of giggling girls at the other end of the bar. ‘I could do with taking a break for a bit’ he says as he puts Daniel’s change on the bar towel. ‘It’s a bit quieter than it was...  Sian said she could manage’

‘Ooooh, like that is it?’ Viv says with a leering wink ‘Go on then...which one are you after?’

‘None of them’ he says sheepishly ‘I thought if I hid out in the kitchens, they’d go hit on somebody else.’ His cheeks colour and he looks at her steadily ‘Guess I didn’t get the ‘be friendly’ bit quite right’

‘You’ll learn’ she chuckles and jerks her head ‘Clear off’

‘Thanks’

‘First time he’s worked behind a bar’ Viv explains to Daniel as the young man pushes his way through the door. ‘I’ve been watching and listening and some of the things them girls’ve been saying’d make a grown man sweat, poor little bugger’

‘He seemed to be doing alright’

‘Very pleased with him.’ she nods. ‘Didn’t take much teaching to pull a decent pint, had him in here yesterday showing him the ropes. Need to check his till at the end of the night...but from what I’ve seen so far, I reckon I chose well, even if he is a bit green’

‘You’ll mould him the way you want him, right?’ Daniel smirks.

‘I’ll mould my ‘and round your chops in a minute. I’m a lot of things but I ain’t a cradle-snatcher’

‘Prefer them with a bit of experience, eh?’ he clicks his tongue.

‘Pah!’ her lips vibrate in a snort ‘born again virgin, me’ she says and turns and starts to walk away.

‘Viv’ he catches her hand and when she turns around, he grimaces apologetically ‘Sorry’

‘No worries, darlin’ she winks and carries on, slapping on the smile that was missing from her assurance, to mingle with the customers helping themselves to the buffet.

‘Dunno what yer said but if looks could kill, yer’d be on yer last legs, boy!’ Charlie chuckles at his elbow.

‘Too tired to take a joke’ Daniel mutters, picking up his glass and putting it down again, the beer untouched. ‘Yours if you want it. Time I wasn’t here’

‘Right y’are, lad. Thanks very much.’

He watches Daniel thread his way to the door and sees the look of dismay on Viv’s face when she sees him go.

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