Intrigue in the Village (Turnham Malpas 10) (9 page)

Back at school, Kate opened up the secure cupboard though how safe it would be if someone was determined to get in it was debatable, and took out the very first volume of the school log book with the intention of reading it after she and Craddock had eaten their evening meal. The sweetest smile came over her face when she thought about Craddock and she revelled in her thoughts about him for a while, only pulling herself together when she heard Mrs Dobbs whizzing round the hall with her sweeping brush. If she didn’t keep a guard on herself she’d be drooling over him like a teenage schoolgirl, but why not? They’d only been married weeks and she acknowledged already they were the best weeks of her life so far.
Because they were having fun, the two of them, which she’d promised him they would.

Mrs Dobbs thrust her head round the door. ‘Going yet? I’ve got your office to do next. Got to keep to my working plan, or I’ll lose the thread of what I’ve done and not done, if you get my meaning.’

‘Five minutes.’

‘OK! I’ll water the plants while I wait.’

Kate smiled at the fact that Mrs Dobbs couldn’t help but mention her working plan. It was a methodical way of cleaning the school, which Kate had set up a fortnight after Mrs Dobbs had started the job, mainly because she left some jobs entirely undone and cleaned other things every day, which really only needed attention once a week. But it was a thorn in Mrs Dobbs’s flesh, and she never ceased letting her know it.

When Kate emerged from her office, Mrs Dobbs was leaning on her brush handle looking injured. ‘About time. I’ve something better to do than stand here waiting for you. School’s finished and I expect to be able to get on with my work straight away. I’ve done the classrooms and, according to your list, the hall and your office are next.’

Kate smiled graciously and said, ‘And a very good job you do too, Mrs Dobbs. When Bel Tutt left I thought we’d be in a real mess but, lo and behold, you move into the village and come to our rescue. I’ve nothing but praise for your standards. Goodnight. See you tomorrow.’

Ashamed of her very obvious bootlicking, Kate started up her car, realized she’d left the school log book behind and decided to go back to get it, rather than leave it out all night. Walking lightly back down the corridor in her flat shoes, Kate saw the office door was ajar; Mrs Dobbs was
obviously still in there. With her back to the door, Maggie was blithely flicking through a file, which Kate knew had been in the filing cabinet when she left. Kate tiptoed back a few paces and then coughed, paused and then walked into the office. ‘I’ve left a school log book out somewhere. Ah! There it is! Goodnight!’

Mrs Dobbs had been starting to clean the washbasin when she’d walked in, but Kate knew differently. Good cleaners, like good teachers, were hard to come by and she’d no intention of losing Mrs Dobbs, because, despite her faults, she did clean well and was reliable. She’d just have to remember to lock the filing cabinet as well as her secure cupboard, every single night.

That evening she became so engrossed in the log book she quite forgot Craddock until he surprised her by asking, ‘What’s so interesting in that old book?’

Kate looked up at him. ‘It’s fascinating,’ she said. ‘Listen to this: “
Five strokes of the cane on the hand for Jim Glover for idleness
– 27 May 1854.” I can’t believe I can read about the ancestors of people still living in the village today. It feels as if it happened only yesterday. It’s so real.’

‘Mmm. I expect it definitely felt real to Jim Glover. I wonder how many times our Jimmy Glover got whacked for idleness when he was at school? Some of the young horrors today could do with a dose of the cane. Smarten their ideas up no end.’

‘Darling!’

‘They have no moral strength!’

‘Haven’t they? I wonder if it made him work harder or even more disinclined to pay attention. I’d hate to have to cane anybody.’ Kate shuddered at the prospect.

Craddock smiled indulgently. ‘If you could, who would you cane?’

Kate laid the log book down beside her on the sofa, leaned back with her hands behind her head and said, ‘Mrs Dobbs.’

‘Mrs Dobbs! Whatever for?’

‘Opening my filing cabinet and reading a confidential file.’

‘How do you know?’

‘I saw her. She didn’t realize I was there.’

‘Oops! Poor Mrs Dobbs.’

‘I’d like to cane whoever is stealing, except I know who’s doing it but haven’t any evidence, and they’re already far too vulnerable.’

‘You’re not duped by psychology, are you? Bad childhood so everything unacceptable they do ever after is excusable? Some day one has to take responsibility for oneself. I did.’

‘Did you have a bad childhood, then?’

Those thin lips of his snapped shut, tight. Kate watched him debating, saw him dithering on the brink of a revelation, then decide he couldn’t speak out. ‘Of course not. Best of childhoods. Even if I hadn’t I’d have taken responsibility like I said and got on with life.’

Holding her arms wide, Kate said, ‘Craddock, my dear.’ He came across to her, put the log book on a side table and sat beside her on the sofa. She held him in her arms like she did the children when they were deeply distressed. ‘Don’t tell me if you don’t want me to know. We don’t have to know everything about each other in order to love one another.’

Craddock squeezed her tightly. ‘We don’t. But we
should, and one day . . .’ He drew back from her and looked at her intently. ‘Are there things you haven’t told me?’

‘Yes, but a bad childhood isn’t one of them.’

‘What then?’

She kissed him instead of answering, and the moment passed.

After a while he asked her if she wanted a drink before going to bed.

‘Vodka and tonic, please.’

He roused himself from the sofa, looked down at her still holding his hand and said, ‘Best day’s work I ever did marrying you. I hope you feel the same?’

Kate nodded. ‘I do. I’ve got the best of everything. Career I can’t live without, beautiful home, a husband whom I love very much. What more can a woman ask?’

‘Nothing.’ As he poured her vodka he asked, ‘Will you sack Mrs Dobbs?’

‘Absolutely not. It’s for me to make it so she can’t get at confidential files. Even though she speaks her mind too often, she’s too good to lose as a cleaner.’

‘I hope she appreciates your goodwill. Here you are.’

‘Thanks.’ Kate sipped her vodka and added, ‘There’s so much goodwill for the school among the villagers. Evie Nicholls has promised to come in to make an embroidered banner with my class, which puts them in touch with a skill I couldn’t even begin to impart. Also, Muriel’s coming in twice a week to play for the Maypole dancing practice, did you know?’

‘No, I didn’t. I’m very fond of Muriel. Wouldn’t hurt her if I could possibly help it. She’s a rare spirit, always full to the brim with kindness.’

‘She was a bit sharp with me about the Bliss children. If she only knew . . .’

‘What?’

Kate said, ‘Well, I’ve a very good idea they are the school thieves. Ten pounds today from Margaret’s handbag. She found out after the buses had gone. But don’t say a word outside this room, please.’

‘I shan’t.’ He raised his glass to her and asked, ‘Kate, am I making you happy?’ He looked hesitantly at her as though he desperately wanted an affirmative answer, but hardly dared hope it would be.

She smiled the same sweet smile as when she’d been thinking about him earlier in the day. ‘Blissfully. More than I had ever dared hope.’

‘Good. Me too.’

On the Monday morning Kate found herself reading a letter from Mrs Bliss, which she wished she hadn’t received. As she read it her face creased with disappointment, for it told her that Mrs Bliss and her little Blisses were pleased for the offer of free uniforms but regrettably were unable to accept charity. The children had discussed it with her and agreed that accepting her offer was quite out of the question, but they thanked her for her kindness.

When she went to take prayers Kate saw it was only too true. Although they looked cleaner than usual, they were still wearing the dreadful clothes they’d worn since they came. It really was exasperating. On the other hand she couldn’t help feeling admiration for them, although the children may have agreed simply because they didn’t want to upset their mother. Still, such pride! Free school lunches appeared to be having an effect, however, because they were looking rather healthier than when they’d first arrived. But as they stood to sing their first hymn, the Bliss children were only too obviously outsiders. What on earth had happened in their lives to bring this about? The letter had been written in an educated hand, so it was clear that they were not accustomed to such poverty. A job for Mrs
Bliss! That was what was needed. Perhaps at the school so she could be at home in the school holidays. But what?

At lunchtime Kate was on playground duty and was busy taking netball practice with some girls in her class when she spied Mrs Bliss coming through the school gate. ‘Karen! You’re in charge. I won’t be a moment. Play fair.’

Mrs Bliss sidled rather than walked into school, followed by Kate. ‘Mrs Bliss! Come into my office.’ She led the way and seated herself behind her desk, inviting Mrs Bliss to take a chair.

‘It’s your lunch hour, but I didn’t see how I could get a chance to talk to you otherwise.’

‘Not at all. I don’t mind.’

Mrs Bliss’s thin hand dipped into her pocket and came out clutching a ten-pound note which she laid on the desk. ‘Una came home with this on Friday. I apologize. I’ve explained to her she shouldn’t and she’s sorry.’

‘I’m sorry too. But I’m grateful that you’ve come to explain. We’ve had small amounts of money missing before, but the ten pounds was making the matter very grave.’

‘It was my birthday on Saturday and she wanted so much to give me a present.’ Her head went down and Kate thought she heard a sob escape. Her thin hands were twisting and turning on her lap, obviously in an agony of despair. They were gloveless and blue with the cold.

‘I’m so very sorry you’re in such dire straits. Why won’t you let the school help you? Give the children some pride in . . . Sorry, that was the wrong word to use. But they must feel so different from everyone else with no uniform. They are the only ones without. Surely a helping hand can’t be wrong in your circumstances?’

Mrs Bliss’s head came up. ‘My circumstances are my affair. The children have a home, and a mother. They’re all four of them bright and they’ll all make their way in the world without charity, thank you all the same. I don’t know what punishment you’ll hand out, but she understands you will think it necessary. Thank you for your time. I’m sorry Una did it, very sorry.’

Mrs Bliss stood up, gave Kate one last long look and departed. But despite the show of dignity, Kate had noticed her lips trembling and her voice shaking as she spoke. Damn and blast, thought Kate, what can one do in the face of such pride?

Hetty Hardaker took Kate’s class and her own for singing first thing on Monday afternoons, so Kate asked to see Una in her office while she had the chance. She was deliberately eating a biscuit when Una came in and she offered her one.

Kate waited until the child had stuffed it into her mouth and was sitting there looking remarkably like a hamster. Una had her mother’s dark brown eyes and the same sweet mouth and thin, wispy brown hair. There was a poise and beauty about her though, which her downtrodden mother lacked.

‘Well, Una, about this ten-pound note.’

Una’s eyes shifted away from Kate’s face.

‘You know it was wrong, don’t you?’

‘Yes.’

‘Where did you get it from?’

‘Miss Booth’s purse.’

‘I thought so. But it was Miss Booth’s, wasn’t it, not yours?’

‘I know.’

‘So tell me how you felt when you opened her purse and took it out.’

Una thought about the question and then answered in a most adult way. ‘I needed the money for Mummy’s birthday. We all did, and we’d no pocket money and I thought it would be a good idea. Miss Booth is so kind, you see, I guessed she wouldn’t mind.’

‘Well, I like your thoughtfulness, and the way you love your mummy enough to steal for her, but it wasn’t right, was it?’

‘No. But—’

‘Yes?’

‘We’d no money, and like I said, Miss Booth is so kind I was sure she wouldn’t mind.’ It clearly seemed logical to Una. They’d no money. The situation was desperate so she did something about it, and Miss Booth was so kind, she wouldn’t mind. Which Miss Booth was. Kind to the point of insanity sometimes.

‘It is never right to take money or anything belonging to someone else. It’s the same in the Store, isn’t it?’

Una hung her head, appalled that Kate appeared to be all-seeing-all-knowing. How had she found out about the chocolate? The smooth, rich, tasty feeling of the chocolate on her tongue and the enjoyment she’d experienced as it slid down her throat came back to Una, and she remembered how she’d enjoyed cleansing her teeth with her tongue to rid them of the cloying texture when she’d finished. And somehow, she couldn’t feel guilty. ‘We needed it. Mummy was cross when she found out, but it was too late as we’d eaten it on the bus.’

Kate recognized the yearning in Una’s face and in her heart couldn’t be angry. ‘Well, Una, taking things must
stop. It isn’t right and it makes Mummy feel upset and you wouldn’t want that. She’s brought me the ten-pound note, I’m giving it back to Miss Booth and we shan’t say another thing about it. Right?’