The New Neighbours (63 page)

“Not until we sell the house,” said Alison. “Until then we haven't the money to buy the place in Belmouth.”

Jill felt guiltily relieved to hear that. There was no way they could wait to put their own house on the market.

“But you won't lose the property in Belmouth in the meantime, will you?” she asked.

“Hope not,” said Alison. “It's Freddie who's got it for sale, and he says at the moment there's no one else interested, so we've got to hope it stays that way until we've sold ours. I'm still working of course, which brings in something, and in the meantime Paul is quietly following up as many contacts as he can, ready for when we open.” She looked suddenly anxious. “You won't tell anyone any of this will you,” she said. “It's all a bit hush-hush still. We don't want anyone to know until it is all signed and sealed.” She smiled a little guiltily. “I shouldn't have told you really,” she admitted, “but you've been so good about sharing Isabelle…”

“Don't worry, I won't tell a soul,” Jill promised, and then added casually, “We're on the move too, actually. Anthony's been offered a place in the London office.”

“London!” Alison sounded envious. “How lovely! So you'll be moving up there. Lucky you! I've always wanted to live in London. When will you be going?”

“Same as you really,” Jill replied. “Just as soon as we can sell this house and find one up there. I'm going up next week for a few days to have a look around. My mother's coming to be with the children and Isabelle,” she added, “so I'm afraid you'll be without Isabelle then. Mum needs her nearly all the time.”

“Don't worry about that,” Alison said. “Cirelle says she'll help out when she can. We'll sort something. Is your move a secret as well?”

“Not really, we haven't told people, but they'll know soon enough when the for sale board goes up on the house.”

One person who did know already, was Ben Gardner. Jill had bumped into him in the High Street the previous day. She had seen him looking in a shop window and on impulse went over.

“Ben,” she said softly, and he spun round.

“Jill!”

Now she'd approached him she didn't quite know what to say, and for a moment they looked at each other awkwardly.

“How've you been?”

“Are you all right?”

They had both spoken together, and it broke the tension between them, as they laughed awkwardly.

“I just caught sight of you,” Jill explained, “and I wanted to tell you we're moving. Anthony's been offered a job in the London office. We're going to live in London.”

“Is that what you want to do?” Ben asked.

Jill drew a deep breath. “Yes,” she said. “I'm looking forward to it.”

“And have you made things up?” he asked. “Are things all right between you?”

For a moment, Jill thought of Anthony and his continued failure to make love to her. “Yes, everything's fine,” she lied. “Are you OK? I'm sorry you felt you had to move out of the Circle like that… but thank you for doing it.”

“Not a problem,” Ben lied, too. “We just had a bit of fun, didn't we? We knew there was nothing more to it, and when it was over, like, the best thing was for me to move on.” He looked across at the pub opposite. “Do you want a drink?” he asked. “To say goodbye?”

Jill shook her head. “No, I don't think so, Ben. Thanks all the same. But I wish you all the luck in the future.” Lightly she put a kiss on his cheek and then turned and hurried away down the street. At the corner she glanced quickly back, but he had gone, disappeared into the throng of shoppers. She was glad they were moving away, for even after all the unhappiness their affair had caused, even though she had no intention of ever putting such a strain on her marriage again, she felt a sudden tug of longing for Ben's strong, lean body.

Alison and Jill finished their coffee and went over to the bring and buy table, where Cirelle and Mad were doing a brisk trade. Then Jill caught sight of Angela Haven, just arriving and being greeted by Shirley, and moved across to join them.

“Angela, how lovely to see you,” Shirley was exclaiming. “I was afraid you'd be so busy settling into your new house you wouldn't have time to come.”

Angela smiled. “It's such a good cause,” she said, “and it gave me a opportunity to come back and say goodbye properly to everyone. We were in such chaos last week, before we left, I didn't really get a chance to see everyone.”

“How's the new house?” Sheila Colby asked coming up beside her, carrying a tray of coffee. Gerald had long since gone and Sheila had started to help Mary with the coffees as more and more people turned up. As always she wanted to be at the centre of things, and was in her element passing round cups and plates of cakes and biscuits. “Here, have a cup of coffee, she said, “and tell me about the house.”

“Well, we're in,” laughed Angela as she took the coffee, “and we've managed to shut the front door, but there are packing cases all over the place, and things stacked everywhere, waiting to be found homes.”

“And Annabel?” asked Sheila with sincere concern in her voice. “How's she?”

“She's doing very well,” Angela answered. “She's still going to the Tech, but she looks far more relaxed than she was.”

“Does she know if she'll have to go to court yet?” asked Sheila.

“No, not yet. But we don't think so. We've been told the man will be pleading guilty, and if he does they won't need her, thank God. I don't want her put through anything else, and that would inevitably bring everything back to her.”

“No need to re-open the wounds,” Sheila agreed sympathetically. “She's had a lot to cope with, hasn't she, losing her baby and… well, everything?”

Angela felt the tears prick her eyes and said, “Indeed she has,” and not wanting to talk about Annabel's unhappiness any more she said brightly, “I'll tell her you were asking after her, shall I?”

“Yes, please do,” Sheila said. “Give her my love and say that I'm thinking of her.”

Another surprise guest was Mike Callow. Knowing that he worked from home, Shirley had put an invitation through his letterbox, but she hadn't for one moment expected him to come.

Mike had decided to come to discover if there was Circle gossip about him and Charlie, and if there was, he was ready to nip it in the bud. The person he was most concerned about was Sheila Colby, watching the comings and goings of the Circle from behind her sitting-room curtains. He was determined there should be no unpleasant gossip about Charlie, and he had the feeling that if there were it would emanate from her. When he got upstairs she was talking to Angela Haven, but Alison Forrester was standing by herself, so he went over and joined her.

“Hi,” he said, “how's tricks?”

“OK,” Alison replied noncommittally. “What about you?”

“I'm fine,” Mike said.

“I saw Caroline the other day,” Alison said, and then paused as if uncertain whether she should go on. Caroline had actually called round, ostensibly for a cup of coffee, but actually on a fishing trip. She wanted to know what Mike was up to. Alison was quite glad she'd seen so little of Mike since Christmas that she was able to tell her quite truthfully that she hadn't a clue.

“And?” encouraged Mike.

“And she said you were finally getting a divorce.”

“Yes,” Mike agreed, “we are. We're never going to get back together, so there's no point in staying married.”

“I suppose not. Caroline thinks you've found someone else. She said you'd been away for a dirty weekend somewhere instead of having the children. She says they were very disappointed.”

“Does she indeed?” Mike said grimly. “Well the weekend in question was before Christmas, and was anything but a dirty weekend. I've seen the children several times since then and they know exactly where I went… and why.”

“Oh don't worry, Mike,” Alison said hastily, “I'm not asking you. It's just that Caroline didn't seem to know.”

“Oh, she knows all right,” Mike said calmly. “She knows I want my freedom now, as she wanted hers, but what I do with it when I've got it is entirely my own business.”

“Of course,” Alison agreed, wishing she'd never mentioned Caroline, and she was relieved that just then Sheila Colby came up with her tray and offered Mike a cup of coffee. He took one from her, and said pleasantly, “How are you today, Sheila?”

“Fine,” she said. “How are your family these days? I haven't seen much of the children lately. Have they been over?”

“No, you haven't missed them,” Mike said cheerfully. “I'm sure you'd have seen them if they'd come.”

Sheila looked a bit flustered, and said, “I don't know what you mean.”

Mike ignored her confusion. “They won't be coming to stay for a little while,” he said easily, “I was just saying to Alison, Caroline and I have decided to get a divorce.”

“Oh dear, I am sorry,” cried Sheila, wondering if Mary and Shirley knew yet.

“Don't be,” said Mike. “I'm not. It's the best thing all round.”

“Well, I suppose if you say so,” Sheila edged away to pass on this latest titbit.

“There we are,” Mike grinned at Alison who was still standing beside him. “That should be round the Circle in no time flat now, and saves me from having to tell anyone else!”

Alison gave a shout of laughter. “Mike Callow, you are a disgrace!”

“Mmmm,” he agreed with a grin. “Now tell me about you guys. Any luck selling the house yet?”

Alison shook her head, “No, 'fraid not, but someone's coming over it tomorrow, so we're keeping our fingers crossed.”

Angela watched Mike talking to Alison and Sheila, and waited. She wanted to speak to him, but in confidence. At last, he seemed to be edging his way to the stairs and she crossed quickly to cut him off.

“Mike, sorry, but could I have a word?”

Mike looked surprised, but nodded, “Yes of course.” He caught her glancing at a quiet place by the window and led her over to it.

“Now,” he said encouragingly, “what's the problem?”

“It's a bit difficult.” Angela looked confused.

“Come on, spit it out.”

Angela took a deep breath. “Mike, you know Oliver Hooper quite well. I mean, he's a friend of your Peter's, isn't he?”

“Yes, he is,” Mike said with a frown, “and I wish he wasn't. I'm certainly not encouraging that particular friendship. Anyway, what about him?”

“Well, Chantal seems scared of him, and I wondered… well, she won't say why, but I have seen him hanging about, and to be honest I really don't trust him.”

“No,” agreed Mike, “nor do I. And, I think, with good reason. I was talking to Annie Hooper the other day and she's at her wits' end. There's never been any love lost between her and Oliver, but it seems he's been in real trouble lately. He was caught shoplifting and found to have other stolen stuff, credit cards and pension books and stuff hidden in his bedroom. Of course he's been up in the youth court for it, and apparently he's been made the subject of a Supervision Order, or something.”

“Supervision Order? What's that?”

“Sort of junior probation I think,” Mike said. “Anyway, he has a sort of private social worker who's supposed to keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't get into trouble again. Poor Annie, she says it's all a complete waste of time. He's a cunning little bugger, and even after all this, Steve can't see it. He's got Steve wound round his little finger.”

“But what would that have to do with Chantal?” wondered Angela. “I mean, she's not involved with any of that. The thing is, I want to help her, but she won't tell me why she's afraid of him.”

“Well, I might be able to help you there,” Mike said. “Oliver is a bully. He likes to frighten people, and he likes to feel he has power over them, I think. Anyway, there was an incident at our New Year's Eve party last year.” Mike proceeded to tell Angela what had happened.

“I'm sorry,” he finished, “perhaps I should have told you at the time.”

“Yes,” agreed Angela coldly, “perhaps you should.”

“Well, at the time it seemed to be just teenage stupidity. You know, they were at a party and had too much to drink. Nothing happened between them, indeed Chantal had the best of it really. Oliver was the one with vomit in his hair!”

Mike's effort at lightening the mood had little effect. Angela was still coming to terms with what he'd told her. Oliver Hooper had got Chantal drunk and tried to undress her, was what he seemed to be saying.

“And you didn't think it worth mentioning to me?” she demanded.

Mike shrugged. “It came to nothing. There was no real harm done, and I thought the less that was made of it, the quicker it would all be forgotten. I didn't realise he would keep holding it over her.” He sighed. “The truth about Oliver Hooper is that he's damaged goods. He's been dragged, pushed and fought over by his parents since he was a little kid, and he's survived. Survivors are dangerous people, because they soon learn that to survive you need to be completely self-centred. Intelligent survivors learn to use everyone round them for their own aims. Annie is quite right, this supervision order thing isn't going to do one iota of good, because Oliver is intelligent enough to seem to play along while maintaining a secret agenda of his own.”

“Wonderful! And meanwhile, he's out to torment Chantal!”

Mike shook his head. “I doubt it now that you've moved away. I'm sure it was only because she was on hand, you know?”

“Well, I hope you're right,” Angela said. “I think I shall tell Chantal that you've told me, then she'll know it doesn't matter what Oliver says, as I know it all already. And if I see that Oliver Hooper anywhere round in Stone Winton, I shall know exactly what to say.” She gave Mike a weak smile. “Thanks for the explanation, anyway. Thank God he doesn't go to Chapmans anymore.”