The Never Have I Ever Club by Mary Jayne Baker

Author:Mary Jayne Baker [Baker, Mary Jayne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781789546149
Publisher: Head of Zeus
Published: 2020-06-17T16:00:00+00:00

20

After Mr Ansari had finished his presentation, he, Robyn, Will and Freya circulated among the group, helping people get their family trees started using the library’s Ancestry.co.uk account. When Robyn passed the Brigadier, he plucked her elbow.

‘Robyn, can I have a word?’ he said in a low voice.

‘Of course. Do you need help with your tree?’

‘No, this is about… wait a minute.’ He stood up and guided her away from the others. ‘It’s this book of Arty’s. I’ve been rather losing sleep since he asked me to read it.’

‘Why, is it bad?’

‘Oh no, the prose is very serviceable. Actually, it’s rather a ripping yarn. I mentioned that he was something of a spiv when we were lads, and he’s got plenty of tales to tell about those days.’

‘All right, so what’s the problem?’

He lowered his voice. ‘There are things in there, Robyn. Things about people in this village, both dead and alive.’

‘What sort of things?’

‘Things a lot of folk aren’t going to be keen on having made public. Some that could even have them in trouble with the law, if the Old Bill had a mind to pursue them. Certainly, some they won’t care for their grandkiddies to know about.’

‘Oh my God! Are you mentioned?’

‘Yes, but I get off lightly compared to others. I mean people who are, or were, stalwarts of this community. Old Kenny Sykes, who had the surgery before his son took it over. Clara Soames, the retired postmistress. Even late Reverend Hallett.’ He cast a worried look at Molly Gardiner, frowning as she concentrated on what Mr Ansari was showing her. ‘Poor Moll’s earned herself a whole chapter over her love triangle with Arty and Harry.’

‘Will she be upset?’

‘Let’s just say that I wouldn’t be best pleased to see it all set down in print if I were her.’

‘What do you think we ought to do? We can offer some friendly advice, but we can’t stop him publishing it.’

‘No, I don’t suppose we can,’ the Brigadier said gloomily. ‘We’d better be prepared for a few fireworks when it all comes out though.’

‘Hmm. Well, thanks for the heads-up.’

She was about to leave when he took her elbow.

‘Have you spoken to your aunt lately, my dear?’ he asked in a quiet voice.

‘Not since that day at the seaside. I’ll be seeing her on Saturday though.’ She frowned. ‘Why, is there something I need to talk to her about?’

‘I’m just concerned she’s doing too much, with the wedding coming up. I’d appreciate your support, Robyn, as her only relative in the village. She can’t do it all on her own, regardless of what she says.’

‘Yes, I’ve been worried about that too. I’ll have a word with her this weekend, see if I can persuade her to give me a job or two.’ Robyn patted his arm and wandered off to see if anyone needed help.

*

‘Where’s Rob gone?’ Eliot said at the end of the night as people started to filter out.

Freya shrugged. ‘Maybe she went ahead to the pub. She did all the setting up so I suppose we can’t complain if she leaves us the putting away.

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