The Village Vicar by Julie Houston

Author:Julie Houston [Houston, Julie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781803280004
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

*

‘So, are you in contact with them other two?’ Maureen had stayed behind once the others had left, clearing the kitchen table, wrapping up what was left and, despite Rosa’s slight protestations that, really, she shouldn’t, piling the remaining food into the vicarage fridge. ‘Vicar’s perks.’ Maureen had grinned and, rolling her up her sleeves to reveal the powerful forearms Rosa recalled from her days in Tea and Cake, set to, attacking the washing up.

‘What other two?’ Rosa joined her at the sink, tea towel to hand. ‘You mean Eva and Hannah?’

‘No.’ Maureen shook her head, frowning. ‘Up at the hall. You know?’

Rosa shook her head. ‘Who?’

‘Oh, I don’t know what they’re called. Bill’s second wife’s two. You know.’ Maureen handed Rosa a dish to dry. ‘I suppose they’re actually your brother and sister? Well, half-brother and sister, anyroad?’

‘Henrietta and Jonny?’

Maureen nodded. ‘I suppose this Jonny will inherit Heatherly Hall now?’

‘I suppose he will,’ Rosa smiled. ‘But Bill’s had very little to do with them as far as I know. You’ll know better than me, Maureen. Diana, their mother, went off with someone called Roger McConville? All before my time, but I think he was the lead singer of the Screaming Eagles? After a big concert Bill decided to hold in the grounds to pay off a few more of his debts. He’s always said it was the worst idea moneymaking idea he ever had. Not because Diana hopped it, but because the grounds were left in an awful mess. Anyway, according to Bill, Diana was fed up of not having the money and society she’d assumed she was marrying into. A famous rock star, living in Los Angeles, was apparently a lot better bet than a cold draughty hall in West Yorkshire,’ Rosa laughed. ‘Especially when it turned out the estate didn’t have the money for all the shoes, bags and holidays in St Tropez she hankered after.’

‘Bill and her weren’t married long, were they?’

‘No, she was a model from London—’

‘Aye, I know. I remember. They were married the same year as the Queen’s Silver Jubilee. I remember, because it was the same year Ron and I got married. It were a right cold miserable summer was 1977; we all thought it was going to be another scorcher like 1976, but we brides all shivered in our thin wedding dresses.’

‘Bill doesn’t talk about her or Henrietta and Jonny much.’ Rosa smiled. ‘I think from actually meeting Diana in London, to her divorcing him on grounds of cruelty, was no more than five years or so.’

‘Cruelty?’ Maureen looked shocked. ‘Bill Astley doesn’t have a cruel bone in his body. He’s a right grand lad is Bill. No airs and graces at all, gives me a hug whenever he sees me and always comes into the café for a chat and a mug of tea.’

Rosa laughed again. ‘I think the cruelty involved having to live up here in Yorkshire rather than back in London, and not having the funds to live the lavish lifestyle Diana was convinced she’d bought into.

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