by Katy Lilley
It had to be that day. She wanted to enjoy her pregnancy. Read books on how big her baby was…two pea size or three. Wear clothes that were comfy and elegant not just all she could get into. Tell the powers that be when she was taking maternity leave and when she’d be back.
Search for a nanny or whatever, see who spoke to her and who didn’t and look forward.
But would it be by herself or with Cam supporting her?
Maisie had to find out.
She and Barns went over the stile together and then Barns sat down on his rump and stared at her.
‘What?’
Barns hunkered down and put his head on her feet. She shook her head in mock disappointment, ‘Barns, I warned you. If you’re tired, I’m sorry, but so am I. Tired, fed up, and need a drink.’
He woofed. ‘Yes, well I can sort you a drink.’ Cliff Cottage had an outdoor tap. ‘If Bryony’s not in I’m on plums. I’ll be filling my water bottle from the outdoor tap and crossing my fingers.’ And legs. She could do with a wee. All that water. She was going to have to remember that wee stops were on the rise.
Barns let out a gusty and smelly doggy sigh. ‘Pooh, that is awful. No more doggy treats like that anymore.’ He whined. Maisie knew how he felt. She was hot and sticky, as the chilly autumn day had turned mild. The water in her bottle long gone, and one of her new trainers that she bought to replace Barn’s constant companion at home, was rubbing her heel. Of course, she didn’t have a plaster with her. ‘Let’s go and at least get you a drink.’
Plus, let her sit down for a few minutes without the offending trainer. Bryony had a welcoming seat under one of the trees. By the time they reached Cliff Cottage’s driveway, Maisie was certain her heel was blistered.
Damn and blast. She limped down the drive and filled the bowl that sat next to the tap, so water was always available for Mop, or as Bryony said with a laugh, every dog, cat, hedgehog, bird and other wildlife around.
Barns tugged on the lead to get to it and drank his fill. Maisie sighed and tried to remember if Bryony had mentioned how clean the water was. Should she risk it?
She didn’t have to. Barns tugged to go to where Mop had his designated loo area and did his business. Maisie sat on the bench under the tree and eased her trainer - and after a quick look to ensure she was alone - her tights off. Just as she thought, a lovely—or should that be unlovely—blister had formed. It was going to be fun walking up the hill home. Maisie wiggled her toes and watched Barns chase a butterfly. She’d sit for a few minutes then head off.
‘Sleeping beauty, wake up or I’ll prick you with a needle.’
Maisie yawned. What on earth was Bryony saying? ‘Oh shoot, I must have nodded off, sorry. I just sat for a few minutes.’ She glanced at her watch. ‘Half an hour ago. Barns and I were out for a walk, he needed a drink and I’ve got a blister. You weren’t here, I sat down and well…Hell, where is he?’ Barns was nowhere to be seen.
‘Don’t panic. He’s with Mop entertaining Theo whilst Dario opened the wine for him and soda for us. I came to see if you were alive or not. The snores reassured me.’
‘I wasn’t, was I?’ Maisie rubbed her face and ran her fingers through the tangles in her hair. ‘Just as well you know me. What time is it?’
‘Half one ish. You stopping for lunch? Cam’s with Dario. We did call to lasso you to join us, even though I knew you didn’t want to. I could hardly tell them that though, could I? Anyway, you weren’t there, you were here.’
Maisie struggled to her feet and looked at the distance to where the sheltered gravelled patio had chairs and a table set out. She wondered if it really was warm enough to sit out for long. ‘Er, I honestly don’t think I can put that blasted trainer back on. Gonna help me hop?’
‘I’ve got a better idea. Give me five and I’ll get you some flip flops.’ She dashed off to the house. Maisie sat down again with a thump. She hoped to heaven she could find a suitable pair of shoes for school. Flip flops wouldn’t do the trick there. Could she even keep them on with socks or tights? No doubt she’d soon find out. She shut her eyes and muttered a few pithy words about dogs, footwear and bleeping blisters.
‘Your eloquence is commendable, and not one cuss word uttered.’ The familiar voice of Cam filtered into her brain. ‘Come on, love, let’s get you to the comfy chairs. Then I’ll have a look at that blister.’ He swung her into his arms.
Love? Argh… I wish.
‘Just like Rhett and Scarlet,’ she said with an insouciance she didn’t feel.
‘Or Fred and Ginger.’ Cam did a twirl and a dance shuffle.
She took a deep breath. Getting nauseous now was not on her agenda. ‘Enough, I’ll get all giddy.’
‘As long as it’s giddy over me.’ He stopped twirling though. ‘At last I have you in my arms and blimey, woman. Is this what good Devon air does to you? I swear you’ve put on weight and it really suits you. That’s a compliment by the way.’
Maisie went hot and cold. He couldn’t find out, not like this.
‘If you’d have been Bryony, I’d have said my mutterings were Sunday words,’ she said in a rush. ‘That was my gran. Never cuss on a Sunday.’
Cam roared with laughter. ‘I love it, and why not say it to me?’
‘Because.’ Because it sounded stupid to say, because you’re the vicar. ‘Do you know how many people seem to think you’re a lovely man? And that I should be at church, or involved with every society the village has? And help with Sunday School?’ Her voice rose. ‘I’d need ten days in a week and thirty hours every day to do what people seem to think I should. And they get shirty when I say no.’
‘They would anyway,’ Bryony said as Cam deposited Maisie into a cushioned chair then disappeared indoors. ‘Newcomers are supposed to get involved. Look at me and the village festival.’
‘Maddie got you into that and you didn’t do everything.’
‘Very true,’ Bryony said cheerfully. ‘And I survived. Stick to your guns and so will you.’
‘Are people giving you a hard time?’ Cam reappeared carrying a bowl filled with water and some cotton wool. ‘Tell em to sling their hooks.’
Maisie shrugged. ‘I suppose it comes with the territory.’
‘The territory of school head or Cam’s partner?’ Bryony asked shrewdly. ‘Here, cuddle this cushion, you look a bit chilled.’
‘Both, either, or.’ Maisie put the cushion over her bump and sent a grateful glance in Bryony’s direction. ‘Ta, that’s better.’
She shot a quick glance toward Cam’s bent head as he washed her blister. She curbed the impulse to kiss said head. ‘I suppose it’s natural that people see a new face and think ohh, fresh blood, but I mean, let me at least get used to what I have to do before I choose what else I’d like to do.’
Cam dried her heel and applied a plaster. ‘There you go.’ He sat back on his haunches. ‘What are people saying about you and me?’
‘It’s what they’re not saying,’ Maisie said as she noticed Bryony go indoors and leave them alone. ‘It’s more the assumption I should be at church, be involved with Sunday School, and the looks of disbelief and disapproval that I’m not. But, I’m also not a hypocrite.’
Cam stood up and kissed her cheek as Mop bounced toward them followed by a scrambling to keep up Barns. ‘I love you for what and who you are, not what or who you might become. Ignore them.’
‘Easier said than done,’ Maisie said. ‘But I’m doing my best.’ By the next day it all might be immaterial anyway. And once her pregnancy got out, if they were apart all the sympathy would be for him and his lucky escape.
She turned that conversation over in her mind, as later that day, after evensong, she watched Cam stride across the village green, his cassock flapping in the wind. He looked like a ship in full sail, or some large black bird. It made her grin. As a statement of intent, it showed he intended to do what was correct for him and not just his parishioners.
Take the cassock for example. Maisie knew that the c
lergy could ‘dress down if they wanted to. She also knew Cam wanted to, but the parishioners had taken a vote and it was decided dress down Sunday would be the last Sunday of every month, not all the time. As Cam said, they were the boss.
She opened the front door as he shut the garden gate behind him.
‘Bit breezy,’ he said as he kissed her cheek and followed her inside. ‘I did wonder if tomorrow’s news headlines was going to be: “Vicar takes off and has to free fall to the local aerodrome”.’
‘That would have been a sight worth seeing. I’m glad I didn’t though.’ Maisie handed him a glass of wine. He’d declined over lunch, saying he still had evensong to conduct, but told Maisie he’d look forward to one ‘later’.
Now was later, and the shiraz she’d chosen for him was perfect to go with the steak pie she’d made for dinner.
As ever she poured herself a glass of water.
Cam sipped and sighed as he sat down on the settee. ‘Nectar, love. Now sit down and you tell me who got you rattled.’
Maisie sank down next to him and put her glass on a side table. ‘No one in particular. I’m probably paranoid, but I feel I’m under a microscope. I swear every curtain in the village twitched when you dropped me off earlier. Even Mrs Cherry popped out of the shop and asked me if I’d had a nice time, and she hadn’t seen me at church, was I all right? I felt like saying I’d been sick—and not adding off all this intrusion—except no doubt someone would overhear and think it was morning sickness.’ Which of course it could well have been. ‘And anyway, I like Mrs C, and she wasn’t really being nosy. Well, I don’t think so. But I’m worried my attitude might reflect badly on you.’
There she’d said it.
Cam turned to face her. ‘Enough. Let me worry about that if it happens. Please do not let mythical what might be upset or spoil what we have.’
Maisie nodded. ‘I’ll try not to.’
Easier said than done when later that night she waved Cam off.
She’d just geared herself up to tell him her news when he’d looked at his watch, swore and said he’d better go while he still had the energy. He needed to be in Exeter for a meeting early the following morning.
As she wanted to get a head start at school before everyone else turned up, Maisie mentally made a note of ‘as soon as possible’, locked the door behind him, watched through the tiny hall window as he headed back the way he’d come a few hours earlier and saw him wave to someone a couple of times.
When her phone rang, she knew it would be him. ‘Okay, who was it, and what did they say?’
He laughed. ‘Eagle eyes. Liz Kidder, and Faye Soole. Neither of who live in the village. Mrs C, who said, ‘thought inducing sermon, hope the pie was good’ and old Jeb Bennett who merely said, ‘night vicar’. So, go to bed and do not worry.’
‘Yes, Sir.’
‘Seriously, love, nothing to worry about.’
Chapter Eleven
At eight o’clock the next morning she wished that were true. She’d hardly got through the school door and put the kettle on before Liz, accompanied by Faye accosted her. Maisie raised her eyebrows and forbade to comment it was a staff room not a community one. ‘Morning. Coffee or tea?’
Liz appeared embarrassed. Not a state Maisie associated with her. ‘Faye is determined to speak to you.’
‘We have something very important to discuss.’ Faye snapped.
‘You, not us,’ Liz said in a mild voice.
‘You agree.’
Liz looked embarrassed but didn’t answer.
‘I did wonder why Faye was in the staff room,’ Maisie said levelly. ‘Shall we go into my room?’ An imp of mischief took over. ‘After all, if Faye wants to discuss how her domestic circumstances might affect Krystal, no need for everyone to know yet.’
‘What do you mean? Nothing to discuss there,’ Faye snapped. ‘It’s your behaviour we need to talk about, not my Dav...’ She broke off. ‘We saw the vicar leaving your house.’
‘Yes?’
‘Last night.’
‘Is that all?’ Maisie said, amazed at how sordid Faye could make that sound. What would Faye say if she, Maisie wondered, responded with, “and I know what your other half gets up to when your back is turned. How is the dog house?” Maybe not, but oh, how satisfying it would be. ‘I thought you were going to say something important.’
‘He walked you home from the Monks.’ Faye added on a triumphant note. She made it sound as if they had attended an orgy. ‘As well as last night.’
‘Very likely,’ Maisie said as she made a cup of tea and didn’t offer anyone else one. This was no social visit. ‘As he would have been there. What about it?’
‘Standards,’ Faye said. ‘Setting a good example to our children.’
‘If any of our children were around at eleven pm, I’d be more worried about the standards their parents were setting, not me,’ Maisie replied, seething. ‘What do you say Liz?’
‘I’m not sure that…’ Liz began.
‘She agrees,’ Faye snapped. ‘You are not behaving as you should. As head you need to be above reproach,’ she continued primly. ‘The vicar slinking out of your house in the wee small hours isn’t conducive to that.’
Good Lord—sorry Cam—has she swallowed a thesaurus or is it her bedtime reading?
‘The one thing the vicar does not do,’ Maisie said in a remarkably even voice, considering she was ready to blow a gasket, ‘is slink. Ever. If you think any of this is a problem, go and speak to the education authority about it, or the Bishop.’ Or the man in the moon. ‘But remember people in glass houses and all that. And, this is the United Kingdom. We don’t have a moral turpitude clause in out contract, and even if we did, what is wrong with two single people going out together?’
If only we could, were and going to.
‘You weren’t out, you were in,’ Faye said. ‘And he’s the vicar.’
‘You saw him leaving. Did you see him arrive? Did you do a peeping tom through the windows? Were we playing tiddly winks or mah-jong?’ Oh, how she’d love to add tonsil tennis or bedroom games. ‘Dancing riotously? Smoking pot?’
I maybe shouldn’t have added that last bit. This is no time for levity.
Maisie put her cup of tea —untouched—down on the table and looked from one to the other. ‘Let me get this clear. What I do in my spare time is up to me. As long as it is not illegal it is no one’s business but mine. I am a single woman. The vicar is a single man. I won’t flaunt it but nor will I pretend we do not speak outside of school hours. I’m happy with the way I conduct my life.’ If you don’t that’s your problem. ‘Now, is there anything else?’
‘Yes well, some of us aren’t that lucky.’
Maisie bit her tongue. How easy it would be to make a snippy retort. ‘We all have to deal with our lives the way we think fit,’ she said gently. ‘The vicar and I enjoy each other’s company. End of.’ That was a bit of an exaggeration, after all their meetings had been few and far between since they had met up in Little Bristow. Plus, she wasn’t sure if they would soon even be on speaking terms, but it was bugger all to do with Faye.
‘But you don’t even go to church,’ Faye said.
‘And he doesn’t come to school. We do not interfere in each other’s work.’ If that wasn’t a poor excuse she didn’t know what was. ‘However, as I said if you feel my standards are below par please report it to the education office. The address is on the website. Now if you’ll excuse me, I want to prepare for today’s lessons.’ She picked up her cup, drained the lukewarm and as ever not marvellous contents, and headed for the door. She almost collided with Pam.
‘Oops, where’s the fire?’ Pam said. She looked beyond Maisie into the staff room and her eyes widened. ‘Ah.’
‘Yeah, ah, and my temper is about to cause one if I don’t get out of here now. Some bloody folk.’
Pam stood to one side. ‘Allow me.’
Maisie didn’t ask what she had to allow, she just nodded and
walked away. If she’d been anywhere but school, where already a few early birds were gathering in the playground, she would have gone outside, screamed, and kicked something. As it was, she stomped into her classroom, clenched her fist and muttered a few rude words along the lines of ‘bleeping morons, how dare they cast aspersions.’ Not that she was sure what aspersions had been cast, but for goodness sake…
Pam came in and perched on the edge of the desk. ‘I’ve left Liz looking angry, Faye in tears, and muttering how family should stick together. What the heck is going on? Don’t tell me if you can’t,’ she added hastily. ‘I’ll just pine away from curiosity.’
Maisie snorted; her normal good mood restored. ‘Same old same old,’ she said obliquely. ‘My morals mainly. How I should behave and the intimation I’m lacking. Only this time it was verbal, not just me assuming by certain people’s attitude.’
‘What? What have your morals got to do with anyone?’ Pam asked incredulously. ‘Who are you corrupting and how? I’m missing something here.’
‘I wish I knew,’ Maisie said. ‘Evidently, because the vicar was seem coming out of my house after eleven pm one night, we’re in danger of corrupting young minds. Or I think that’s what it’s all about. Definitely the vicar seen leaving my house bit.’
Pam sniggered. ‘Those damned leaky loos eh? Never know when the loo leak is gonna strike. Isn’t it handy the vicar is a dab hand at fixing the plumbing?’
‘Damn, wish I’d thought of that. Though it conjures up some weird and wonderful thoughts and scenarios. I just gave them a blank ‘you what’ look and got the hell out of Dodge. Before they did have a reason to report me. Like trying to strangle a parent and my deputy head.’