首发偶发空缺 (临时空缺)-第53章

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g　her　short　legs。　‘She　hasn’t　spoken　to　them　properly　since。　She　wanted　to　thank　them。　Have　you　finished　your　pamphlet？’

‘I’m　nearly　there。　Listen；　with　the　information　–　I　mean；　as　far　as　the　personal　information　goes　–　past　posts；　do　you　think？　Or　limit　it　to　Winterdown？’

‘I　don’t　think　you　need　say　more　than　where　you　work　now。　But　why　don’t　you　ask　Minda？　She　…’　Tessa　yawned　‘…　she’s　done　it　herself。’

‘Yes；’　said　Colin。　He　waited；　standing　over　her；　but　she　did　not　offer　to　help；　or　even　to　read　what　he　had　written　so　far。　‘Yes；　that’s　a　good　idea；’　he　said；　more　loudly。　‘I’ll　get　Minda　to　look　over　it。’

She　grunted；　massaging　her　ankles；　and　he　left　the　room；　full　of　wounded　pride。　His　wife　could　not　possibly　realize　what　a　state　he　was　in；　how　little　sleep　he　was　getting；　or　how　his　stomach　was　gnawing　itself　from　within。

Tessa　had　only　pretended　to　be　asleep。　Mary　and　Gavin’s　footsteps　had　woken　her　ten　minutes　previously。

Tessa　barely　knew　Gavin；　he　was　fifteen　years　younger　than　her　and　Colin；　but　the　main　barrier　towards　intimacy　had　always　been　Colin’s　tendency　to　be　jealous　of　Barry’s　other　friendships。

‘He’s　been　amazing　about　the　insurance；’　Mary　had　told　Tessa　on　the　telephone　earlier。　‘He’s　on　the　phone　to　them　every　day；　from　what　I　can　gather；　and　he　keeps　telling　me　not　to　worry　about　fees。　Oh　God；　Tessa；　if　they　don’t　pay　out　…’

‘Gavin　will　sort　it　out　for　you；’　said　Tessa。　‘I’m　sure　he　will。’

It　would　have　been　nice；　thought　Tessa；　stiff　and　thirsty　on　the　sofa；　if　she　and　Colin　could　have　had　Mary　round　to　the　house；　to　give　her　a　change　of　scene　and　make　sure　she　was　eating；　but　there　was　one　insuperable　barrier：　Mary　found　Colin　difficult；　a　strain。　This　unfortable　and　hitherto　concealed　fact　had　emerged　slowly　in　the　wake　of　Barry’s　death；　like　flotsam　revealed　by　the　ebbing　tide。　It　could　not　have　been　plainer　that　Mary　wanted　only　Tessa；　she　shied　away　from　suggestions　that　Colin　might　help　with　anything；　and　avoided　talking　to　him　too　long　on　the　telephone。　They　had　met　so　often　as　a　foursome　for　years；　and　Mary’s　antipathy　had　never　surfaced：　Barry’s　good　humour　must　have　cloaked　it。

Tessa　had　to　manage　the　new　state　of　affairs　with　great　delicacy。　She　had　successfully　persuaded　Colin　that　Mary　was　happiest　in　the　pany　of　other　women。　The　funeral　had　been　her　one　failure；　because　Colin　had　ambushed　Mary　as　they　all　left　St　Michael’s　and　tried　to　explain；　through　racking　sobs；　that　he　was　going　to　stand　for　Barry’s　seat　on　the　council；　to　carry　on　Barry’s　work；　to　make　sure　Barry　prevailed　posthumously。　Tessa　had　seen　Mary’s　shocked　and　offended　expression；　and　pulled　him　away。

Once　or　twice　since；　Colin　had　stated　his　intention　of　going　over　to　show　Mary　all　his　election　materials；　to　ask　whether　Barry　would　have　approved　of　them；　even　voiced　an　intention　of　seeking　guidance　from　Mary　as　to　how　Barry　would　have　handled　the　process　of　canvassing　for　votes。　In　the　end　Tessa　had　told　him　firmly　that　he　must　not　badger　Mary　about　the　Parish　Council。　He　became　huffy　at　this；　but　it　was　better；　Tessa　thought；　that　he　should　be　angry　with　her；　rather　than　adding　to　Mary’s　distress；　or　provoking　her　into　a　rebuff；　as　had　happened　over　the　viewing　of　Barry’s　body。

‘The　Mollisons；　though！’　said　Colin；　re…entering　the　room　with　a　cup　of　tea。　He　had　not　offered　Tessa　one；　he　was　often　selfish　in　these　little　ways；　too　busy　with　his　own　worries　to　notice。　‘Of　all　the　people　for　her　to　have　dinner　with！　They　were　against　everything　Barry　stood　for！’

‘That’s　a　bit　melodramatic；　Col；’　said　Tessa。　‘Anyway；　Mary　was　never　as　interested　in　the　Fields　as　Barry。’

But　Colin’s　only　understanding　of　love　was　of　limitless　loyalty；　boundless　tolerance：　Mary　had　fallen；　irreparably；　in　his　estimation。

IX
‘And　where　are　you　going？’　asked　Simon；　planting　himself　squarely　in　the　middle　of　the　tiny　hall。

The　front　door　was　open；　and　the　glass　porch　behind　him；　full　of　shoes　and　coats；　was　blinding　in　the　bright　Saturday　morning　sun；　turning　Simon　into　a　silhouette。　His　shadow　rippled　up　the　stairs；　just　touching　the　one　on　which　Andrew　stood。

‘Into　town　with　Fats。’

‘Homework　all　finished；　is　it？’

‘Yeah。’

It　was　a　lie；　but　Simon　would　not　bother　to　check。

‘Ruth？　Ruth！’

She　appeared　at　the　kitchen　door；　wearing　an　apron；　flushed；　with　her　hands　covered　in　flour。

‘What？’

‘Do　we　need　anything　from　town？’

‘What？　No；　I　don’t　think　so。’

‘Taking　my　bike；　are　you？’　demanded　Simon　of　Andrew。

‘Yeah；　I　was　going　to—’

‘Leaving　it　at　Fats’　house？’

‘Yeah。’

‘What　time　do　we　want　him　back？’　Simon　asked；　turning　to　Ruth　again。

‘Oh；　I　don’t　know；　Si；’　said　Ruth　impatiently。　The　furthest　she　ever　went　in　irritation　with　her　husband　was　on　occasions　when　Simon；　though　basically　in　a　good　mood；　started　laying　down　the　law　for　the　fun　of　it。　Andrew　and　Fats　often　went　into　town　together；　on　the　vague　understanding　that　Andrew　would　return　before　it　became　dark。

‘Five　o’clock；　then；’　said　Simon　arbitrarily。　‘Any　later　and　you’re　grounded。’

‘Fine；’　Andrew　replied。

He　kept　his　right　hand　in　his　jacket　pocket；　clenched　over　a　tightly　folded　wad　of　paper；　intensely　aware　of　it；　like　a　ticking　grenade。　The　fear　of　losing　this　piece　of　paper；　on　which　was　inscribed　a　line　of　meticulously　written　code；　and　a　number　of　crossed…out；　reworked　and　heavily　edited　sentences；　had　been　plaguing　him　for　a　week。　He　had　been　keeping　it　on　him　at　all　times；　and　sleeping　with　it　inside　his　pillowcase。

Simon　barely　moved　aside；　so　that　Andrew　had　to　edge　past　him　into　the　porch；　his　fingers　clamped　over　the　paper。　He　was　terrified　that　Simon　would　demand　that　he　turn　out　his　pockets；　ostensibly　looking　for　cigarettes。

‘Bye；　then。’

Simon　did　not　answer。　Andrew　proceeded　into　the　garage；　where　he　took　out　the　note；　unfolded　it　and　read　it。　He　knew　that　he　was　being　irrational；　that　mere　proximity　to　Simon　could　not　have　magically　switched　the　papers；　but　still　he　made　sure。　Satisfied　that　all　was　safe；　he　refolded　it；　tucked　it　deeper　into　his　pocket；　which　fastened　with　a　stud；　then　wheeled　the　racing　bike　out　of　the　garage　and　down　through　the　gate　into　the　lane。　He　could　tell　that　his　father　was　watching　him　through　the　glass　door　of　the　porch；　hoping；　Andrew　was　sure；　to　see　him　fall　off　or　mistreat　the　bicycle　in　some　way。

Pagford　lay　below　Andrew；　slightly　hazy　in　the　cool　spring　sun；　the　air　fresh　and　tangy。　Andrew　sensed　the　point　at　which　Simon’s　eyes　could　no　longer　follow　him；　it　felt　as　though　pressure　had　been　removed　from　his　back。

Down　the　hill　into　Pagford　he　streaked；　not　touching　the　brakes；　then　he　turned　into　Church　Row。　Approximately　halfway　along　the　street　he　slowed　down　and　cycled　decorously　into　the　drive　of　the　Walls’　house；　taking　care　to　avoid　Cubby’s　car。

‘Hello；　Andy；’　said　Tessa；　opening　the　front　door　to　him。

‘Hi；　Mrs　Wall。’

Andrew　accepted　the　convention　that　Fats’　parents　were　laughable。　Tessa　was　plump　and　plain；　her　hairstyle　was　odd　and　her　dress　sense　embarrassing；　while　Cubby　was　ically　uptight；　yet　Andrew　could　not　help　but　suspect　that　if　the　Walls　had　been　his　parents；　he　might　have　been　tempted　to　like　them。　They　were　so　civilized；　so　courteous。　You　never　had　the　feeling；　in　their　house；　that　the　floor　might　suddenly　give　way　and　plunge　you　into　chaos。

Fats　was　sitting　on　the　bottom　stair；　putting　on　his　trainers。　A　packet　of　loose　tobacco　was　clearly　visible；　peeking　out　of　the　breast　pocket　of　his　jacket。

‘Arf。’

‘Fats。’

‘D’you　want　to　leave　your　father’s　bicycle　in　the　garage；　Andy？’

‘Yeah；　thanks；　Mrs　Wall。’

（She　always；　he　reflected；　said　‘your　father’；　never　‘your　dad’。　Andrew　knew　that　Tessa　detested　Simon；　it　was　one　of　the　things　that　made　him　pleased　to　overlook　the　horrible　shapeless　clothes　she　wore；　and　the　unflattering　blunt…cut　fringe。

Her　antipathy　dated　from　that　horrific　epoch…making　occasion；　years　and　years　before；　when　a　six…year…old　Fats　had　e　to　spend　Saturday　afternoon　at　Hilltop　House　for　the　first　time。　Balancing　precariously　on　top　of　a　box　in　the