The New Neighbours

by Costeloe Diney

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.”

  “That, I think, is part of his problem,” Mike replied. “He was at least happy there. Anyway, try not to worry about him too much. Perhaps this supervision order thing will work, who knows?”

  “Well thanks anyway, Mike,” Angela said. “I must get back now. See you some time, I expect.”

  “Yes, I expect so. Enjoy your new house, Angela.”

  “Yes,” she replied with a note of determination in her voice, “I will. We all will.”

  As the morning progressed people began to drift away and by half past twelve only Shirley, Mary and the two girls were left.

  “How much did we make?” Cirelle asked Shirley when she’d counted the money.

  “Quite good,” Shirley said enthusiastically. “A hundred and ten pounds and twenty-seven p–, and with the fiver Annie Hooper brought over this morning on her way to work, that’s over a hundred and fifteen pounds!”

  “Hey, that is good,” exclaimed Mad. “What will it be used for?”

  “Towards the roof repairs I expect,” sighed Shirley. “I’d love it to be spent on things for our people to do, but I suppose the roof must come first!”

  Cirelle went round the room collecting up dirty cups, and as she passed the window she saw a man nailing a slanting board across the for sale sign outside Madge Peters’ house.

  “Hey, you guys, look,” she called out to the others, “Madge’s house seems to have been sold.”

  Mad joined her at the window and looked across at the workman hammering, before amazing them all by saying, “Yeah, it has. My dad’s bought it.”

  There was a chorus of surprise from the others. “Your dad! Has he? Why? What for?”

  Mad laughed. She’d been in the secret since the weekend, but had been sworn to secrecy until the “sold by” board went up, so only Dean knew.

  “He’s going to rent it out to students,” she said cheerfully, and laughed again at the stunned look on their faces. “He’s got three friends of Hattie’s lined up to move in next week, just until the summer. After that, he’ll do it up properly, like he did ours. He’s bought it from Andrew Peters, complete with the contents. He says it suits them both very well.”

  “I sure it does,” remarked Mary dryly. She, Shirley and Sheila had helped Andrew with the removal of Madge’s clothes and other personal items, but she had wondered at the time what on earth he was going to do with all the furniture and other household effects. He had given them no hint, and she hadn’t asked. Now she knew, and realised it was the obvious solution as far as Andrew was concerned.

  “It was all very quick, wasn’t it?” Mary said, feeling that at least he might have warned them.

  “Not really,” Mad said. “Dad guessed Andrew would want to sell the place, and approached him some time before Christmas. They exchanged contracts last week.”

  Shirley looked across at Mary. Another student house in the Circle; and she knew a moment of silent relief that she and David were moving to the quiet peace of Derringham. Mary gave no sign of her thoughts at the news. Then another thought crossed Shirley’s mind, one that made her smile guiltily and decide it was something to discuss with David the moment he got in for lunch. She said nothing of her idea now.

  It didn’t take very long for them to get cleared up. Shirley thanked them both for all their help and then the two girls went as planned to meet Dean at the students’ union.

  “Join us for a sandwich?” Shirley invited Mary. “David’ll be in for lunch a minute.”

  “No, I won’t, thanks all the same,” Mary said. “I’ve got a couple of things to do at home and then I’m on at St Joe’s this afternoon.”

  Quite relieved that Mary had turned down the offer of lunch, Shirley set about preparing some food as she waited for David to come home.

  When at last he arrived, she told him quickly about Madge Peters house. “He’s obviously buying it as an investment,” she said excitedly. “Perhaps he’d like to buy ours too! What do you think?”

  “I think it’s most unlikely,” said David, his tone pouring cold water on her brilliant idea.

  “But you could ring him and ask him?” suggested Shirley, undeterred. “We’ve got his number, I’ve just found the card he gave us when we first met him. Surely it’s worth a try, David. He might be interested.”

  “Anything for some peace and quiet,” David finally agreed. “I’ll give him a call after lunch, but how you’ll be able to face Sheila and the rest if you sell this house to Nick Richmond for a student house, I can’t imagine.”

  “I shan’t have to face them,” Shirley said ch
eerfully, “I shall be living in Derringham.”

  Mary had gone home and made herself a sandwich and a mug of soup, which she carried to her favourite chair by the window. She hadn’t anything to do until it was time to go to St Joe’s, but she was tired and wanted half an hour of peace in the blissful silence of her own home. She picked up the newspaper and her pen and turned to the crossword. A movement below in the Circle caught her eye and she saw Sheila, rushing across the grass, her face bursting with concern and indignation. She was coming to Mary. For a moment Mary was puzzled. Now what was the matter? What on earth could have upset her like this? Then she remembered, Gerald had been going to play golf with Andrew Peters… Andrew must have told Gerald his news. Sheila had just heard there was going to be another student house in the Circle.

  ~

  We hope you enjoyed this book.

  Diney Costeloe’s next book, The Girl With No Name, is coming in April 2016

  For an exclusive preview of Diney Costeloe’s The Throwaway Children, read on or click the image.

  For more information, click the links below or use your device’s Go-to menu

  About Diney Costeloe

  Also by About Diney Costeloe

  An invitation from the publisher

  Preview

  Read on for a preview of

  Gritty, heartrending and unputdownable – the story of two sisters sent first to an English, then an Australian orphanage in the aftermath of World War 2.

  Rita and Rosie Stevens are only nine and five years old when their widowed mother marries a violent bully called Jimmy Randall and has a baby boy by him. Under pressure from her new husband, she is persuaded to send the girls to an orphanage – not knowing that the papers she has signed will entitle them to do what they like with the children.

  And it is not long before the powers that be decide to send a consignment of orphans to their sister institution in Australia. Among them – without their family’s consent or knowledge – are Rita and Rosie, the throwaway children.

  Can’t wait? Buy it here now!