call
the constable!' Dai walked back into the shop, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides, shaking his head and
muttering. 'I tell you, Blodwen. They'll have us out of here one way or the other. I'll be glad to get back to Wales,
look you!'
Blodwen set the last plate straight and was just moving back to the counter when the wall shook in time with the
chanting of the Grange Gang outside.
'Dai diddly eye dai.. . Dai Dai!'
She had to hurry to get back to her plates. Dai Evans grabbed a metal hooked pole he kept for pulling down the
shade blinds. 'Right, that's it, boyo, I've 'ad enough!'
Ben was on his feet, with Ned beside him. He stood in front of Dai, his voice calm. 'You'll end up in trouble
yourself if you go 'round breaking heads with that thing, Mr. Evans. Leave this to me.'
Dai stared at the lad's steady blue eyes, unsure of what to do, until Mrs. Winn stood up. 'Do as he says, Mr.
Evans, you can trust the boy.'
As Ben walked from the Tea Shoppe, Dai Evans stood to one side, avoiding Ned, whose hackles had risen. The
big, black Labrador was growling, low and ominous.
There was a moment's silence, followed by screams, yells, and barking, then the pounding of feet. Ben strolled
back into the shop and sat down. He winked at Blodwen Evans. 'More ice cream, please, marm, and a pot of fresh tea
for Miz Winn. My turn to pay for this one, pals.'
Five minutes later the dog returned and flopped down beneath the table, passing Ben a thought. 'I chased 'em up
as far as the station, where they ran into the waiting room. Station-master didn't like it much, he was chasing them out
as I left. Wilf tried arguing with him, said he'd tell his dad that the sta-tionmaster was driving them out into the teeth
of a wild dog. Stationmaster didn't seem bothered, said he didn't care if there was a pack of wolves outside, they
weren't allowed on railway property without a valid ticket for a train journey. Told them to go and play their silly
games elsewhere. Any ice cream left?'
Ned was the hero of the hour. Dai and Blodwen Evans refused to take any money for tea or ice cream. Dai knelt
by the table, feeding the Labrador a plateful of vanilla ice cream with fresh milk poured over it. Ned lapped away
happily as Dai ruffled his ears.
'There's a good dog, you are, wish I 'ad one like you, boyo. How did you get him to do it, Ben?'
It was Amy who answered for Ben. 'It was nothing really, Mr. Evans, it's just that Ned can't stand noise or bad
manners.'
Ben grinned at her over his plate of ice cream. 'Well said, Amy, you're getting to know Ned rather well!'
18.
MAUD BOWE SAT PRIMLY AT THE SMITHERSES' table with Obadiah and his wife Clarissa. They waited
in silence as the maid served a gammon ham salad. Obadiah poured himself a glass of claret, ignoring his wife and
Maud, who preferred barley cordial in the afternoon. When the maid had retired, shutting the door behind her, Maud
continued her onesided argument. Mr. Smithers dismissed her every point, overriding everything she said. Though in
the light of what had taken place with Mrs. Winn, it was Maud who was winning the debate.
She tapped the spotless white damask tablecloth with a dainty finger. 'As I've said, sir, this is going to cost us
quite a bit!'
Smithers took a large swig of wine and stifled a belch. 'Nonsense, m'girl, everything's well in order, take it
from me.'
Mrs. Smithers gazed at her salad, slightly shocked that a young girl would argue with her husband, a thing she
never dared do. But Maud persisted. 'Everything may well be in order with the rest of the villagers, sir. But Mrs.
Winn is the one who is digging her heels in, she's going to be trouble. If she refuses our offer, we'll have to wait seven
clear days just for a possession warrant. That's what my father says, and he knows the law, believe me!'
Smithers poured himself more claret, stuffing a piece of gammon in his mouth with his fingers. Table manners
were not his strong point. He pointed a greasy finger at Maud. 'Good man, your father, nice fellow. But he doesn't
know everything. Not by a long chalk, missie!'
Maud hid her revulsion of the ill-bred northerner, but spoke out pertly in her father's defense. 'My father knows
his business, sir! He has made contracts with building firms that will not wait seven extra days. If Mrs. Winn is not
out of her house on the deadline stated in the clearance notice, it will cost our scheme dearly with penalties for broken
agreements. I hope you are aware of the position that delays can put us in!'
Mrs. Smithers flinched as her husband's temper broke. He sprayed ham and claret into the air as he shouted.
'Don't you dare to tell me my business, girl! I know these villagers better than you or your father. Hah! What has that
old Winn biddy got to prove her claims, eh? Nothing! We'll be saving ourselves money by clapping a compulsory
court order on her. A mere pittance set by the county developer, that's all she'll get for her house! As for the
almshouse, it belongs to nobody, we'll get that free! The rest of the villagers are too disorganized to resist us. They
know virtually nothing about the law, we'll pay 'em the set rate for their properties. Little enough that'll be, I can tell
you!'
He sat back, digging a scrap of ham from his teeth with a fingernail. But Maud would not be browbeaten.
Wiping her lips daintily on a damask table napkin, she pushed aside her plate and rose from the table. 'I'm
