“We get them all, don’t we Chen? If they don’t call going, they call coming back!”
Chen said nothing; he just floated in the centre of his bowl, blinking his large round eyes, with a rather bored look on his face.
Chapter 15
Vicar in A Two, Two
Outside, the fête was well under way and everybody was having a fine old time. The sun was up, the air was warm, and the scent of beautiful early spring roses was filling the air. Pearl was busy shadowing Devizes and Nutter; who luckily were staying together, which made tailing them somewhat easier, on the whole. She followed them from this stall to that; all three of them pretending to be 'just one of the crowd', simply out to enjoy the fête and the bright, hot, Summery day.
From his vantage point in the trees, Magpie Jack could see Dave Hinchy clumsily trying to win a coconut at Mr. Atkinson's stall. He watched, as Hariman came into view, and glided over. He whispered something in the Postman’s ear, nodded, looked directly into Dave's eyes – and instantly Dave abandoned his pursuit of coconuts and quickly hobbled off towards the refreshments marquee.
Inside the marquee, Elise was selling home-baked buns, scones and cakes along with hot steaming cups of tea and coffee. Everyone was complimenting the Reverend on the quality of the cakes and he was accepting the praise as if it were his, rather than his wife's due, all the while helping himself to the occasional slice of date and walnut loaf or Victoria sponge.
Dave sidled up to the door flap of the tent.
“Ssssst!”
As he hissed, he gesticulated at the Reverend in a most amateur-dramatic way.
“Sssssst!” he uttered again, this time more insistent.
Dave's attempts at 'subtly drawing the Reverend's attention' (as he had been told to do), had borne fruit. Not only had Reverend Phullaposi noticed him, but due to his melodramatic antics, Dave had also drawn curious, and, more often than not, quite disturbed looks from the rest of the people in the tent. More than once the phrase, “It's a shame for the poor boy”, was whispered from one villager to another.
The Reverend could put it off no longer; he let out a sigh, put down his tea, turned his eyes heavenward and proceeded across the floor of the marquee towards the entrance where Dave was waiting.
“Yes, David?” he asked, wearily.
Dave began delivering Hariman's message with glee.
“Doc H says not to forget who your mates are. He who pays the piper calls the tune, remember, and you've still not signed that agreement yet. Doc expects you to do so before he makes his speech at the end of the fête. He wants you to go and see him as soon as poss., if not sooner, for your own good – and so that you don't blow everybody else's fate into the bargain. He says you'll know what he means.”
Dave nodded as sagely as he could and his face took on an expression that he considered to be serious.
The Reverend swallowed hard. He had to think fast. He needed to speak to Ruby before meeting Hariman, to see if she had any last minute ideas or instructions that could help him in confronting this increasingly loathsome creature.
In order to buy time, he sent Dave back with a message of his own:
“As you can surely see, David. I'm a very busy man here today. But have no fear: I shall find a moment as soon I can to go and see Dr Hariman. In the meantime, you may assure him that I know exactly who my friends are, and that I shall deal with our contract as is most fitting at a more appropriate hour.”
With those words, he waved Dave away and with a look of confidence that he most certainly did not feel, he strode off in the direction of Ruby's fortune telling tent.
**********
“Any chance of a cuppa and a spot of clairvoyance?”
Reverend Phullaposi stuck his head briskly between the curtains of Ruby's tent, and smiled hopefully. Such was his sense of urgency that the possibility that she might be mid-consultation did not even occur to him.
As luck would have it, however, Ruby was between appointments
“I've just made fresh. Come in, sit down and let us see what we may see…” She bustled about, preparing a cup and saucer for the Reverend. “Hariman starting to show his hand, is he?”
Reverand Phullaposi nodded, plonked himself down on one of the cushioned stools, and told Ruby exactly what Dave had relayed to him. Ruby poured them both a calming herbal tea and sipped at hers while listening closely to each word he said.
After he had finished she sat quietly for a couple of minutes, thinking.
“That was exactly, word for word what Dave said?”
The Reverend nodded.
Silence.
Ruby continued to sip her tea, Chen swam silently around and the Reverend sat looking from one to another, waiting for something, anything to be said (or inferred) that might help him.
Ruby took a last sip from her tea, placed the cup and saucer carefully on the table, stood up slowly, and calmly put her hand on his shoulder.
“Err, Reverend Phullaposi? I feel I have just received a calling...”
The Reverend could not believe his ears:
“Really? That is such good news! I knew it would happen! I am overjoyed to think of the happiness when one returns to the flock, one is thrilled! I simply must tell...”
“No, no, no, no, nooooo,” interrupted Ruby, “I meant, can I borrow your loo?”
“The loo?”
The Reverend looked slightly confused; then the penny dropped, as he realised Ruby wasn't announcing her evangelical conversion, simply her need to commune with Nature. He began to nod his head vigorously as if he'd understood all along.
“The loo. Naturally! Of course, of course, of course, of course!”
He fumbled about in his pocket and handed over a small silvery key. Ruby insisted that the Reverend did not so much as
