Page 132 of An Unholy Affair
‘No, she seems to have quietened down. I haven’t heard from her for over a year now. Is your relationship with her any better?’
Eveline puffed out her cheeks. ‘I think she finally tolerates me and has accepted my presence in the village.’
‘Good. She can be a littlechallenging, but her heart’s in the right place.’
‘I know. But if it wasn’t her, then who complained and what have they said?’
Jonathan lifted his glasses to rub his face again, then replaced them and looked at her.
‘The complaint is from your treasurer, Simon Little.’
‘Simon? But what has he got to complain about? He changed his mind about the pews and won.’
‘He still has issues with the pew situation, but mainly because he claims you didn’t consult the village about your plans.’
‘Jonathan, that’s absolute nonsense. He was my ally right from the idea’s inception and knew the work I put in. I truly believe I canvassed local opinion, and if he disagreed, then he had months of opportunity to tell me.’
‘Yes, I would agree. And I still have absolutely no idea why he would turn around and stab—change his mind without telling you first. And going behind your back like that to create another petition?’ He shook his head. ‘I don’t understand it.’
Eveline kept quiet. She didn’t want to surmise Simon’s motivations or gossip about her theory with Jonathan, no matter how clear the correlation appeared between her refusing his proposal and his change of heart.
‘But unfortunately, that’s only the start of his grievances against you. I’m afraid he’s requesting you be suspended from your position immediately pending a formal enquiry.’
‘What? Why?’
Jonathan shifted in his chair, looking increasingly uncomfortable. ‘He claims you violated health and safety legislation and the law by providing your own sausages in the church. You modified the rectory without permission, sublet it for your own financial gain, and…’
Her head was spinning. ‘And? And what?’
‘Performed carnal acts during the day in front of the rectory windows.’
‘Oh my god,what happened to you?’ Estelle pushed back her chair and stood as Eveline approached. ‘Did he cut you from the next round ofBritain’s Next Top Vicar? Smite you for being too hot?’
Eveline opened her mouth but nothing came out, her mind stuttering like a stuck record, replaying the last half hour over and over again.
Her friend frowned and sat her down at the corner table of the café, facing the wall. ‘If you need to cry, go right ahead. No-one can see you.’
Eveline nodded in response, nausea rolling in waves from her stomach to her throat.
Estelle reached across and took her hands. ‘There’s chocolate ice cream, chocolate cake, hot chocolate, and fancy chocolate truffles. You can have any or all of them. Or we can sit for a bit and you can have me?’
‘You.’
‘Done. And they won’t bother us to place an order. I’ve already spent nearly a hundred and fifty quid whilst I was waiting.’
‘Sorry—’
‘Shut-it, Shaw. I came early so I could stuff my face and get a jump on buying Christmas presents. You’re all good.’
Eveline stared at her cold white hands held in her friend’s warm brown ones. Everything inside her was frozen.
God, are you there?
‘It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me what’s going on,’ Estelle said, squeezing her hands. ‘But I’m not going to lie. I’m freaking out at the moment. I’ve never seen you like this before. Ever.’
Eveline raised her head and gazed at her friend. ‘It’s likely I’m being suspended from my post.’
Estelle’s jaw dropped. ‘What?’ she screeched, then lowered her voice to a hiss. ‘What the actual fuck for? Being too nice? Working too hard?’
