‘Maybe if we all chip in – say fifty quid?’ said Justin. ‘That’ll give us roughly five hundred pounds’ worth of working capital.’
He might as well have suggested everyone present donated an organ in order to make a new, better person.
Sarah broke through the protest. ‘That’s actually a good idea, er, Justin, but most people here couldn’t manage that sort of donation.’
‘We’d pay it back, when the money started coming in,’ said Rachel.
‘Still far too much,’ said Sarah. ‘What about twenty? Two hundred will buy us quite a lot. And we could ask people not here tonight to put up some money.’
‘I’m on a pension. I already suffer from fuel poverty,’ said Ivy. ‘I can do a couple of quid and that’s my lot.’
Lindy saw Raff give her a sympathetic glance and realised she wouldn’t be surprised if this elderly pensioner didn’t find a load of logs by her back door in the near future. He’d be a really nice man if he didn’t play the field so much.
There was more chat and then Rachel tapped the side of her glass. ‘As it’s unlikely we’re going to reach a figure we can all afford that will still give us a useful amount of money, I suggest we all contribute according to our means. And it is only a loan and will be paid back as soon as we get our first booking.’ She looked around. ‘Justin? I’ll put you down for fifty pounds.’
‘Hang on, isn’t it a bit complicated, us all donating different amounts?’ said someone.
‘It’s a loan, not a donation, and it’s not at all complicated if we keep proper records,’ replied Rachel smartly. ‘Probably best if people write down their names and the amount they want to give and I’ll record it. It’ll be private that way.’ She looked around her at the disparate group. ‘I don’t know any of you; I won’t judge you if you put in two quid and drive a Rolls-Royce.’
People chuckled.
‘We’ll do that after the meeting,’ said Rachel and looked up at Sarah expectantly.
‘Right,’ said Sarah, looking, thought her daughter who knew her well, a little pink. ‘Just one more thing – I’ve taken a booking.’
‘For the hall?’ asked Rachel, aghast.
Sarah nodded. ‘It’s for a wedding. It’s the daughter of one of the farmers I look after.’ She paused. ‘I’m a farm secretary, for those who don’t know.’ Rachel and Beth nodded. They hadn’t known this.
‘Wasn’t that a bit rash?’ said Justin. ‘Think of the state of the place!’
‘I think it’s good we have a target,’ said Rachel. ‘It’ll make us get on and do it. When is the wedding? Some time in the spring?’
Sarah still looked embarrassed. ‘It rather depends on when you think spring begins. Valentine’s Day – this year.’
‘That’s the fourteenth of February,’ said Justin.
‘That’s early!’ said someone.
‘Same time every year,’ said another. ‘It’s not like Easter.’
‘That’s only a month away,’ said Rachel.
‘It’s a big ask,’ said Justin.
‘I know,’ said Sarah apologetically, ‘but April’s mother died when she was quite little. She asked me for help with her wedding. I couldn’t not.’
‘I think that was rash, Sarah,’ said Audrey, shaking her head.
‘Oh come on,’ said Raff. ‘We can do it if we try. If Sarah’s got us a gig, we have to go for it.’
No wonder her mother kept saying he was kind, thought Lindy, he was.
‘Although of course I couldn’t ask a lot of money for the hall,’ Sarah went on, sounding a bit apologetic. ‘Even painted it’ll be fairly … primitive.’
‘Rustic sounds better,’ said Rachel, ‘and it’s going to be lovely. Although we will be really up against it,’ she muttered sotto voce.
‘So thirty quid is an acceptable fee?’ Sarah continued. ‘They haven’t much money.’
‘Get them to pay in advance; the money can go towards materials,’ suggested someone.
‘Good point,’ agreed Rachel. ‘Will they be able to do that, do you think?’
Sarah shrugged. ‘I’ll ask them.’
‘Oh, for goodness’ sake,’ snapped Amanda. ‘If they can’t afford thirty quid up front, they can’t afford to get married! Have they any idea how much a wedding costs? The average is nearly twenty grand.’
‘That’s an average,’ said Rachel. ‘It means lots of weddings are far cheaper.’
‘Good thing!’ muttered Beth.
‘I told the bride you’d ring her,’ said Sarah, addressing Beth. ‘That you three girls could help?’
Lindy wondered if her mother realised they wanted to organise vintage weddings for money, not to help out other broke women.
There was more discussion about checking with the Parish Council that they could rent out the hall, Sarah being apologetic for being so impulsive and telling April she could have the hall, and then someone agreed to put it to them at the next meeting. The general feeling was that the Parish Council found the hall a huge embarrassment and would be grateful if someone did something about it.
At last Sarah declared the meeting closed.
‘I’ll collect the donation pledges,’ Sarah said. ‘It’ll be easier for me and it might take a little time. If you three are going for a drink I’ll join you.’
‘So – downstairs for a quick one?’ said Beth to Lindy and Rachel.
‘Yup. That would be good. I can show you the pictures of the dress,’ said Lindy. ‘And we can discuss this fine mess my mother has got us into.’
The other two laughed affectionately. ‘Not really a mess,’ said Beth. ‘A chance to practise.’
‘I have to say,’ said Rachel, ‘I’m really doubtful that we’ll be able to get the hall done in time.’
‘We’ve got a month,’ said Beth. ‘Surely that should be plenty of time.’
‘Not if we’re going to do it properly,’ said Rachel.
‘I don’t think we’ve got time for that,’ said Lindy, hoping Rachel would never find out that she had been known to decorate without moving the furniture. ‘But we’ll have to do our best.’
The three bagged a table near the fire and were soon discussing what they could do for the Boracic Bride from the farm.
‘I’m not letting that dress go for half nothing,’ said Lindy firmly. ‘Even to please my mum.’
‘Totally agree!’ said Beth. ‘That’s going on eBay as soon as we can get it properly photographed.’
‘We’ll find BB another dress,’ said Lindy.
‘Brigitte Bardot?’ asked Rachel, confused.
‘Boracic Bride,’ said Lindy. ‘I was just playing around with names. You know, rhyming slang – boracic lint, skint.’
‘No,’ said Beth. ‘It’s too negative and reminds me of sprouts. Vintage Weddings is a much better name.’
‘Oh, OK,’ conceded Lindy.
‘She’s right,’ said Rachel. She frowned. ‘I do have to say I am really worried about getting the hall painted in time. By the time we’ve washed the walls, and all that woodwork in the rafters, sanded it—’
‘We’ll have to do our best,’ said Beth firmly. ‘And remember that we can cover up the rafters with things and go back and do the job properly afterwards.’
‘But people never do. They always say, “We’ll put up with this for now,” but they never go back and do it right.’
Beth put a calming hand on Rachel’s. ‘But they don’t have you to make sure it gets done properly eventually.’
Beth was very good with people, Lindy noted, seeing Rachel smile and look slightly less stricken.
Rachel got to her feet. ‘Can I get us some wine? I need help if I’m going to get over the thought of getting that hall looking OK in time.’
Just then Raff appeared.
‘Evening, ladies. Rachel?’
Lindy saw Rachel blush and hoped fervently it was just embarrassment and not because she fancied Raff.
‘How’s that wood burning?’ Raff was focusing entirely on Rachel.
‘Er – fine! Good!’
‘Pushing out lots of heat, then?’ went on Raff.
‘Oh yes,’ Rachel said, ‘lots of heat.’
‘Good.’ Raff continued to look at Rachel.
‘Yes?’ said Rachel, getting pinker with every moment.
‘You never bought me that drink.’
Rachel smiled as if with relief. ‘And isn’t this the perfect opportunity? I’m just going to the bar. What can I get you?’
He shook his head. ‘Too easy. Besides, I can tell you girls are working.’
‘We wouldn’t mind you joining us, just for a short time,’ said Rachel, sending a wild look in the direction of the other two.
Raff shook his head. ‘Nope. I want you to ring me up and ask me out for a drink at a time that’s convenient for both of us.’
Rachel shook her head. ‘I’m sorry, I can’t do that.’
‘Why? Have you lost my number?’
‘No,’ said Rachel. ‘I didn’t lose it. I tore it up into little pieces.’
Lindy wasn’t sure what she was expecting him to do when he heard this but Raff laughed and she sensed respect in his expression.
Beth also seemed to be smiling behind her hand.
‘Well,’ he said, producing a card. ‘Let me give it to you again. And if you don’t ring me and ask me for a drink you’ll owe me for a load of wood.’ And he moved off.
Rachel sat down and stuffed the card into her pocket. ‘Did you ask your mum how much a load of wood costs? Then I can just pay him. I’d so much rather.’
Lindy shook her head. ‘I’m sorry, I forgot.’
Rachel sighed. ‘I’ll get the drinks,’ she said. ‘Will wine still cut it? Or do we need vodka?’
Lindy laughed. ‘You’re the one who needed alcohol to calm your nerves.’
When Rachel came back with a bottle of wine and some glasses, Lindy said, ‘You haven’t actually lit your wood-burner yet, have you?’
Rachel bit her lip. ‘’Oh, God, is it that obvious?’
Lindy chuckled. ‘’Course not! I just guessed.’
‘I don’t know how to light a fire,’ said Rachel. ‘I’m so embarrassed. I move down from London to live the country life and I don’t even know the basics.’
‘You need something to light it with,’ said Beth. ‘I only learnt how to light one when I was really cold. Moving into the cottage just after Christmas, it was freezing! I’ve just about got the hang of it now. Candle ends are good.’
‘So, what’s your cottage like, Beth?’ asked Rachel, possibly wanting to direct the conversation away from her failures as a countrywoman.
‘It’s a bit soulless, to be honest,’ said Beth. ‘Very like a lot of holiday accommodation. But it’s free and I’m very grateful to have it to live in.’
‘What you really need is dry kindling,’ said Lindy, still thinking about Rachel’s need to learn about firelighting. ‘One day I’ll take you to my favourite kindling place with the boys. But I’ll try and drop some over to you before.’
‘We really ought to use every spare minute to do the hall,’ said Rachel. ‘I can’t worry about fires now. So don’t worry if you don’t have time.’
‘I’ll ring April,’ said Beth, ‘and tell you when she can meet us.’
‘You mean our Boracic Bride?’ Lindy couldn’t resist.
‘We must stop calling her that!’ said Beth.
‘Otherwise I’m bound to do it to her face.’
‘I wouldn’t want to take the boys to that meeting. Can we wait until the weekend?’ said Lindy. ‘And would we go to her or should she come to us?’
‘I think we should go to her,’ said Rachel. ‘Otherwise she might want to see the hall and then she’d take away her thirty pounds and have her wedding somewhere else.’
‘But is thirty quid worth worrying about?’ said Beth. ‘It’s such a tiny amount. I can’t believe we couldn’t get more for it, even as it is.’ She took an iPad out of her bag. ‘Excuse me. Do you mind if I do a bit of research?’
Lindy suddenly felt downhearted. ‘I’ve just had a thought. If we kill ourselves to get the hall into some sort of decent state we’ll only get thirty pounds for it. Wouldn’t it be better to turn down the wedding and give ourselves a proper length of time to do it?’
‘It would be letting your mum down, though,’ said Beth, still looking at her iPad. ‘It would be good to have a target. And I know it doesn’t sit well with Rachel, but it really doesn’t have to be perfect.’
She looked up from the screen. ‘It seems you can rent village halls very cheaply but we really must make sure ours is wonderful. Then that’s one less thing we have to worry about when Helena’s wedding comes around.’
‘And I bet ours has better architectural features. Painted, it could look gorgeous. Imagine it filled with flowers,’ said Rachel.
‘Garlands!’ said Lindy. ‘Bunting, of course, but it’s a bit – well – overdone these days, don’t you think?’
‘Garlands would be lovely for a wedding,’ said Beth. ‘I wonder if we could buy them cheaply?’
Lindy shook her head. ‘No. If we have garlands we make them. For nothing.’
‘We’re not all good with our hands,’ said Beth. ‘I’m good at computers and eBaying but otherwise I’m fairly useless. Although I did like art at school.’
‘Oh,’ said a voice from behind them. ‘That’s a shame. I was wondering if any of you wanted a job?’
‘Me, please,’ said Beth, putting up her hand the moment she saw it was Sukey, licensee of the Prince Albert, who had asked the question. ‘I can do bar work.’
‘Brilliant!’ said Sukey. ‘Milly is leaving and I know we’re going to be really busy. We’ve got several music nights coming up. When can you start?’
‘Whenever you want me!’ said Beth.
‘I was going to say yes, too,’ said Rachel. ‘But I do have a day job.’
‘I could keep you in reserve, if we get very busy. Have you got experience?’
‘A little bit. And I’m a very quick learner,’ said Rachel.
‘She’s an accountant,’ said Beth. ‘She can probably do the change thing.’
‘Well, I’ll keep you in mind if it looks like I need you. Being a single-handed licensee means things can get busy. So as long as you can wash glasses, you’ll be fine,’ said Sukey easily, heading back to the bar. ‘Come and see me at lunchtime tomorrow and we’ll work out the details.’
‘We can collect kindling after you’ve done that,’ said Lindy. She sighed. ‘I wish I could get a job in a pub. I love what I do, sewing, making things, painting cards, but it’s quite lonely sometimes.’
‘Couldn’t you get childcare if you wanted to work outside the home?’ asked Rachel.
‘I couldn’t make enough money to make it worth the cost of the childcare and I rely enough on Mum and Gran as it is, even with school and the nursery, and Billy only goes there part-time. Mum works pretty much full-time and it would be too much for Gran to have them all the time. That’s why I just do things I can do at home.’