Paradise Fields Read Free Page B

Christmas wreath last time I saw her.’
    â€˜Oh, I’d love to help her with that! In fact, next year, if there is a next year for the market, I might make them. They’re such fun to do.’
    Adrian picked up his mistletoe. ‘For you perhaps. Now I’ve got to carry this all round Tesco’s.’
    Nel took it from him. ‘I’ll bring it round with the card.’
    â€˜If you didn’t spend so much time doing favours for people, you’d have more time to go out with me,’ said Simon, who never quite understood her ability to be so friendly with everybody.
    â€˜I love going out with you, Simon. You know that.’ She took a breath. ‘Look, why don’t you come over to me this evening? I’ll cook us something – or better still, buy some fish and chips – and we can rent a video. Have a bottle of wine.’ This invitation took a bit of effort to make. Simon didn’t really understand the concept of ‘slobbing out’, and Nel still felt she had to tidy the house before his visits. Still, with luck the meeting wouldn’t go on too long, and she’d have time.
    â€˜Are you allowed fish and chips on your diet, Nel?’
    â€˜It’s Christmas! Or nearly. Do you want to come or not?’
    â€˜Actually, I’ve got things of my own I should sort out. I’ll take you out for Sunday lunch tomorrow, instead.’
    â€˜Lovely. Somewhere not too fattening, please.’
    â€˜I thought you said it was Christmas.’
    â€˜It is and it isn’t,’ said Nel, wondering if Simon would ever understand about dieting, or if, like slobbing out, it was beyond him. Extremely fit himself, and able to eat anything, he just thought people were overweight because they ate too much. Only people who suffered from it realised there was more to it than that. Seeing someone she knew turn away from the cheese stall, which sold among other products a local cheese known affectionately as Tom’s Old Socks, she hailed him.
    â€˜Here, Ted! Have you got your luverly mistletoe yet? Roll up, roll up, buy your mistletoe here.’
    â€˜Hi, Nel. Give me a sprig then. Keep the missus happy. Good market, eh?’
    â€˜Excellent. But it should be even better next year, when we’re official.’
    â€˜So we don’t know what’s going to happen to the old place then?’ He indicated the house, rambling and huge, which overlooked the fields. ‘I mean, Sir Gerald’s heir and his wife may object to having a market on their front lawn, so to speak.’
    â€˜It’s not their front lawn, and there’s no reason why they should object. The market is a thing of beauty and a joy for ever. Anyway, if they were likely to be worried, they should have come back from America sooner.’
    â€˜So you haven’t heard anything about what they’re going to do with it, then?’
    â€˜No,’ if you discounted the ugly rumour about the fields, a bit of gossip she was not going to spread. ‘But there’s no real reason why I should. I worked for Sir Gerald, but his son doesn’t have to tell me his plans. I imagine it will cost a fortune to put back in order.’
    â€˜At least a million, I reckon. Apparently the old boy just moved from room to room, as each one began to leak.’
    Nel sighed, finding the conversation depressing. ‘Let’s hope they’ve got plenty of money then.’
    â€˜Well, can’t stand here gossiping, I’ve still got to buy the wife a present. Any hints, Nel?’
    â€˜Diamonds always work for me,’ she said seriously. He laughed, as he was supposed to. ‘She’ll be bloody lucky!’
    â€˜I hope she is!’

Chapter Two
    â€˜ CHRISTMAS IS SUCH a bloody nuisance sometimes!’ said Nel. ‘I mean, this is a fine time to find out that Paradise Fields has had planning permission granted on it for years. When there’s no one around to