《首发偶发空缺 (临时空缺)》第116章

Fats　approached　her　in　his　boxer　shorts；　a　wrapped　condom　in　his　hand。
‘We　don’　need　that；’　said　Krystal　thickly。　‘I’m　takin’　the　pill　now。’
‘Are　you？’
She　moved　over　on　the　mattress　for　him。　Fats　slid　under　the　duvet。　As　he　pulled　off　his　boxers；　he　wondered　whether　she　was　lying　about　the　pill；　like　the　watch。　But　he　had　wanted　to　try　without　a　condom　for　a　while。
‘Go　on；’　she　whispered；　and　she　tugged　the　little　foil　square　out　of　his　hand　and　threw　it　on　top　of　his　blazer；　crumpled　on　the　floor。
He　imagined　Krystal　pregnant　with　his　child；　the　faces　of　Tessa　and　Cubby　when　they　heard。　His　kid　in　the　Fields；　his　flesh　and　blood。　It　would　be　more　than　Cubby　had　ever　managed。
He　climbed　on　top　of　her；　this；　he　knew；　was　real　life。
VIII
At　half…past　six　that　evening；　Howard　and　Shirley　Mollison　entered　Pagford　Church　Hall。　Shirley　was　carrying　an　armful　of　papers　and　Howard　was　wearing　the　chain　of　office　decorated　with　the　blue　and　white　Pagford　crest。
The　floorboards　creaked　beneath　Howard’s　massive　weight　as　he　moved　to　the　head　of　the　scratched　tables　that　had　already　been　set　end　to　end。　Howard　was　almost　as　fond　of　this　hall　as　he　was　of　his　own　shop。　The　Brownies　used　it　on　Tuesdays；　and　the　Women’s　Institute　on　Wednesdays。　It　had　hosted　jumble　sales　and　Jubilee　celebrations；　wedding　receptions　and　wakes；　and　it　smelt　of　all　of　these　things：　of　stale　clothes　and　coffee　urns；　and　the　ghosts　of　home…baked　cakes　and　meat　salads；　of　dust　and　human　bodies；　but　primarily　of　aged　wood　and　stone。　Beaten…brass　lights　hung　from　the　rafters　on　thick　black　flexes；　and　the　kitchen　was　reached　through　ornate　mahogany　doors。
Shirley　bustled　from　place　to　place；　setting　out　papers。　She　adored　council　meetings。　Quite　apart　from　the　pride　and　enjoyment　she　derived　from　listening　to　Howard　chair　them；　Maureen　was　necessarily　absent；　with　no　official　role；　she　had　to　be　content　with　the　pickings　Shirley　deigned　to　share。
Howard’s　fellow　councillors　arrived　singly　and　in　pairs。　He　boomed　out　greetings；　his　voice　echoing　from　the　rafters。　The　full　plement　of　sixteen　councillors　rarely　attended；　he　was　expecting　twelve　of　them　today。
The　table　was　half　full　when　Aubrey　Fawley　arrived；　walking；　as　he　always　did；　as　if　into　a　high　wind；　with　an　air　of　reluctant　forcefulness；　slightly　stooped；　his　head　bowed。
‘Aubrey！’　called　Howard　joyfully；　and　for　the　first　time　he　moved　forward　to　greet　the　newer。　‘How　are　you？　How’s　Julia？　Did　you　get　my　invitation？’
‘Sorry；　I　don’t—’
‘To　my　sixty…fifth？　Here　–　Saturday　–　day　after　the　election。’
‘Oh；　yes；　yes。　Howard；　there’s　a　young　woman　outside　–　she　says　she’s　from　the　Yarvil　and　District　Gazette。　Alison　something？’
‘Oh；’　said　Howard。　‘Strange。　I’ve　just　sent　her　my　article；　you　know；　the　one　answering　Fairbrother’s　…　Maybe　it’s　something　to　do　…　I’ll　go　and　see。’
He　waddled　away；　full　of　vague　misgivings。　Parminder　Jawanda　entered　as　he　approached　the　door；　scowling　as　usual；　she　walked　straight　past　without　greeting　him；　and　for　once　Howard　did　not　ask　‘how’s　Parminder？’。
Out　on　the　pavement　he　found　a　young　blonde　woman；　stocky　and　square；　with　an　aura　of　impermeable　cheerfulness　that　Howard　recognized　immediately　as　determination　of　his　own　brand。　She　was　holding　a　notebook　and　looking　up　at　the　Sweetlove　initials　carved　over　the　double　doors。
‘Hello；　hello；’　said　Howard；　his　breathing　a　little　laboured。　‘Alison；　is　it？　Howard　Mollison。　Have　you　e　all　this　way　to　tell　me　I　can’t　write　for　toffee？’
She　beamed；　and　shook　the　hand　he　proffered。
‘Oh；　no；　we　like　the　article；’　she　assured　him。　‘I　thought；　as　things　are　getting　so　interesting；　I’d　e　and　sit　in　on　the　meeting。　You　don’t　mind？　Press　are　allowed；　I　think。　I’ve　looked　up　all　the　regulations。’
She　was　moving　towards　the　door　as　she　spoke。
‘Yes；　yes；　press　are　allowed；’　said　Howard；　following　her　and　pausing　courteously　at　the　entrance　to　let　her　through　first。　‘Unless　we　have　to　deal　with　anything　in　camera；　that　is。’
She　glanced　back　at　him；　and　he　could　make　out　her　teeth；　even　in　the　fading　light。
‘Like　all　those　anonymous　accusations　on　your　message　board？　From　the　Ghost　of　Barry　Fairbrother？’
‘Oh　dear；’　wheezed　Howard；　smiling　back　at　her。　‘They’re　not　news；　surely？　A　couple　of　silly　ments　on　the　inter？’
‘Has　it　only　been　a　couple？　Somebody　told　me　the　bulk　of　them　had　been　taken　off　the　site。’
‘No；　no；　somebody’s　got　that　wrong；’　said　Howard。　‘There　have　only　been　two　or　three；　to　my　knowledge。　Nasty　nonsense。　Personally；’　he　said；　improvising　on　the　spot；　‘I　think　it’s　some　kid。’
‘A　kid？’
‘You　know。　Teenager　having　fun。’
‘Would　teenagers　target　Parish　councillors？’　she　asked；　still　smiling。　‘I　heard；　actually；　that　one　of　the　victims　has　lost　his　job。　Possibly　as　a　result　of　the　allegations　made　against　him　on　your　site。’
‘News　to　me；’　said　Howard　untruthfully。　Shirley　had　seen　Ruth　at　the　hospital　the　previous　day　and　reported　back　to　him。
‘I　see　on　the　agenda；’　said　Alison；　as　the　pair　of　them　entered　the　brightly　lit　hall；　‘that　you’ll　be　discussing　Bellchapel。　You　and　Mr　Fairbrother　made　good　points　on　both　sides　of　the　argument　in　your　articles　…　we　had　quite　a　few　letters　to　the　paper　after　we　printed　Mr　Fairbrother’s　piece。　My　editor　liked　that。　Anything　that　makes　people　write　letters　…’
‘Yes；　I　saw　those；’　said　Howard。　‘Nobody　seemed　to　have　much　good　to　say　about　the　clinic；　did　they？’
The　councillors　at　the　table　were　watching　the　pair　of　them。　Alison　Jenkins　returned　their　gaze；　still　smiling　imperturbably。
‘Let　me　get　you　a　chair；’　said　Howard；　puffing　slightly　as　he　lifted　one　down　from　a　nearby　stack　and　settling　Alison　some　twelve　feet　from　the　table。
‘Thank　you。’　She　pulled　it　six　feet　forward。
‘Ladies　and　gentlemen；’　called　Howard；　‘we’ve　got　a　press　gallery　here　tonight。　Miss　Alison　Jenkins　of　the　Yarvil　and　District　Gazette。’
A　few　of　them　seemed　interested　and　gratified　by　Alison’s　appearance；　but　most　looked　suspicious。　Howard　stumped　back　to　the　head　of　the　table；　where　Aubrey　and　Shirle