The Congregation

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Book excerpt

Prologue

In creating the characters you now find in this fictional mining town, my mind was drawn to my youth in 1970's England, when the fashion for flared trousers and wide collars abounded and disco music was coming to the fore. It was a time of change, when motor cars and television sets were becoming more affordable for the working class, and freedom of expression was encouraged in all walks of life. Homes were being bought instead of rented and a new craze for packaged food was beginning to grip the nation.

I decided to set the scene for this particular novel in 1975, a significant time for miners in Britain, as it was the year in which they received a 35% pay rise from the Government, to align their salaries with the average wage. Spirits were running high and there was a great sense of community across the land. Accidents in the mines were becoming fewer with new safety laws being introduced, and the threat of closure was not yet imminent.

It was a year of celebration as a young Margaret Thatcher, the daughter of a greengrocer, became the first female political party leader, showing women that with determination & fight, anything could be achieved. More women were seeking careers instead of staying at home, and a new generation of animal rights activists, anti-war campaigners and freedom of speech protestors was born. However, it also proved to be a year in which the country experienced great sadness too, with I.R.A. bombings taking many innocent lives and the country being in a temporary grip of fear, especially in and around our great cities. But nothing could deter the people of the nation in their celebration of Royal birthday’s, Guy Fawkes night, Halloween, and every religious event too.

In conjuring up my characters, I took a trip down memory lane, flicking through old photographs to capture the fashions and hairstyles of the era, the places that we travelled to up and down the country and also the iconic sounds that made the 1970’s such a carefree and evocative time to grow up in. I remember attending weddings and christenings where the female guests wore floppy hats and the men sported platform shoes.

Up and down the country people were taking pride in their new modern homes, painting their walls in bright colours, mowing their lawns and climbing ladders to wash their windows until they sparkled in the sun. Yes, we did indeed have sunshine in those days, despite poor old England’s reputation for fog and rain. We had long summers, cool nights and winters where the snow fell so deep that our fathers were obliged to build us sleds to race down hills on. Those were the days I remember.

Chapter One – The Vicar

Archie Matthews sat looking out of the train carriage. The landscape outside had changed from sunny winter skies to a thick greyish smog that settled above the hills like a dirty sheet. He wiped the steamed up window with the sleeve of his woollen coat and wished dearly that he’d brought a flask of tea for the journey. His packet of cheese and pickle sandwiches lay uneaten on the dividing table in front of him, and the gentleman passenger opposite eyed them eagerly. Archie pushed them forward with one finger.

“Help yourself,” he sighed, “I shan’t eat them.”

The man paused for only a second before taking the cellophane wrapper off and greedily biting into the limp bread. Archie shook his head and turned his gaze back to the scenery. He could see pockets of life, small villages, fields of sheep, sprawling dairy farms, but nothing yet of the busy coal-mining town to which he was travelling. The clickety-click of the train in motion made him feel slightly nauseous and he slipped an Imperial Mint from a small bag in his coat pocket, popping it quickly into his mouth before anyone else could raise an eye. Only another half hour and he would be arriving at his destination. He didn’t relish the thought at all, in fact it stirred up a sense of dread inside him, a feeling with which he was becoming strangely familiar.

As the train came to a jolting stop, Archie stooped to check that the name on the platform sign was the same as the one on the letter that he had been sent, unfortunately it was. He quickly edged his way to the luggage rack and, in one swift movement, removed his heavy suitcases from where they had lain for the past four hours. His back ached, a constant throbbing that never went away, but pride would never allow his fellow passengers to see the pain in his face.

As the carriage door was opened by a smartly dressed porter, Archie stepped down on to the concrete and looked around. The station was agreeable enough, there was a small café, functioning ticket office, a waiting room, washrooms and a left luggage office, all of the facilities that the modern day traveller could possibly need. He looked once again at the name of the town, displayed boldly on a black and white sign, stuck to the red brick of the station wall. It was then that he noticed it for the first time. Coal dust.

“Reverend Matthews?” a voice called, “I’m here to collect you.”

Archie turned, instinctively touching his clerical dog-collar out of habit and wondering how long it would stay white in this black and sooty town.

A tall, thin man in a heavy overcoat and flat cap was walking towards him, grinning as though he knew some secret joke. A thick brown scarf was wound tightly under his chin, giving the appearance that his neck was twice as long as it actually was. He looked in his mid-fifties and sucked heavily on a cigarette.

“Martin Fry,” he announced, “Pleased to meet you vicar.”

Archie carefully put one of his suitcases down onto the platform and offered his hand, “Hello Mr. Fry.”

“Oh, call me Martin, please,” the other man chuckled, taking the handle of the case and lifting it, “Blimey, what have you got in here then, the kitchen sink?”

Archie opened his mouth to speak but it seemed that Mr. Fry hadn’t expected an answer to his question, as he had already started walking away, his long arms causing the luggage to only just skim the ground.

“The car’s over there vicar, come on.”

Archie quickened his step and followed the jovial man to the car park, where several vehicles were lined up along a picket fence. He coughed as the first proper lungful of coal dust hit, causing him to pause for a few seconds. It stung his insides like nothing he had experienced before.

“Ha, you’ll get used to it in no time,” Martin Fry called out, as he unlocked the boot of a bright green Ford Cortina with a black vinyl roof, “Pop your case in here.”

Archie did as requested and waited for his companion to unlock the passenger door. Once inside he couldn’t help but notice the cleanliness of the interior. The dashboard, controls, floor mats and rear parcel shelf were all immaculate. There was a whiff of furniture polish and the vicar couldn’t help but wonder if Martin Fry was as fastidious over his home as he was with his car.

“Right then, let’s get you up to the vicarage,” Mr. Fry smiled, “Liz has filled the pantry for you and she’s fixing up some lunch as we speak.”

“Liz?” Archie enquired, wondering why on earth there was someone already in his new home.

“My wife Liz,” Martin explained, “My missus is your housekeeper.”

“I have a housekeeper?”

“Goodness me, doesn’t that Bishop of yours tell you anything?” came the response.

As the car sped through the town, Archie Matthews clung tightly to the sides of his seat. He didn’t want to say anything to the driver, but he secretly feared for his life. As they came to an abrupt halt at a set of traffic lights, the tall man at his side turned to make conversation.

“So, how far did you have to come?”

It was a direct question, one which made the vicar feel uncomfortable, but he pursed his lips and searched for an answer.

“Four hours,” he replied, “From the north.”

Martin Fry nodded, trying to keep an eye out for the amber light as he took in Archie’s solid frame.

“It’s a good place to live, this,” he stated, “Full of honest working-class people.”

“That’s very encouraging,” Archie answered, looking at the townsfolk scurrying along the streets as he sat stationary at the lights, “And do the residents all attend church?”

Martin Fry shifted the gears as soon as the green light flashed, a broad grin lighting up his face.

“I should say,” he laughed, “You’ll have your hands full, that’s for sure.”

Archie didn’t quite know what to say after that, so he sat back in his seat, allowing his escort to do all the talking, which he appeared very happy to do. Martin Fry was a most hospitable man, and as he steered the motor car through the busy streets, he cheerfully pointed out the main places of interest. As useful as the information was, with the doctor’s surgery, library, supermarket and main square all being identified along the way, Archie was more focussed on getting to his destination, where he dearly hoped that a hot bath might be possible. He thought back with a pang of remorse to his last home, a small modern vicarage with all amenities, where he had managed to live comfortably in quiet seclusion. He hoped that his new residence would be just as obliging in the comfort stakes.

They sped past a wide entrance, where the massive shafts of a coal mine stood cold and unmoving.

“See that brow on the hill, up there?” Martin Fry was asking, rousing the vicar from his thoughts, “Well, that’s where we’re heading.”

Archie could see the church spire already and the wide expanse of graveyard beyond. It looked eerie.

“Right,” he managed to mumble, “It looks like a sizeable building.”

As they neared the church, the vicar was taken aback by the grandeur of the place. It was very obviously Norman, he thought, with a tall rectangular tower and gargoyles adorning each corner of the main building. There were two entrances, he noted, as they drove past the main gates and turned down a side track to reveal a smaller one embraced by yew trees.

“Here we are,” Martin Fry announced, interrupting the clergyman’s train of thought, “Welcome to your new home vicar.”

Archie had been so busy taking in the church and its grounds that he hadn’t noticed another set of wooden gates on the opposite side of the pathway. Beyond them, as Mr. Fry manoeuvred the car onto the gravel driveway, a huge grey stone building came into view. He could see by the expression on the vicar’s face that this hadn’t been what he was expecting at all.

“I’ll take your luggage in while you take stock of the place,” he offered, leaving Archie to haul himself out of the passenger’s seat and around to the bonnet of the car, where he stared in awe for quite some time. The vicarage was huge, with at least seven bedrooms, maybe more, and from the sheer amount of windows at the front of the house, Archie could see that he was going to be rattling around inside like an abandoned orphan. He looked down at his bare hands that were beginning to turn blue.

“You’ll catch your death out there vicar,” a woman’s voice called from the front door, “Come inside.”

Archie Matthews obeyed, crunching over the tiny stones under his feet and arriving at the dark panelled doorway. He kept asking himself what he was doing here, in this place, with these people.

“Lovely to meet you Reverend Matthews,” the woman enthused, “I’m Elizabeth Fry.”

“Hello Mrs. Fry,” Archie faltered, “I wasn’t aware that the Bishop had arranged, erm, help.”

The woman made a snuffling sound, as if she was ready to take charge of the situation, and quickly explained what she did.

“I’ve been here thirty years,” she began, “Cleaned, cooked and washed for the last two vicars, with no complaints. I will be here nine until four, every day, except Sundays of course. I do require alternate Saturday afternoons off to visit my sister but I’m sure that won’t be a problem, will it Reverend?”

Archie shook his head and stepped inside, “No, no problem at all Mrs. Fry.”

The entrance hallway was just as grand as the outside of the building. A parquet floor stretched across the whole expanse, with a long corridor leading to the left, while on the right was a wide oak staircase which disappeared upwards to the numerous rooms above. Archie sucked in his breath.

“And where do you live Mrs. Fry?”

“In the cottage just across the way,” she replied, pointing to her right as she closed the heavy door, “We’re not far away if you need anything.”

Archie let out a sigh of relief, one that must have been visible to his new housekeeper as his shoulders dropped a couple of inches and his face brightened. It wasn’t the close proximity of the couple’s house that he was comforted by, but the satisfaction of knowing that he could spend his nights alone away from prying eyes. The more solitary his existence the better, Archie thought.

Mrs. Fry was leading him down the corridor, opening doors and telling him which rooms were which. There was a thud upstairs, causing the vicar to look upwards at the ceiling, but he then realised that it was only Martin taking his suitcases upstairs. At the end of the passage, the housekeeper turned left, revealing a large, bright modern kitchen, fitted with white Formica units and a wide black Aga stove. A long beech table took centre stage in the room, giving it a cosy feel. On the table were the daily newspapers and a cream flowery jug filled with rosehip twigs.

Archie took off his coat, feeling the dampness of it from the fog outside, and placed it around the back of a chair by the Aga to dry. For the first time he was in a room bright enough to properly see Mrs. Fry.

“Let me make you a pot of tea,” she was saying, clattering cups and filling the kettle, “We’re going to have such fun getting to know one another.”

“Mmm, indeed,” Archie muttered as he watched her busily fussing around, “Tea would be nice.”

He could see that Elizabeth Fry was about the same age as her husband, early to mid-fifties he guessed, which was in fact close to his own age. She was only a few inches shorter than him too, a tall woman with a very shapely figure. The years had obviously been kind to the housekeeper as she bore very few lines on her face, although probable years of home baking had added inches to her waistline. She wore tight brown polyester slacks that flared slightly at the bottom and had matched them perfectly with a crocheted waistcoat, underneath which she wore a cream polo neck jumper. Archie wondered if the Fry’s had any children, but it was a passing thought, he didn’t want to ask and he didn’t really care.

“Sugar and milk Reverend Matthews?”

He shook his head, “Just a tiny drop of milk please Mrs. Fry. Thank you.”

Archie began to realise just how weary he had started to feel from his long journey, and pulled out a chair to sit down. More than anything he just wanted to be alone.

“You know, I can take care of myself for the rest of the day,” he said slowly, stifling a yawn, “If you need to go home, please do Mrs. Fry.”

“Would you like me to bring you a warm supper over later?” the kindly woman ventured, “We’re having a rabbit stew and you’re more than welcome to a bowlful.”

“No, really, nothing for me.”

Mrs. Fry lifted a plate from the worktop. It was covered with another plate of the same design and when she removed the top one, a platter of assorted sandwiches were revealed.

“Oh,” breathed Archie, thinking back to his abandoned packet of sandwiches on the train, “You really shouldn’t have gone to any trouble.”

“Nonsense, that’s what I’m here for vicar,” smiled Elizabeth Fry, “Perhaps you’d like me to take your tea and sandwiches through to the sitting room?”

Archie nodded, too weary to argue, and too overcome with kindness to refuse. He thought back briefly to his last home, and the constant prying of his cleaning lady, who had refused to cook, cleaned only the surfaces which were clearly visible to her and had to constantly be reminded that the private papers in his study were not to become the subject of idle gossip. Mrs. Fry seemed too good to be true. Still, Archie was a man of simple needs and he doubted whether he would need his new housekeeper to do much more than keep this massive vicarage clean.

As they padded back down the hallway to the formal sitting room, with Elizabeth Fry leading the way, Archie felt like a schoolboy being taken to the headmaster’s office. It had been quite a surreal day.

“I’ll leave you now, if you’re sure there’s nothing else” whispered the housekeeper, “Get some rest.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow too no doubt,” called her husband from the doorway, “Your cases are upstairs.”

“Thank you,” Archie replied, feeling a twinge in his back as he lowered himself into a chair, “Goodnight.”

Archie opened his eyes several hours later. Trying to slowly adjust his eyes to the darkness, he looked around for familiar features but, of course, there were none. A faint glimmer of moonlight shone through the window, and from that he could just about make out a couple of sofas and a bookcase. Somewhere behind the chair that he reclined in was a large clock, the pendulum ticked as it swung to and fro, causing the vicar to wonder how he had slept through such a racket.

As he gathered his senses, Archie suddenly became aware of something very large and very heavy on his lap, something that he knew had definitely not been there when he had fallen asleep. He gently put a hand down to feel the cause of the pressure on his legs and immediately he did so a loud purring sound began. Without moving the hand that touched the animal, Archie reached to his left and touched upon a table lamp which he switched on, immediately bathing the room in light.

He looked down. A huge pair of green eyes stared up at him, from the body of the biggest black cat he had ever seen.

“Hello puss,” Archie whispered, “What are you doing here?”

The cat yawned loudly and stretched its front paws across the vicar’s knees. Obviously it had no intention of moving anytime soon. Gently lifting the animal under its warm furry stomach, Archie placed it on the floor and got up, stretching his legs vigorously to get feeling back into them. The cat eyed him curiously.

“Come on,” the clergyman smiled, “Let’s see if we can find us both something to eat.”

Picking up the tray of cold tea and curling sandwiches from the table in front of him, Archie opened the sitting room door and shuffled out into the corridor, carefully trying not to tread on the cat as he went. The passage was in complete darkness and it took several wary steps until he managed to find a light switch, in order to make his way along to the far end where he knew he could find the kitchen. The huge feline trotted dutifully ahead, leading the way.

After depositing the cold tea in the sink, Archie carefully opened up the sandwiches to reveal slices of ham, which he fed, at intervals, to his new friend. The cat was delighted with his unexpected snack and, between bites of meat, wrapped his body around the man’s legs whilst meowing softly. With the creature fed, Archie turned his attention to his own needs. Glancing at his watch, he saw that it was midnight. A cup of something warm was first on the agenda, as it was now almost eight hours since his last cup of tea. Had he really been asleep so long? Not feeling particularly refreshed despite his hours of slumber, the vicar realised that his body must have been on the point of exhaustion to have allowed him so much rest.

A large larder cupboard stood in one corner and it was to this that Archie now turned his attention. He dearly hoped that Mrs. Fry had been kind enough to fill it with provisions. Opening one of the cupboard doors, he eyed the shelves, hoping that something would get his taste buds in motion. And there it was, the very food that would sustain him until breakfast, a tin of creamy Ambrosia rice pudding.

The vicar rummaged hurriedly in a nearby drawer until he had located a can opener and, peeling back the top, reached for a spoon and dug in. Even though it was cold, the sweetness of the dessert satisfied Archie’s cravings and he didn’t stop eating until the can was empty. He smacked his lips together and moved to the kettle to prepare his tea, carrying the empty tin to the bin on his way. Aware of the large green eyes still upon him, Reverend Matthews looked at the huge cat, who was now sitting comfortably on a chair, and then back down at the remnants of the rice pudding.

“What?” he laughed, “Do you want some?”

The cat didn’t move, but simply licked its lips in anticipation. Archie ran his forefinger around inside the can, collecting as much of the sauce as possible. He leaned over and fed the dribbling cream to the furry bundle, who lapped at it until the vicar’s finger was clean.

“I think we’re going to get along just fine aren’t we?” he grinned.