Birds Of A Feather Episode 21
Paloma tapped on the door of the Old Post Office and waited for what seemed an age for it to open.
When it did, it was Geoffrey and not Daphne who stood there.
Paloma was shocked by the change in him.
He’d always been a well-dressed, upright man with a slight paunch and the rosy complexion of a man who had over-indulged in the after-dinner port rather too often.
Now he appeared to have shrunk like a slowly leaking balloon. His shabby cardigan hung loosely on him and his thin hair was uncombed.
But it was his face that shocked her most. It was the colour of cold porridge, and his eyes were dull and vacant.
“Hello, Geoffrey,” she said. “I wondered if Daphne was in. I need a favour.”
He looked at her blankly.
“I’m not sure . . .”
With a trembling hand he wiped away beads of sweat from his forehead.
Paloma looked at him in alarm.
“Are you unwell? You look awfully pale.”
“I’m fine. I’ll just call my wife.” He peered at her. “I’m sorry. What did you say your name was?”
“It’s Paloma Brookes.”
“Edmund Brookes’s sister. Of course. So you didn’t leave the village when your brother did?”
“No. I work up at Folly Farm with Maggie.”
“Who are you chatting to, Geoffrey?” a voice from inside called out.
“Don’t stand there letting all the heat out. Oh, it’s you, Paloma.”
Paloma smiled at her. Unlike her husband, Daphne looked the same as always.
She was dressed as if she were off to a garden party with not a hair out of place and her nails beautifully manicured.
“I’ve come to ask you a favour.”
Daphne preened, as Paloma had hoped she would.
“What sort of favour? Something to do with the church? I haven’t met the new vicar yet, but I’m told he’s very good.”
“Yes, he’s very pleasant,” Paloma replied. “But what I wanted to talk to you about is not the church.
“It’s about the planned redevelopment of the pub. I’ve started a petition against it and I have a few signatures already –”
“And you want me to sign it? Of course I will. I still know my civic duty – in spite of everything,” she added with a dark look directed at her husband.
“The thing is,” Paloma explained, “I don’t have as much time as I thought I would when I took this on.
“I can’t afford the time to go house to house, which is what it needs.
“But then I realised I knew someone who’s far better than me at getting this sort of thing done.
“Someone who has far more say in the community than I have.”
“Me?” Daphne’s eyes shone and she stood a few inches taller.
“I don’t suppose I have the same influence on people now Geoffrey’s no longer a councillor.”
She shot her husband another venomous look as she spoke.
“I think you’ll find people will respond to you just the same as ever,” Paloma said quickly as Geoffrey flinched.
“Please say you’ll do it. Someone’s got to stop him.”
“Stop who?” Daphne asked. “Oh, the company behind the redevelopment?
“Yes, these large conglomerates shouldn’t be allowed to come into villages and turn them into building sites.”
“This isn’t one of the big national companies,” Paloma replied. “The man redeveloping the pub lives in the village now. He’s the man who bought your house.”
“Kevin Brigstocke!” Daphne hissed. “That snake! In that case, I will definitely take on the petition.”
But as Paloma handed the petition over, Geoffrey snatched it out of Daphne’s outstretched hand.
“No!” he snapped, his eyes wild. “You’ll do nothing of the sort. Miss Brookes, take this back. My wife will not be doing this.”
Daphne’s look of astonishment made Paloma suspect this was probably the first time in their married life that he’d stood up to her.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Geoffrey,” Daphne retorted. “After the way that unspeakable man has cheated us out of –”
“That’s enough!” Geoffrey thrust the folder towards Paloma. “Take it and go away.”
Paloma reached out to take the folder, but it never reached her.
Instead, Geoffrey suddenly clutched his chest and collapsed at her feet.