A Savage Adoration

There then followed a spirited discussion on the rival merits of buying a building and converting it, or having something purpose-built.

'Purpose-built is ideal, of course,' Dominic agreed. 'But because of the historic and architectural nature of Setondale, I'm afraid we might have problems with the planning and environmental people if we wanted to start right from scratch.'

'Well, I think the best thing for us to do is to go along and look at these semis,' Peter Bryant announced. He got out his diary and consulted it. 'I can manage tomorrow afternoon. After that I'm not free for two weeks.'

There were murmurs of assent from the other members of the committee, which concluded with the Major saying briskly, 'Right, that's settled, then; tomorrow afternoon it is. I'll liaise with the estate agents, and organise cars to make sure everyone can get there. I take it everyone wants to see the place.'

Everyone, it seemed, did, except Christy's father, who announced that since Christy could go in his stead, and since her presence was more necessary than his, she should go and he would stay at home with his wife.

'That's settled, then. I'll pick you up on the way, Christy,' suggested Dominic.

Instantly Amanda pouted, her hard eyes flashing warning signs at Christy. 'Dominic, I was going to ask if you would drive my godmother and me there… I'm afraid I'm rather useless behind the wheel of a car.'

'I…'

'Please don't worry about me, Dominic,' Christy intervened. 'I'm quite happy to drive myself. In fact, I'd prefer it,' she added, giving him a tight little smile. 'I don't like to be away from Mother for too long…'

Both of them knew that she was lying, but apart from the ominous tightening of his mouth, Dominic made no comment.

What had he expected? Christy asked herself in guilty defiance. That she would fling herself at his feet, with her old childish gratitude for his attention?

'Well, now that we've got that out of the way I suggest we move on to ways and means of raising the finance for this project.'

That was the Major, and as her pencil flew over her notebook again, Christy concentrated on recording the committee's suggestions on how the money might best be raised.

'As an incentive, my client, Peter Bryant, here, is prepared to donate twice the amount you can raise from the general public towards this new health centre,' John Howard added, when the others had finished speaking.

It was a very generous offer, and Christy wasn't the only person to look across at the entrepreneur when the bank manager had made his announcement.

'That's extremely generous of you,' said Dominic warmly.

'That remains to be seen, doctor—my generosity depends on how much you can raise by your own endeavours—God helps those who help themselves, eh?'

Christy guessed from the expression on the Vicar's face that he wasn't wholly at ease with the quotation, but whatever the man's motives, there was no getting away from the fact that his offer was a generous one.

Suspecting that the meeting was about to be concluded, Christy was just on the point of getting up to collect the coffee cups when Lady Anthony surprised her by saying, 'I have a suggestion to make—actually it's my god-daughter's.' She smiled fondly at her companion. 'She has reminded me that we have an excellent and very large ballroom at the Manor, and she has suggested that we hold a Valentine's Night Ball there.'

'That's an excellent idea,' John Howard commented enthusiastically, before anyone else could intervene. 'I know several customers of the bank who would want to attend, especially if we could organise some sort of supper.'

'You'll need a band, of course.' That was Amanda herself speaking, her cold eyes sweeping dismissingly around the table until they met Christy's as she added, 'And I expect there are plenty of women in and around. Setondale who could organise the food.'

In view of everyone else's enthusiasm, not even the Major could decry the project, and Christy was privately amused to see his desire to outmanoeuvre his old rival, Lady Anthony, warring with his duties as Chairman of the Finance Committee.

At last, grudgingly, he agreed that the idea was a good one, and added that he thought he knew where he could find their musicians.

'They'll be good ones, I hope,' Amanda chipped in. 'I mean, this won't be a dreary local hop. I intend to ask some of my London friends to come down.'

Privately Christy suspected that if Amanda could have excluded everyone bar her London friends and, of course, Dominic, she would have been more than pleased to do so, but it wasn't her job to make any comments, only to take the minutes, which made it all the more surprising when Dominic turned to her to ask her, 'What do you think of the idea, Christy? Do you think it will be well subscribed?'

She hesitated for a moment before replying, conscious that they were being watched. It was one thing for her to harbour her own resentment and dislike of Dominic; it was quite another to make everyone else aware of her feelings.

'Yes, yes, I think it will,' she answered after some deliberation. 'There are enough comfortably off people living locally for the tickets to sell very well.' She paused for a moment and added slowly, 'It's nothing to do with me… and it's only an idea, but since it is to be for Valentine's Night, how about making it a masked ball—not fancy dress as such, just masked.'

Out of the corner of her eye she saw the vindictive look in Amanda's eyes and sighed. She would have done better to say nothing, but the idea had just occurred to her and she had thought it a good one.

To her surprise, someone else did as well. After harrumping and frowning for several seconds, to not just her astonishment but everyone else's too, the Major cleared his throat and announced, 'Damn fine idea. Went to several when I was out in India. Damn fine affairs. Very romantic… Just the ticket for… er… Valentine's Night.'

The idea of the Major finding anything romantic was quite obviously as startling to the others as it was to her, and it was almost a full minute before anyone could speak. However, eventually Lady Anthony said firmly, 'I agree. I attended several such balls in my youth and they were all great fun.'