pdf download - Westerly Magazine

Stuart, Barbara Worthington, and even EmilyHodgkiss behind them. It was quite a coup, ofcourse- when Diana Hetherington joined in aswell. They had their first meeting the very nextmorning—coffee and crumpets at her place, ofcourse. The crumpets because this was no timefor cooking.* * *"Now let's face it, girls," she was pleased tohave thought of, "from what I've heard ofthem, they're really basically like us. Feminine,I mean. That means they're social climbers.No, No! Listen to me, please!" she said quicklywhen there was a faint sign of protest fromEmily Hodgkiss, "And it all adds up! Or whyelse would they come here to live on TheHeights? Agreed? Right! So what we do iscut them off from all social activities for astart."They can't join the Knoll Club inside ayear, so that's no drinks of a Sunday unlessthey stay home or go out of town. Alec isseeing to it that they can't join the tennis clubjust in case they do play. And you, Mrs Worthington,can keep them out of what they're somuch more likely to be interested in, the StageClub. Marian, your Ben can keep them out ofthe golf club and we've already fixed FatherO'Brien—just in case, you know, girls; can'ttell with a name like Henderson, whereas wedon't have to worry much about Steinberg.And it's also fixed with the Reverend Baker.So, that's no church functions either."Now then, I think there's no need to mentionthat we don't accept their invitations andwe certainly don't give out any ourselves. Sothat's taken care of them socially, shall we say.Now for the sound effects."Bessie, your Henrietta will practise herpiano scales at six every morning. Yes, I know,dear; a bit wearing on you and Bert. But it'sall in the cause, you know—all in the cause.And Elspeth, evenings you can encourage yourTom on his drums and young Eddie on thetrombone. Then there's your Robert, Beryl,with his stereo-set and his beat music. AndHilda, I think we can rely on your old AuntAudrey to let loose her dogs? Good! Thatshould take care of the noise angle until wecan think up something else."Next is litter. I'm afraid we'll have to dependon our girls for paper-strewing over thefence. In a case like this, as you all know, wecan't have our boys going too near the place.In fact, nowhere near it at aU, may I stress.But of course they could help the girls assemblethe litter in the first place. Yes, no harmin that, surely."And now, let me see. Oh, yes, fire hazard.As you know, we're about half-way throughthe dry season, and though it may seem a pityto spoil a little of our natural beauty on TheKnoll, the Horticultural Society has assuredme that it does benefit the natural species toa considerable extent to have a burn-off nowand then. Well, as the reserve land on TheKnoll, the Horticultural Society has assuredI mean—Alec and I have decided that you canleave that part of it to us, with the help ofthe local fire brigade which has already beenarranged. I do hope that none of you feel thatwe—we Johnsons, I mean again—are takingtoo much of this on to ourselves, both thetennis club and the fire hazard, as well as anyother little contributions we can possibly make,but I think you will agree that we must all dowhat we can. And in any case, we are, unfortunately,their closest neighbours."Now I think you'll all agree that, after afew months of our, er—little organizations,they'll be out of The Heights much quickerthan they came, and the AUingham place willagain be up for sale. But this time, girls, Ihave a feeling that the asking price won't bequite so high as it was the last time. Well, wecan't help that. Business is business and, aseveryone and Jock Carruthers well know, realestate is real business. Now, any more questions?No? Any more crumpets anyone? No?Well then- the meeting is closed . . ."* * *Of course, sooner or later she was bound torun into Steinberg, and it happened in thebutcher's.She had to admit that he was, for fifty, afine figure of a man. His hair might be grey,but at least, unlike Alec's, it was a beautifulcrop. Dressed impeccably, of course. No ringsor those identification bracelets his kind usuallybrandished. But what really disappointed herwas that he had, contrary to her expectation,perhaps the straightest nose in The Heights.Was it too straight, perhaps? Plastic surgery,no doubt. And perhaps also a face-lift. Hewas as least discreet enough not to have hisboy-fr . . . . er, Henderson with him.Yet in a way, this also disappointed her;she was curious to see him and perhaps giveWESTERLY, No. 1, MARCH, 1968