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Listeners' Fantasies |
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After Hours at Lower Loxley
by Vicarshusband
 Nigel and Elizabeth's reaction to Kathy's news takes a metaphysical twist, in this piece from the Fantasy Archers topic of .
Nigel opened the sitting room door. Elizabeth was sitting on the sofa with her legs curled under her, toying with a glass of wine. She was watching the DVD of "Atonement" but paused it when Nigel came in, leaving Keira Knightley poised in the air just above the surface of the river.
"Are they asleep?"
"Yes. I started reading that new little Philip Pullman book, the one about the balloon, but they nodded off before -"
"Nigel, don't you think that's little old for Freddie and Lily?"
"Well, I enjoyed it!"
Rueful smile.
Nigel sat beside his wife, taking care not to disturb her - once she was comfortable she didn't like rearranging herself to suit anyone else. It wasn't worth the icy stare and the shake of the head - at least not when he had something more important to discuss.
"Lizzie, we need to talk about this business with Kathy."
"I don't want to talk about it. The ungrateful creature. What was she thinking of? And after all the support we gave her? All the trouble we took? Did she stop to consider what effect this would have on me? And Kenton. he knew about it, Nigel, but he didn't tell me!"
Nigel waited until the tirade subsided.
"No, I didn't mean about Kathy personally. I meant, what will this mean for Lower Loxley? Kathy has a key role here."
Elizabeth sniffed.
"She's just the shop manager. Nobody is irreplaceable. We should easily find someone - perhaps we could get one of the volunteer guides to do it? That would save a bit of money as well."
Nigel shook his head.
"No, you're not thinking, Lizzie. Kathy is going to work at the Golf Club, which has hitherto played no discernible role in village life. But now she is there, people will bump into one another at the club. Half the village will prove to have played golf there for years. Worst of all, whoever we recruit here will probably be a Silent. The producers will forget about the shop..."
Elizabeth gasped.
"Nigel! That's terrible! the shop will never be heard of again. Lower Loxley will lose profile, and begin to slide. We could go the way of Arkwright Hall!"
"Yes, Lizzie."
He paused.
"I can only see one way out of this. We must make sure that we appoint a Speaker to be shop manager."
"Not Lynda Snell, or that awful Carter girl!"
"No, the answer is closer to home, I'm afraid. You almost had it before when you suggested one of the volunteers. Lizzie, we must appoint... Bert Fry!"
More
Archers fantasies
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