you talk to Robert when things are difficult?’
‘I try not to. It worries him and he feels helpless so …’ Angela rubbed at her forehead, not wanting to break down in front of Mamie.
‘When we were little, your mum and I, she was the good daughter. If there was washing to hang on the line, she’d do it. If Mum needed her feet rubbed, it was her she wanted. It caused more than a little sibling rivalry between us, I can tell you.’
Angela smiled. ‘Mum told me you were a bit of a rebel.’
‘A bit! The uncomfortable truth is, I was jealous of her. Her beauty, her sweetness, her brains. Her smooth complexion. She had no need to rebel. Everyone loved her.’
‘She told me she envied your independence.’
‘Oh, I was independent all right. Lipstick, boyfriends, the Rolling Stones, cigarettes and gin. Insisting that everyone called me Mamie rather than Marjorie.’
Angela laughed. ‘Is it true that you tried to get Mum to change her name too?’
‘Oh, yes! How could I have a sister called Elsie! I went on and on at her. Ellie. You must be called Ellie. Mamie and Ellie sounded infinitely better than Marjorie and Elsie.’
‘And yet you were so close as you got older.’
‘We were. She was my best friend. I could tell her anything and she’d never judge me.’
Angela nodded. ‘She told me that when Dad died, you came straight home to be with her.’
‘Where else would I be? Anyway, being a chalet girl in Klosters might have sounded good but it was a terrible job. The men were all randy, but ugly, and the women were all skeletal bitches.’
Angela laughed. ‘I can imagine you arriving, all glam in white salopettes and fur boots.’
‘I brought her a bottle of Nina Ricci L’Air du Temps from duty-free. To cheer her up.’ Mamie inhaled her cigarette deeply then stubbed the butt on the tiled floor. She noted Angela’s raised eyebrow. ‘Don’t worry. I’ll pick it up before we go. So I gave her the perfume and she hugged me for it and, shortly afterwards, we discovered you were on the way.’
Angela bent down and picked up the discarded cigarette butt. ‘What would she and I have done without you?’
‘Well, you’d have been called Tracey, for a start!’
‘What?’
‘Yep. It was the name of the midwife who delivered you. Terrible idea. So I gave her some better options. Sadie. Eloise. Tuesday.’
‘Tuesday?’
‘Well, you were born on a Tuesday. Anyway, she said no to all of them and then I thought of Angelina because you were such an angel, but your Mum preferred Angela so here we are. And, as it happens, the perfect name for a perfect vicar.’
‘I will be happy with being a half-decent vicar.’
Mamie put a comforting arm around her niece and kissed her hair. ‘Darling, your mum and I couldn’t be more proud of you.’
‘Thank you.’ Angela’s eyes pricked with tears. ‘I wonder if I have been incredibly selfish. Asking Robert to take a year out. Disrupting Faith’s school life …’
‘Now stop that!’ Mamie reached for her bag and drew out her packet of cigarettes. ‘That is self-indulgent nonsense and you know it.’ She lit another cigarette and with it between her teeth said, ‘You, my girl, are a brave and wonderful woman. Robert will survive; in fact, I think he’s very grateful to be out of his rut for a bit.’
‘It’s not a rut! Mamie, the Prime Minister calls him Bob. The BBC are thinking of sending him to Washington to be their correspondent. He is important. I’m just a rookie vicar who has landed in a tiny rural parish and who isn’t so certain that it’s the best thing I could have done.’
‘You might like to have a few joss sticks burning in here,’ Mamie said.
‘Don’t change the subject. I’m trying to tell you how scared I am. This could all turn out to be a huge disaster.’ Angela clenched her hands anxiously.
‘My darling girl, I may not have faith in your God, but whoever she is, she has faith in you. This is simply a test of that faith.’
Angela angrily brushed away a stray tear. ‘It’s hard. Believing in something that others think is a fantasy. People judge me. Think I am naïve. Mad.’
‘Who thinks that?’
‘You. Robert. Faith. Old friends. I’ve been asked so often, If there is a God, why does he allow war and violence? I can only say that we were given the Ten Commandments to live by but God gave us the free will to follow them or not. Not much of an answer, is it?’
Mamie sat silently, mulling this over, then said, ‘If I believe in anything it is the innate goodness that lies inside humans. You will lead this parish by example.’
Angela took a deep breath then sighed. ‘I will try.’
‘You’re only human.’
‘Yeah.’
‘So what about some joss sticks?’
‘No.’ Angela smiled weakly.
‘Why not?’ Mamie shrugged.
‘Because I am an ordained priest in the Christian Church. Not an old hippy like you.’
‘So pompous and pious,’ Mamie teased. ‘There’s nothing wrong with a joss stick. Great for meditation. Why wouldn’t they be great for prayer? Tell me where in the Bible God says, Let there be no joss sticks?’
‘Fire hazard.’ Angela sniffed. ‘And please don’t stub that cigarette out on the floor again.’
‘Sorry.’ Mamie stood and walked up the aisle. ‘Nice vibe in this building. I can see you bringing fun and spirit to this place. It may not be an inner-city area but it will have its own problems. Humans like to make a mess of their lives and all human mess will be here exactly as it is in any other parish.’ She walked back to where Angela was still sitting. ‘All joking apart, darling, I know you will make a difference. Whatever that difference may be. Too late for me, of course. God gave up on me years ago. But he likes you.’
‘He likes all of us, even you,’ Angela said fondly.
‘Don’t try and convert me. It’s much too late. Now let’s get out of here, I want to see the beach.’
They went back to the vicarage and picked up an excited Mr Worthington and Faith. The latter was in a tiny jumper and hot pants.
‘Put some clothes on. You’ll catch your death out there,’ Mamie ordered.
‘I’ll be fine,’ said Faith, wrapping an extra-long scarf round her neck.
‘It’s raining,’ her mother told her.
