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‘No；’ said Kay。
‘He’s a heart surgeon；’ said Samantha； who was on her fourth glass of wine。 ‘Absolutely bloody gorgeous。’
‘Oh；’ said Kay。
‘Like a Bollywood film star。’
None of them； Samantha reflected； had bothered to tell her that dinner was tasty； which would have been simple politeness； even though it was awful。 If she wasn’t allowed to torment Gavin； she ought at least to be able to needle Miles。
‘Vikram’s the only good thing about living in this godforsaken town； I can tell you；’ said Samantha。 ‘Sex on legs。’
‘And his wife’s our local GP；’ said Miles； ‘and a parish councillor。 You’ll be employed by Yarvil District Council； Kay； are you？’
‘That’s right；’ said Kay。 ‘But I spend most of my time in the Fields。 They’re technically in Pagford Parish； aren’t they？’
Not the Fields； thought Samantha； Oh； don’t mention the bloody Fields。
‘Ah；’ said Miles； with a meaningful smile。 ‘Yes； well； the Fields do belong to Pagford； technically。 Technically； they do。 Painful subject； Kay。’
‘Really？ Why？’ asked Kay； hoping to make conversation general； because Gavin was still talking in an undertone to the widow。
‘Well； you see – this is back in the fifties。’ Miles seemed to be embarking on a well…rehearsed speech。 ‘Yarvil wanted to expand the Cantermill Estate； and instead of building out to the west； where the bypass is now—’
‘Gavin？ Mary？ More wine？’ Samantha called over Miles。
‘—they were a little bit duplicitous； land was bought without it being very clear what they wanted it for； and then they went and expanded the estate over the border into Pagford Parish。’
‘Why aren’t you mentioning Old Aubrey Fawley； Miles？’ asked Samantha。 She had； at last； reached that delicious point of intoxication where her tongue became wicked and she became disengaged from fear of consequences； eager to provoke and to irritate； seeking nothing but her own amusement。 ‘The truth is that Old Aubrey Fawley； who used to own all those lovely stone quoits； or whatever Miles was telling you about； did a deal behind everyone’s backs—’
‘That’s not fair； Sam；’ said Miles； but she talked over him again。
‘—he flogged off the land where the Fields are built； pocketed； I don’t know； must have been a quarter of a mill or so—’
‘Don’t talk rubbish； Sam； back in the fifties？’
‘—but then； once he realized everyone was pissed off with him； he pretended he hadn’t known it would cause trouble。 Upper…class twit。 And a drunk；’ added Samantha。
‘Simply not true； I’m afraid；’ Miles said firmly。 ‘To fully understand the problem； Kay； you need to appreciate a bit of local history。’
Samantha； holding her chin in her hand； pretended to slide her elbow off the table in boredom。 Though she could not like Samantha； Kay laughed； and Gavin and Mary broke off their quiet conversation。
‘We’re talking about the Fields；’ said Kay； in a tone intended to remind Gavin that she was there； that he ought to be giving her moral support。
Miles； Samantha and Gavin realized simultaneously that the Fields was a most tactless subject to raise in front of Mary； when they had been such a bone of contention between Barry and Howard。
‘Apparently they’re a bit of a sore subject locally；’ said Kay； wanting to force Gavin to express a view； to rope him in。
‘Mmm；’ he replied； and turning back to Mary； he said； ‘So how’s Declan’s football ing on？’
Kay experienced a powerful stab of fury： Mary might be recently bereaved； but Gavin’s solicitousness seemed unnecessarily pointed。 She had imagined this evening quite differently： a foursome in which Gavin would have to acknowledge that they really were a couple； yet nobody looking on would imagine that they enjoyed a closer relationship than acquaintanceship。 Also； the food was horrible。 Kay put her knife and fork together with three…quarters of her helping untouched – an act that was not lost on Samantha – and addressed Miles again。
‘Did you grow up in Pagford？’
‘Afraid so；’ said Miles； smiling placently。 ‘Born in the old Kelland Hospital along the road。 They closed it in the eighties。’
‘And you？—’ Kay asked Samantha； who cut across her。
‘God； no。 I’m here by accident。’
‘Sorry； I don’t know what you do； Samantha？’ asked Kay。
‘I’ve got my own busi—’
‘She sells outsize bras；’ said Miles。
Samantha got up abruptly and went to fetch another bottle of wine。 When she returned to the table； Miles was telling Kay the humorous anecdote； doubtless intended to illustrate how everyone knew everyone in Pagford； of how he had been pulled over in the car one night by a policeman who turned out to be a friend he had known since primary school。 The blow…by…blow re…enactment of the banter between himself and Steve Edwards was tediously familiar to Samantha。 As she moved around the table replenishing all the glasses； she watched Kay’s austere expression； evidently； Kay did not find drink…driving a laughing matter。
‘… so Steve’s holding out the breathalyser； and I’m about to blow in it； and out of nowhere we both start cracking up。 His partner’s got no idea what the hell’s going on； he’s like this’ – Miles mimed a man turning his head from side to side in astonishment – ‘and Steve’s bent double； pissing himself； because all we can think of is the last time he was holding something steady for me to blow into； which was nigh on twenty years ago； and—’
‘It was a blow…up doll；’ said Samantha； unsmiling； dropping back into her seat beside Miles。 ‘Miles and Steve put it in their friend Ian’s parents’ bed； during Ian’s eighteenth…birthday party。 Anyway； in the end Miles was fined a grand and got three points on his licence； because it was the second time he’d been caught over the limit。 So that was hysterically funny。’
Miles’ grin remained foolishly in place； like a limp balloon forgotten after a party。 A stiff little chill seemed to blow through the temporarily silent room。 Though Miles struck her as an almighty bore； Kay was on his side： he was the only one at the table who seemed remotely inclined to ease her passage into Pagford social life。
‘I must say； the Fields are pretty rough；’ she said； reverting to the subject with which Miles seemed most fortable； and still ignorant that it was in any way inauspicious within Mary’s vicinity。 ‘I’ve worked in the inner cities； I didn’t expect to see that kind of deprivation in a rural area； but it’s not all that different from London。 Less of an ethnic mix； of course。’
‘Oh； yes； we’ve got our share of addicts and wasters；’ said Miles。 ‘I think that’s about all I can manage； Sam；’ he added； pushing his plate away from him with a sizeable amount of food still on it。
Samantha started to clear the table； Mary got up to help。
‘No； no； it’s fine； Mary； you relax；’ Samantha said。 To Kay’s annoyance； Gavin jumped up too； chivalrously insisting on Mary’s sitting back down； but Mary insisted too。
‘That was lovely； Sam；’ said Mary； in the kitchen； as they scraped most of the food into the bin。
‘No； it wasn’t； it was horrible；’ said Samantha； who was only appreciating how drunk she was now that she was on her feet。 ‘What do you think of Kay？’
‘I don’t know。 She’s not what I expected；’ said Mary。
‘She’s exactly what I expected；’ said Samantha； taking out plates for pudding。 ‘She’s another Lisa； if you ask me。’
‘Oh； no； don’t say that；’ said Mary。 ‘He deserves someone nice this time。’
This was a most novel point of view to Samantha； who was of the opinion that Gavin’s wetness merited constant punishment。
They returned to the dining room to find an animated conversation in progress between Kay and Miles； while Gavin sat in silence。
‘… offload responsibility for them； which seems to me to be a pretty self…centred and self…satisfied—’
‘Well； I think it’s interesting that you use the word “responsibility”；’ said Miles； ‘because I think that goes to the very heart of the problem； doesn’t it？ The question is； where exactly do we draw the line？’
‘Beyond the Fields； apparently。’ Kay laughed； with condescension。 ‘You want to draw a line neatly betwee