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and Howard was revealed； immense in a velvet…faced overcoat。 Shirley and Maureen bobbed in his wake； Shirley neat and posed in navy blue； Maureen scrawny as a carrion bird； in a hat with a small black veil。
‘Hello； hello；’ said Howard； kissing Samantha firmly on both cheeks。 ‘And how’s Sammy？’
Her answer was swallowed up in a widespread； awkward shuffling； as everybody began retreating backwards off the path： there was a certain discreet jockeying for position； nobody wanted to relinquish their claim to a place near the church entrance。 With this cleaving in two of the crowd； familiar individuals were revealed like separate pips along the break。 Samantha spotted the Jawandas： coffee…brown faces among all the whey； Vikram； absurdly handsome in his dark suit； Parminder dressed in a sari （why did she do it？ Didn’t she know she was playing right into the likes of Howard and Shirley’s hands？） and beside her； dumpy little Tessa Wall in a grey coat； which was straining at the buttons。
Mary Fairbrother and the children were walking slowly up the path to the church。 Mary was terribly pale； and appeared pounds thinner。 Could she have lost so much weight in six days？ She was holding one of the twins’ hands； with her other arm around the shoulders of her younger son； and the eldest； Fergus； marching behind。 She walked with her eyes fixed straight ahead； her soft mouth pursed tight。 Other family members followed Mary and the children； the procession moved over the threshold and was swallowed up in the dingy interior of the church。
Everyone else moved towards the doors at once； which resulted in an undignified jam。 The Mollisons found themselves shunted together with the Jawandas。
‘After you； Mr Jawanda； sir； after you …’ boomed Howard； holding out an arm to let the surgeon walk in first。 But Howard made sure to use his bulk to prevent anybody else taking precedence over him； and followed Vikram immediately through the entrance； leaving their families to follow on。
A royal…blue carpet ran the length of the aisle of St Michael and All Saints。 Golden stars glimmered on the vaulted ceiling； brass plaques reflected the glow of the hanging lamps。 The stained…glass windows were elaborate and gorgeously hued。 Halfway down the nave； on the epistle side； St Michael himself stared down from the largest window； clad in silver armour。 Sky…blue wings curved out of his shoulders； in one hand he held aloft a sword； in the other； a pair of golden scales。 A sandalled foot rested on the back of a writhing bat…winged Satan； who was dark grey in colour and attempting to raise himself。 The saint’s expression was serene。
Howard stopped level with St Michael and indicated that his party should file into the pew on the left； Vikram turned right into the opposite one。 While the remaining Mollisons； and Maureen； filed past him into the pew； Howard remained planted on the royal…blue carpet； and addressed Parminder as she passed him。
‘Dreadful； this。 Barry。 Awful shock。’
‘Yes；’ she said； loathing him。
‘I always think those frocks look fy； are they？’ he added； nodding at her sari。
She did not answer； but took her place beside Jaswant。 Howard sat down too； making of himself a prodigious plug at the end of the pew that would seal it off to newers。
Shirley’s eyes were fixed respectfully on her knees； and her hands were clasped； apparently in prayer； but she was really mulling over Howard and Parminder’s little exchange about the sari。 Shirley belonged to a section of Pagford that quietly lamented the fact that the Old Vicarage； which had been built long ago to house a High Church vicar with mutton…chop whiskers and a starched…aproned staff； was now home to a family of Hindus （Shirley had never quite grasped what religion the Jawandas were）。 She thought that if she and Howard went to the temple； or the mosque； or wherever it was the Jawandas worshipped； they would doubtless be required to cover their heads and remove their shoes and who knew what else； otherwise there would be outcry。 Yet it was acceptable for Parminder to flaunt her sari in church。 It was not as though Parminder did not have normal clothes； for she wore them to work every day。 The double standard of it all was what rankled； not a thought for the disrespect it showed to their religion； and； by extension； to Barry Fairbrother himself； of whom she was supposed to have been so fond。
Shirley unclasped her hands； raised her head； and gave her attention over to the outfits of people who were passing； and of the size and number of Barry’s floral tributes。 Some of these had been heaped up against the munion rail。 Shirley spotted the offering from the council； for which she and Howard had organized the collection。 It was a large； round traditional wreath of white and blue flowers； which were the colours of Pagford’s arms。 Their flowers and all the other wreaths were overshadowed by the life…sized oar； made of bronze chrysanthemums； which the girls’ rowing team had given。
Sukhvinder turned in her pew to look for Lauren； whose florist mother had made the oar； she wanted to mime that she had seen it and liked it； but the crowd was dense and she could not spot Lauren anywhere。 Sukhvinder was mournfully proud that they had done it； especially when she saw that people were pointing it out to each other as they settled themselves in their seats。 Five of the eight girls on the team had stumped up money for the oar。 Lauren had told Sukhvinder how she had tracked down Krystal Weedon at lunchtime； and exposed herself to the piss…taking of Krystal’s friends； who were sitting smoking on a low wall by the newsagent’s。 Lauren had asked Krystal if she wanted to chip in。 ‘Yeah； I will； all righ’；’ Krystal had said； but she had not； so her name was not on the card。 Nor； as far as Sukhvinder could see； had Krystal e to the funeral。
Sukhvinder’s insides were like lead； but the ache of her left forearm coupled with the sharp twinges of pain when she moved it was a counter…irritant； and at least Fats Wall； glowering in his black suit； was nowhere near her。 He had not made eye contact with her when their two families had met； briefly； in the churchyard； he was rest