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n on the screen。 Kay knew that Gaia was municating online with the friends she had left behind in Hackney； friends she had had； in most cases； since she had been in primary school。
‘Gaia？’
Refusal to answer was new and ominous。 Kay was used to explosions of bile and rage against herself and； particularly； Gavin。
‘Gaia； I’m talking to you。’
‘I know； I can hear you。’
‘Then kindly have the courtesy to answer me back。’
Black dialogue jerked upwards in the boxes on the screen； funny little icons； blinking and waggling。
‘Gaia； please will you answer me？’
‘What？ What do you want？’
‘I’m trying to ask about your day。’
‘My day was shit。 Yesterday was shit。 Tomorrow will be shit as well。’
‘When did you get home？’
‘The same time I always get home。’
Sometimes； even after all these years； Gaia displayed resentment at having to let herself in； at Kay not being at home to meet her like a storybook mother。
‘Do you want to tell me why your day was shit？’
‘Because you dragged me to live in a shithole。’
Kay willed herself not to shout。 Lately there had been screaming matches that she was sure the whole street had heard。
‘You know that I’m going out with Gavin tonight？’
Gaia muttered something Kay did not catch。
‘What？’
‘I said； I didn’t think he liked taking you out。’
‘What’s that supposed to mean？’
But Gaia did not answer； she simply typed a response into one of the scrolling conversations on the screen。 Kay vacillated； both wanting to press her and afraid of what she might hear。
‘We’ll be back around midnight； I expect。’
Gaia had not responded。 Kay had gone to wait for Gavin in the hall。）
‘Gaia’s made friends；’ Kay told Miles； ‘with a girl who lives in this street； what’s her name – Narinder？’
‘Sukhvinder；’ said Miles and Samantha together。
‘She’s a nice girl；’ said Mary。
‘Have you met her father？’ Samantha asked Kay。
‘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 her