Who’s Who in King’s Abbot

           BeforeIproceedfurtherwithwhatIsaidtoCarolineandwhatCarolinesaidtome,itmightbeaswelltogivesomeideaofwhatIshoulddescribeasourlocalgeography.

           Ourvillage.King’sAbbot,is,Iimagine,verymuchlikeanyothervillage.OurbigtownisCranchester,ninemilesaway.

           Wehavealargerailwaystation,asmallpostoffice,andtworival"GeneralStores."Able-bodiedmenareapttoleavetheplaceearlyinlife,butwearerichinunmarriedladiesandretiredmilitaryofficers.Ourhobbiesandrecreationscanbesummedupintheoneword,"gossip."ThereareonlytwohousesofanyimportanceinKing’sAbbot.OneisKing’sPaddock,lefttoMrs.Ferrarsbyherlatehusband.Theother,FernlyPark,isownedbyRogerAckroyd.Ackroydhasalwaysinterestedmebybeingamanmoreimpossiblylikeacountrysquirethananycountrysquirecouldreallybe.Heremindsoneofthered-facedsportsmenwhoalwaysappearedearlyinthefirstactofanold-fashionedmusicalcomedy,thesettingbeingthevillagegreen.TheyusuallysangasongaboutgoinguptoLondon.

           Nowadayswehaverevues,andthecountrysquirehasdiedoutofmusicalfashion.

           Ofcourse,Ackroydisnotreallyacountrysquire.Heisanimmenselysuccessfulmanufacturerof(Ithink)wagonwheels.Heisamanofnearlyfiftyyearsofage,rubicundoffaceandgenialofmanner.