‘She didn’t swallow. I suppose they prefer a money shot, don’t they? Anyway, he jizzed on her tits in the end. You must come and look. I think they’re setting up a threesome scene now.’
‘Are you absolutely sure?’
‘For heaven’s sake. Get over the wall and see for yourself. It’s all terribly immoral, but you mustn’t take my word for it.’
Commending his soul to God, Adam scrambled over the wall. He stood beside Julia, suddenly hideously aware of the dried semen stain inside his pants, and followed her line of sight.
A naked man lay on the lawn, being closely attended to by two beautiful women. They were a far cry from the pneumatic bottle-blondes his vague knowledge of such productions might have led him to expect. These looked like art students, adorned with exotic tattoos. The girl on the right had purple-streaked hair and interesting piercings while her counterpart’s dark skin glittered with pasted-on jewels, contrasting exquisitely with the helpless man’s golden tone. They feasted on the man’s cock and balls, occasionally rising to kiss and fondle each other with tender enthusiasm. The man’s hands busied themselves inside the widespread slits of his partners while they pushed their tongues into each other’s mouths and twisted each other’s nipples. Around them, people ran back and forth with cameras and sound equipment.
Adam shut his eyes, suddenly faint. His cock was hard again.
‘So there you have it,’ whispered Julia, triumphant. ‘My beautiful lawn being used as a porn set.’
‘Yes. Yes, I see.’ Adam tried to clear his throat discreetly, looking away from the action.
‘The question is what are you, as the moral compass of the village, going to do about it?’
It seemed to Adam that Julia’s objections were less morally than materially based, but he kept the observation to himself.
‘I … I think a pastoral visit may be in order. Can we go now?’
His peripheral vision caught the sight of one girl sitting on the man’s face, bending over to lick the other girl’s offered pussy. He turned his back and strode swiftly away.
Julia scurried after him.
‘Pastoral visit?’ Her whisper was harsh and urgent. ‘Is that all? Make them see the error of their ways? That’ll be the day. We need action, vicar. Direct action.’
Scissoring both of his long legs over the wall, Adam shook his head.
‘I disapprove just as strongly as you do, Ms Shields. But we must observe the law, which they don’t appear to be breaking.’
‘Well, they might be. And call me Julia. We’ve only seen a snapshot of what they do. Could you give me a hand, please …? Thanks.’
She landed on the other side of the wall and held on to his steadying arm a little longer than was necessary. She was so cold. Why was she so cold?
‘But they could be up to even worse things,’ she continued. ‘Teenagers or – you know – illegal stuff. I want to organise a surveillance rota. I want to catch them out.’
‘A surveillance rota?’ Adam removed her bony fingers from his forearm and stared at her. ‘You mean – trespass the premises and spy on them?’
‘I can’t trespass on my own land,’ she insisted.
‘And yes. That’s what I plan to do. I have friends who are in. They’ll help out. We were rather counting on your support, vicar.’
‘A pastoral visit,’ he said firmly. ‘That’s what I can offer in the first instance. After that, we can reconsider our strategy. We can stage protests, marches, involve the local press. But first I want to talk to them.’
‘I don’t see what talking will do. They’ll fob you off.’
‘Have you tried talking to them?’
‘Of course not. I don’t talk to thieving pornographers.’
‘Jesus would have done.’
‘Well, you’re not a very good clergyman if you haven’t worked out that I’m not Jesus. Look, I’ll leave you to it. Talk to them if you must. But do it today, and report back to me.’ She took a business card from her handbag and shoved it in his hand. ‘Here’s my number. I’m renting a ground-floor flat at the Malt House. It’s a short-term let, because, believe me, I’ll be back in the Manor by Christmas.’
Adam watched her stalk off towards the road, feeling as if some kind of tornado of will had picked him up and deposited him back on the ground.
Julia Shields could be a lot of trouble. But at least she recognised that he was needed by the community. This might be a positive thing.