JL Merrow

Stranded in a remote country village in 1920s England when his car breaks down, shy young Arthur finds himself drawn to the rough mechanic who comes to his aid, Bob Goodman. Forced to stay until the May Day holiday is over, Arthur makes the best of it, enjoying the village procession and fete.<br><br>But the villagers seem to know more about him than they should, and there’s a second, darker, May celebration that starts when the sun’s gone down. In the drunken revelry that follows, Arthur is whisked off in a wild dance by Goodman, who plays the part of Jack in the Green, the spirit of the greenwood.<br><br>Dancing turns to loving, but is everything what it seems? And is one night all Arthur can have?

Jack in the Green

Arthur wondered how long it was. No doubt he seemed dreadfully young to the man. “And, ah, how did you come to be in the motor car trade? Rather than working on the land, I mean?” For really, the man was burnt as brown as any farmer, and Arthur could easily imagine those broad shoulders (he tried to banish all thoughts of Mrs Ives from his mind) engaged in tilling the soil.


Goodman looked amused. “We all have to move with the times, sir.”


“Oh! Yes, I suppose so. Progress is inevitable, as they say. And I shouldn’t like to be having to ride around everywhere in a horse-drawn carriage, or do without electricity, of course.”


“Would you be in any line of business, sir, or are you what’s known as a gentleman of leisure?”


Chapter 6