He was wondering how she tied the bow behind herself like that when someone passed him an A5 sheet of paper headed ‘Parish Meeting 2nd August – AGENDA’, which most people seemed to be using as fans or fly swatters. He saw he’d managed to miss ‘minutes of the last meeting’ and ‘matters arising’ and now they were on ‘Chair’s address’. Megan was currently addressing the fact that the village meeting at De Silva House on the 25th of May had no standing and only at Parish Meetings could votes be held and motions carried.

‘That said,’ Megan went on. ‘A very interesting thing came indirectly from that meeting and that’s that we have a new resident who’s an expert on the internet.’ She sent Clancy a bright smile, who grinned back as if amused at the description. ‘So I’m going to hand over to Clancy Moss and she’s going to talk to us about our options.’

Clancy rose and turned to face the meeting. She looked cool and self-possessed – or, at least, as cool as was possible on a hot, humid summer’s evening – and he was reminded of her status as a businessperson. She’d probably addressed meetings and made presentations as part of her daily life.

She began, ‘I don’t consider myself an expert, but I’m happy to share what I know.’ Her gaze snagged on his for a moment and she smiled before plunging into what sounded to him like a well-thought-out lecture on satellite broadband and bonded broadband, where several people could link their signals together for strength, delivered with casual ease. She acknowledged that as the village was in a conservation area satellite dishes could only be placed on the non-road side of houses, and that was if there was no Grade I or II listing to prohibit it, and that the village was in a worse position regarding mobile phone signals. ‘Megan’s asked me to make a recommendation,’ she went on.

‘I don’t know what all the fuss is about the internet anyway,’ Aunt Norma grumbled under her breath. ‘We did without it for enough years.’

Aaron leaned over to reply in her ear. ‘It allows me to run my business.’

Aunt Norma sent him a sidelong look and pressed her lips together.

Clancy was still speaking so Aaron switched his attention back to her. ‘I suggest we research internet providers in other parts of Norfolk, and put together a letter detailing the reasons we need internet access here in Nelson’s Bar, and ask for information as to why we’ve been left out of the party. I’m happy to help Megan with this. Likewise, the mobile phone companies. Later, if necessary, we can make noise with the press and maybe our local MP or councillor.’

Megan put up her hand. ‘I was wondering if Nelson’s Bar could have its own website?’

Clancy’s hair swung as she nodded. ‘There are plenty of free or low-cost options, especially if you have a volunteer to create and update the site. Our being an internet “not spot” doesn’t mean the village doesn’t exist as far as outside internet users are concerned. If Nelson’s Bar wants more tourism then a website would be great.’