Page 77 of The Bookshop By the Loch

Celeste rocked backwards and forwards in her wheelchair. She looked like she wanted to pass out. “I’m so sorry, Lexie, but I’m getting rather tired. Would you mind finding Joy for me please? I think we should head back now.”

I glowered at Flora. I didn’t want to leave Celeste alone with this woman a second longer than I had to.

Thankfully, I didn’t have to.

Joy appeared, clutching the latest crime blockbuster. “I must treat myself to this…” Her voice faded when she noticed Celeste’s expression. “Are you alright, sweetie? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” clipped Celeste, fiddling with her necklace. “I’m just feeling a bit tired.”

Joy flicked Flora and me a puzzled look. “Ok. Let me buy this and then we’ll head straight to the car and get you back.”

Chloe served Joy, thanking her for her custom as she slid the novel into one of our gift bags.

“What happened?” whispered Joy to me, once she had paid for her book. “Celeste was fine and dandy this morning.”

Flora, meanwhile, continued to lurk close by, shooting none too discreet glances at Celeste.

“Flora Simmonds – the woman in the linen trousers over there – made a remark to Celeste, which has upset her.”

“What did she say?”

“She called her the silver songbird.”

“What’s that?”

“I’ve no idea.”

Flora snapped her head up, as she pretended to examine the blurb of a new thriller. “I was only making idle chatter.”

We both smiled at Celeste, who returned our support with a shaky smile of her own.

Joy, clutching her Book Ends gift bag, barged past Flora to get to Celeste.

I dashed to the shop doorway. Flora continued to hover inside, watching proceedings out of her narrowed, lined eyes, as I angled the shop doors open to allow Joy to navigate Celeste’s wheelchair out of Book Ends and back onto the pavement.

Once outside, Joy peered down at Celeste, concerned. “Do you want me to give the doctor a ring?”

“Stop fussing. I’m fine. And you will do no such thing! If you ring him, the next thing I know, I’ll be getting carted off to hospital and I won’t see the light of day again.”

Joy rolled her eyes.

“I’m just a bit tired, that’s all. Nothing a G&T won’t cure.”

“Celeste, you always say that.”

“Yes, and it always works.”

Joy had managed to park her white saloon in one of the disabled bays just a little way back up the street.

After Joy had assisted Celeste into the passenger side and got her settled, I waited until she closed the car door. Celeste was still pale. She pushed out a shaky smile at me through the car window.

“I’ve no idea what all that was about,” I murmured to Joy.

Joy frowned across the roof of her car. “Celeste can be very private when she wants to be. I’ll try to choose my moment and then ask her.”

I waited until Joy and Celeste drove off, before leaving the quiet, sun-washed street and returning inside Book Ends.

I awarded Flora a hard stare. She was swanning around, picking up odd books, glancing at them and then sliding them back onto the shelves. She had really discomfited Celeste. But why?