Page 111 of The Sugar and Spice Bookshop Bakery

As Theo heads into the crowd, Louise stands in the kitchen for a moment, watching the scene in the bakery through the hatch.

‘You did it,’ Jack whispers into her ear. She hadn’t heard him come in.

‘We did it. I heard your father telling someone that you built all my shelves. He sounded proud.’

‘Bet he dropped in there that I’m really an architect?’

‘Well, yeah. He did actually.’

Jack tuts. ‘I’m going to talk to him. It’s got to stop. Seeing how relaxed you looked after you’d talked to Sheila got me thinking. And then when I heard about you confronting Miss Anderson…you’re inspiring, Luisa.’

Louise meets his gaze.

He’s going to talk to his father.

Does this mean…?

Might it mean…?

Is there a chance that he’ll stay in Applethwaite after all?

She wants to ask, but maybe now isn’t the time. And what if the answer is no? It would ruin the celebration.

‘Oh, Jack.’ She puts an arm round him and gives him a squeeze.

They stand together in silence for a moment, both watching through the hatch. The crowd has thinned out a bit now as some people have headed outside to explore the book nooks. Theo is dutifully offering people canapés, though he isn’t smiling.

‘We should really get out there too. Oh, but look!’ Louise gestures towards Richard, who is standing talking to Miss Anderson. When did she arrive? ‘Do you think she’s seen her book? I really want to see her face when she spots it.’

‘Come on, then. Operation canapé.’

Each bearing a tray, they head back into the main part of the bakery. Louise hovers near, but not right next to, the local authors’ section where The Silent Garden takes pride of place. She knows she’s staring – and probably looks pretty odd – but she can’t keep her eyes off her former teacher. Richard turns away from Miss Anderson, and Louise watches as the elderly woman founders, looking for someone else to converse with. And then she sees the sign saying Local Authors. Has she spotted the cover too? Or is she too far away for that?

She’s seen it. She looks puzzled for a second, then strides across the room, straight to the book. Her whole face changes. She looks so different when she smiles. Has Louise ever seen her smile before? Perhaps once, when Mark Dickins was bawled at by the head for talking in assembly.

Miss Anderson dabs at her cheeks.

She’s crying? Is there a heart somewhere in there after all?

Louise keeps watching as two of the GMGs go over to Miss Anderson. Louise observes as she shows them the book, noticing their surprise.

And then Miss Anderson seems to sense her watching and looks straight over at her. She’s not smiling now, but her eyes are a little softer than usual perhaps. Then she looks away again.

Louise has been harbouring a fantasy about Miss Anderson seeing the copies of The Silent Garden, then coming over to her and apologising. She’d admit that the Sugar and Spice Bookshop Bakery is a beautiful place, an asset to the local community in fact, and that Louise has done a brilliant job.

It doesn’t happen.

Miss Anderson puts the book back down on the shelf, and turns away. Her cronies follow her over to their usual table in the window, and Miss Anderson clicks her fingers at Theo who grudgingly goes over to them, proffering canapés.

And then Maddie is beside her. ‘Come outside. You’ve got to hear what people are saying about the book nooks!’

The November air is crisp and cold, but the garden is alive with people. Fairy lights twinkle in the gathering dusk. Everyone’s chattering excitedly.

‘Did you go through the wardrobe? So clever!’

‘And Aslan! Maddie made him out of paper mâché!’

‘I love the stained-glass dome. Absolutely breathtaking.’