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Outside the fresh evening breeze stings my face, but it wakes me up from the food coma I’ve slipped into. ‘You’re full of surprises, Finn.’
‘Me?’
‘Yeah, the way you look after your sisters is admirable.’
His eyes crinkle as he smiles. ‘They’re great people, and that’s all you can ask for.’
Again, it strikes me that he speaks more like a father than a brother. Whatever the reason, they seem as close as can be and I like that in a man, who puts his family at the top of his priorities.
I’m about to quiz him about his role in their lives just as we get to a lookout point and are rewarded with the stunning vista of the moonlight shimmering on the river. Finn stands so close to me I swear he can hear the sound of my heart beating.His family is forgotten as we gaze into each other’s eyes. It’s a heady moment. I can feel myself flushing from the wine, the company and his proximity. It’s as natural as anything when I turn my face up to his and he kisses me so gently it feels as though the world shimmies and shakes underfoot.
Chapter 14
When I get to the library early Monday morning, the nerves are already fluttering but they ratchet up a notch when I don’t see Harry anywhere. There’s no sign of his mop of grey hair or any of his possessions. The area where he sleeps is pristine, as if it’s been swept.
Has he decided not to participate in the People Library experiment article? I only hope that if he has, he’s somewhere safe. Maybe this was a bad idea – I don’t want to disrupt Harry’s life for my own benefit and make him feel pressured to hide. What if this is all a mistake?
I open the library doors and feel anxiety roil in my gut. There’s nothing else to do but switch on the lights and get the library ready for the day. Finn is coming to take photographs and the human books are attending an informal meeting. It won’t be the same without Harry, but I understand how easy it would be to have a change of heart.
I run the hoover over the carpets, holding my breath when I get to the boiled cabbage section. The carpet cleaners are coming at the end of the day, thanks to the proceeds from the sale of the catalogue drawers. They’ve promised to use neutral products so I can’t wait for Alfie to wander the history section and find it smells like absolutely nothing! Although,to be honest, after a while, you kind of get used to the fact there are certain areas here that you have to walk a little faster through.
As I’m packing the vacuum away, Sofia arrives, and calls out to me. ‘There you are!’ She surveys me. ‘Elodie, darling, have you eaten? You look downright pale.’
Hearing her voice and her motherly concern warms me to my core and takes the edge off the worry I feel about Harry. ‘Good morning, Sofia,’ I say. She’s holding a tinfoil-wrapped platter.
‘You haven’t eaten, have you?’ She stares into my eyes as if she can tell without me having to speak.
‘No, I ah … I wasn’t hungry this morning.’ If I’m this nervous for an informal catch-up about the People Library experiment, how am I going to be on the day itself? And what about the human books? They’re the ones who’ll be in the spotlight, baring their souls, not me. It’s the build-up of worry about this failing. I don’t want my human books to suffer and I don’t want the library to close. What if I stuff it up on all fronts? It’s also the calls from home. Teddy isn’t making any leeway with Mother. The clock is ticking and it feels more like a time bomb – like I’m one step closer to being forced back to Astor. Still, I’m here now so I have to make every moment count.
‘You have to eat, darling,’ Sofia says. ‘Keep up your strength. I’m nervous too, even though today is just us “books” having a chat and our pictures taken. I’ve made breakfast baps, and I know it might not sound fancy but I made the bread rolls fresh this morning and they’re still warm out of the oven.’
‘You made the bread rolls?’ I love that for Sofia everything centres around food.Having a bad day? Eat this pie. Anxiety crushing you? Eat this chocolate cake. She has a dish for every mood.
‘They’re sourdough too.’ Sofia shrugs, as if to say,What like it’s hard?‘And I’ve added a dollop of tomato kasundi in them. I follow this amazing Indian chef on Instagram and all his recipes are delicious.’
‘Well, I better try one since you’ve gone to all this effort,’ I say, even though the idea of eating doesn’t sit well with the churning of my stomach. I don’t want to disappoint Sofia, who must have woken with the birds to get this all done in time.
‘What is it? It’s not only nerves is it?’ Sofia asks, squinting at me. ‘You sound almost robotic.’
I give her a watery smile. How perceptive she is. I bet she felt every slight thrown her way in this town because she’s the empathetic type who picks up on emotional cues. ‘Harry isn’t here. What if I’ve made him uncomfortable in his own safe space by asking him to join the People Library? What if he’s moved somewhere not as sheltered, all so he can avoid me? What if he’s out in the elements and gets sick? What if …’ Harry hadn’t officially confirmed he’d participate in the experiment but I wanted him to be part of it, even if that meant just standing on the sidelines.
Sofia’s expression softens and she says, ‘Don’t look now, but there’s a couple of people at the door and I’m fairly certain one of them is Harry.’
I turn and standing there are Pete and Harry who are shifting on their feet and looking for all the world like they’d rather be anywhere else. Alfie and Jo soon arrive and Alfie blurts out, ‘Well don’t just stand there, lads! The door is open.’
As always Alfie manages to break the ice and they walk in and wander over to us. Harry nearly breaks my heart when I see he’s showered, shaved and wearing a suit. It’s threadbare and a little too short for his long legs, but he looks just the part.
‘Harry, look how suave you are!’
He blushes behind his beard, which has been trimmed right back, the straggles are gone. ‘Thanks, Elodie. I wanted to at least try.’
Where did Harry go shopping and how did he brave such a thing? As soon as I see Finn walk in, camera strung around his neck, I piece it together. Of course he’d have helped facilitate such an expedition and it’s confirmed when Harry waves to him and says, ‘Finn here helped me pick out the suit. It’s not new, but it’s new enough for me.’
‘Sustainable fashion is all the rage now, Harry, and so much better for the planet. I like how forward-thinking you are.’
His face lights up. ‘Well there you go. Who knew, eh?’
‘I hope everyone’s hungry,’ Sofia says. ‘I made breakfast baps.’
