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‘It’s OK, I’ve got plenty so I can drink my feelings away when my cooking fails. What would you like, red or white?’
‘Whatever you’re having.’
‘Make yourself comfortable in the living room and I’ll be right back.’
I hurry back to the kitchen and take the pan off the stove, the thick floury mess worse than when I left it. I give it another stir, hoping that a swizzle will miraculously fix it, but it congeals into a rubbery mess. I admit defeat and pop the pan on the sink to cool. I’m on tiptoes reaching for the wine glasses when I hear my phone beep.
‘Elodie, you’ve got a text. From someone called Teddy. Is that T, the brother you mentioned?’
Damn mobile phones flashing messages for the world to see! I only hope it doesn’t say anything about Astor.
‘Oh?’ I say, rushing to the living room, sure that Finn can hear the thrumming of my heart. I flick open the message. ‘Yes, it’s T! I’ll reply later. Bad news – the dinner is a science experiment gone wrong. How about we go to the pub instead?’ A bit of noise is just the distraction I need after the week I’ve had.
‘Sure, let’s go.’
At the pub, there’s a rowdy crowd and they welcome us as we walk past. Trevor greets us at the bar. ‘Elodie, the talk of the town. I’ve heard nothing else since Finn’s article ran. Seems we’ve got two camps: those who agree with it and those who don’t.’
I raise a brow. ‘So there’s a chance fifty per cent of the population might sign up? I’ll take that as a win.’
He grins, displaying tobacco-stained teeth. ‘I like your enthusiasm. What can I get you, folks?’
Finn runs a hand through his hair and says, ‘We’re here for a meal, but a bottle of your finest red wouldn’t go astray. We’ll shuffle to the dining room out back, eh Elodie?’
‘Sounds good to me.’
‘House red it is! Dot will bring that round in a mo with some menus.’
I laugh at the grand selection of wines on offer. It’s a charming small-town pub and Trevor has been nothing but kind to me. It has a cosy atmosphere and is full to the brim with patrons.
We sit down at a table around the back of the pub. It’s quieter but still thick with the yeasty scent of beer that you find in old places like this. Like the library, the ruby red carpet has probably been here since the dawn of time, soaking up spills and secrets, but that’s what makes it so special.
Dot brings our bottle of house red over and pours. ‘So you’re the one who’s all set to change this town?’ Sarcasm is heavy in her voice. Yikes. Dot must be in the against camp.
‘Change the town – hmm. Maybe, I guess? Why not give it a go, I say? Are you a member of the library, Dot?’
‘Not for me. There’s never time to do anything other than work. When I’m off the last place you’d find me is there. I’d rather watch telly, to be honest.’ She puts the screw cap in a pocket on her waist apron.
‘Fair call. You must be run off your feet in here most days. I understand wanting to switch off and relax when you get home. Me personally, I find comfort in reading. It’s where I go to escape the bedlam of busy days. But each to their own. Are you intrigued about the People Library experiment?’
She scoffs. ‘No, because I don’t understand why you’ve chosen to highlightthosepeople. It doesn’t make sense. They’re like celebrities now – reaping all these rewards when they’re not good,honest people.’
I tamp down frustration and remind myself this iswhychange is needed in Willow Grove. ‘But you haven’t heard their stories yet, so how can you know that for sure?’
She huffs as if I’m testing her patience. ‘I know enough, ’cept I don’t know about that little boy. What I do know is that Harry’s a mess. Sofia brought a thief into town. And Pete’s always been a bad apple. Just be careful, OK? They might have fooled you with their hard-luck stories, but they haven’t fooled the rest of us. It’s going to end in tears – mark my words.’
I try to consider if from Dot’s point of view. I trynotto judge her, but it’s difficult. Surely everyone deserves a second chance? The possibility of a new beginning. ‘I can’t see how it will end in tears, unless the library did actually close its doors for good. Then I would cry bucketloads.’
‘But you’re not from here, are you,love.’ She shakes her head. ‘These things run deep. People have long memories.’
Finn goes to protest but I hold a hand up as if to say I’ve got this. ‘That’s just the thing. What exactly are they remembering? Are they instead reacting to tall tales they’ve heard spread about, which have gathered momentum and in turn made these people feel like they don’t matter? Have you ever thought about that, Dot?’ From her shuttered features I can tell I’m not getting through to her.
Her mouth opens and closes like a pufferfish. ‘Enjoy your wine.’
‘She didn’t get my point.’
Finn says, ‘You handled that brilliantly. There are some closed minds in this town. Imagine if you opened a few of those up …all while saving the library. You’re going to come up against a lot more people like Dot, but they’re usually all talk, and isn’t that what you’re trying to change?’
We cheers to that. After dinner we meander down the high street hand in hand. It feels natural and I don’t overthink it. ‘That’s my humble abode.’ Finn points to a cottage that is almost identical to mine, including a thatched roof.
