Only A Janeite Would Understand
Sabrina crossed the road and made a beeline for the three-story bookstore. Through the illuminated windows, she stared at the people sitting on the floor near the magazine stands and colorful posters advertising the latestNew York Timesbestsellers.
The glass doors automatically slid open with a whoosh. She entered, shoes squeaking with each step she took. She could smell the fresh coffee and cinnamon buns being sold at the café across from the magazines.
An employee mopping up water near the entrance looked her up and down and inhaled sharply. “Tough day?”
Sabrina nodded. “You can say that again.” Both the bookstore employee and Sabrina glanced to the trail of water she had created. She shivered in time to the crescendo of the classical violin music playing in the background.
Yet another mess I’ve made.
“What I need right now is a hot cup of soup and some Jane Austen.”
“That sounds like the perfect way to dry off.” Leaning the mop against the side of the door, the employee said, “I’m working the café today. If you let me know what you’d like, you can find a seat at one of the tables, and I’ll bring your order over to you.”
Her cheeks warmed. “Oh, you don’t have to do that. I’m more than willing to wait in line and—”
The employee smiled tightly. “It would be easier if you didn’t. I just finished mopping the last customer’s trail of water by the register.”
She puffed out her cheeks.
And here I thought he was just being nice.
In a small voice, she said, “I’ll set myself up at the counter by the window. If you have the tomato soup, a grilled cheese sandwich, and a paperback copy ofSense and Sensibility,I’d like to order those.” She reached inside the pocket of her blazer. “Here’s my card.”
The employee nodded. “Thank you for understanding. I’ll bring this right back to you.”
Walking over to the aforementioned spot, Sabrina placed her tote bag on the counter and shrugged off her blazer.
This thing is drenched and weighs a ton. If my blazer is this bad, I don’t even want to know how my makeup looks right now. It’s probably smeared and scary looking. At least my shirt is relatively dry.
Draping the jacket over the back of the chair, Sabrina located her phone and unlocked it to connect to the Wi-Fi, ignoring the missed calls and text notifications from her sister.
Doubtless Maggie has gone into worried big sister mode. I’ll listen to her message when I’ve had some time to unwind.
Sabrina located her phone’s charger, plugged it into the outlet, and sat down. She launched her internet browser, logged on to the Jane-Austen-themed message board, Never Far From Netherfield, and clicked “add post” to the forum’s off-topic area.
AustenAddict:Hi, all. Need all the support I can get. Today is shaping up to be one of the worst in my life. My boss, who you might consider to be a male version of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, fired me when I was buying my JA festival tickets about an hour ago. My mom, who works at the same office as me, freaked out. You, my fellow Janeites, are the only ones I can trust in a moment like this to give me some much-needed words of encouragement and advice. About to eat some lunch and read S&S to try and cheer myself up. I’ll check the board again in a little bit.
Sabrina heard a pair of shuffling footsteps and smelled the scent of spicy tomatoes. She placed her phone screen down and turned to see the bookstore employee carrying a steaming tray of food.
“Tomato soup, grilled cheese, andSense and Sensibility. I have the receipt and your card on the tray. If there is anything else you require, just let me know.” The bookstore worker placed the tray down and returned to the café’s register.
Sabrina stashed her card away, spread out the food, and reached for the book. Running her fingers over the spine, it felt as if she were welcoming an old friend to join her. If there was anything that could instantly lift her mood, it was reading a JA novel. As she opened the front cover, the book’s spine let out a satisfying crack.She breathed deeply.
Chapter One?.?.?. The family of Dashwood had long been settled in Sussex.
Sabrina reached for the cup of soup and took a sip. Instantly, her body warmed.
Their estate was large, and their residence was at Norland Park?.?.?.
Two hours later, Sabrina used her receipt as a bookmark and stretched. The cramped muscles in her back protested and crackled. Filling her stomach with food and reading had helped relieve some of the pent-up tension. Sabrina picked up her phone and smiled. There were twenty replies to her original post.
I can always count on my fellow Janeites. They understand me in a way my family never has.
Some members had left uplifting quotes and others shared similar experiences. Yet it was the private message from one of her closest friends on the forum, Nora, that piqued her curiosity. Sabrina tapped the envelope icon and read:
To: Sabrina
