The library wasn’t her only favourite place to be, she loved being upstairs with Edie Buckle in her cosy office just off from the sick room. She also loved being outside in the grounds where she liked to sit on her own with a book, often in the woods where she wouldn’t be disturbed. Some of the other children had convinced themselves that they were haunted and wouldn’t go near them. Venetia didn’t believe in ghosts, not for a second, but she actively encouraged the myth so that she would have the woods to herself.
Finding your own private space at Hope Hall was important, as was having the freedom to do as you liked at times. Lady Constance insisted that during their free time they were allowed to have as much freedom as possible, whether it was playing tennis, swimming in the river (under strict supervision), climbing trees, playing football, rounders, or cricket, or just sitting quietly under a tree.
There was nobody else in the library and closing the door after them, Venetia stood back to let this strange elfin-like boy explore the bookshelves himself. But he didn’t. He just stood rooted to the spot as if waiting for something to happen.
‘We’re only allowed to have one book at a time, and we can keep it for just two weeks,’ she explained, moving away from him, and going over to the large bay window through which she could see the snow was coming down even harder now and settling thickly on the grass. ‘Sometimes you have to put your name down on a waiting list for a book that’s really popular,’ she continued. ‘What kind of books do you like to read?’
She was prattling on, something she never did but this peculiar boy with his unnaturally quiet stillness was having an odd effect on her; he was making her nervous, something she rarely felt. Usually, it was the other way around, with some of the younger children feeling nervous when in her company, not because she was nasty to them, but because she didn’t chatter on nineteen to the dozen like most others. Perhaps this boy was the same. Was that why Lady Constance had said they were kindred spirits?
The boy was staring at her now, the first time he’d looked at her properly, and she was taken aback at his unblinking gaze, almost as though he was staring right through her. But as uncomfortable as it made her feel, she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of turning away.No chance, mister,she said to herself.
Seconds passed. Long drawn-out seconds with neither of them moving, not until he narrowed his eyes which gave him a slightly menacing appearance, as if he might lurch forward and strike her.
Let him try,she thought. For starters she was taller than him and doubtless stronger, given how slight he was. But just then the boy with his weirdly narrowed eyes moved towards her, and she took an involuntary step away from him.
‘I like the Narnia books,’ he said.
‘Oh,’ she said, surprised at the sound of his voice which was low and gruff, ‘me too.’
‘Can you show me where they are?’
She slipped around him and went over to the shelves where the books of C. S. Lewis were kept.
‘They’re here,’ she said.
Standing next to her, his nose just inches away from the shelf, he ran a hand slowly along the row of books, touching each one on its spine before pulling outThe Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.
‘Is that your favourite of the series?’ she asked.
‘Yes,’ he replied, and without looking at her.
‘Mine too.’
‘Can I have it?’
‘You can borrow it, yes. I’ll need to make you a library card and then stamp the book for you. I’m allowed to do that.’ She made no effort to hide her pride in this admission.
‘You work in here?’ he asked, his eyes now meeting hers.
‘I help Mrs Mackenzie, our librarian, to organise the books and the card indexes. She also lets me use the stamp.’
‘Could I help in here, if I wanted to?’
‘Lady Constance decides what we all do. I used to help in the laundry and then the kitchen, and I’ve also helped in the greenhouse, which was fun, but I prefer it in here. I like the peace and quiet and putting everything in order.’
He scowled. ‘It sounds like she makes children work as slaves instead of paying somebody to do the job.’
‘No, that’s not fair,’ Venetia said, keen to defend the woman who was so good to them all. ‘Lady Constance likes everyone to carry out a job here, it’s to give us a sense of responsibility. She likes us to learn skills that will be useful when we leave. In exchange we’re given pocket money to spend in the tuckshop.’
‘It still sounds like cheap labour,’ he muttered.
‘You can think what you like,’ she snapped, ‘but Lady Constance is one of the nicest and most generous people you will ever know, and you should consider yourself lucky to be here, and if you’re too stupid to realise that, I pity you.’ And with that,she snatched the book out of his hands and returned it to the shelf. ‘It’s time to go for tea now.’
‘But I want the book.’
‘Tough!’ she said. ‘You need to learn some manners before you can borrow anything from this library.’
His scowl increased. ‘It’s notyourlibrary.’
