“The Roald Dahl book?”
“Yeah, she’s my all-time favorite heroine. I’ll reserve you a copy at the library.”
•••
Back at home, June sat down to eat her food. It felt good to have told someone about her situation at the library; she couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a person to confide in. Although she quickly reminded herself that Alex would be going back to London.
June was finishing her food when she heard a knock on the door. When she opened it, she found Linda standing on the other side, holding a disgruntled Alan Bennett.
“Look who was in the airing cupboard again. I think he pissed on my good towels.”
“Oh god, I’m so sorry. I’ll buy you new ones.”
Linda released Alan and he darted into the house. “While I’m here, I don’t suppose you still have your mum’s old copy ofAHazard of Hearts? The time has come for Jackson to read his first Barbara Cartland.”
“I’m sure I’ve got it somewhere; I still have all her books.” Juneled Linda through into the living room. She considered telling her that Jackson might be a bit young but suspected that Linda would just ignore her.
“Have you really kept all your mum’s books?” Linda said as June searched theCshelf.
“Of course. I haven’t thrown any of her stuff away.”
“What, nothing?”
June found the book and handed it to Linda. “I took some of her old clothes to the charity shop, but I kept everything else.” She saw a look cross Linda’s face. “What?”
“Well, don’t you think you could get rid of some of her stuff now? Not the books, maybe, but what about some of her old knickknacks?” Linda picked up a china figurine of a girl reading a book and waved it around. “What about this one?”
June winced. “I like that,” she said, grabbing the figure from Linda and returning it to its correct place on the mantlepiece.
“Really? It’s not like it’s antique or anything. I remember Beverley bringing it back from the white elephant stall—I think she got it for free.”
“That’s not the point, Linda.”
“I know, but your mum wasn’t sentimental about this stuff.” Linda indicated around the room at the jumble of china animals, character mugs, and snow globes that covered every surface. “I don’t mean to be rude, love. I just don’t think your mum would have expected you to keep it all, like some kind of mausoleum. She’d have wanted you to have a fresh start and make this place your own.”
“But I don’t want to make it my own.” The words came out of June’s mouth with more force than she’d intended, and she saw Linda startle. “I mean, I like having Mum’s stuff around. It makes me feel... safe.”
Linda studied her for a moment. “Well, I’d best be getting back, then.”
“Thanks for bringing Alan over,” June said, following her to the door. She felt bad for snapping at Linda.
“No worries.” Linda stepped outside and then turned back to June. “Please just remember that your mum never really cared about possessions, love. She liked all this stuff, but she was much more interested in getting out there and living her life. And I think she’d have wanted that for youtoo.”
CHAPTER TEN
June observed the man as he loaded items into a string bag. He came into the library every few weeks, dressed in a beige windbreaker and brown cords, and was always shy but courteous as he borrowed thrillers by Lee Child and John Grisham. But today, he’d quietly asked June where he might be able to find the Dating and Relationship section. When she showed him to the relevant shelf, he spent ages browsing before choosing a title calledThe Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts, which he was now putting in his bag alongside a Fray Bentos pie and a single banana. June decided that the man worked as a cashier in a supermarket and had lived alone since his elderly parents died. He’d always been too shy to talk to women, but he’d fallen in love with a divorcée who worked at the checkout opposite his. Having never even said hello to her, he’d spent months plucking up the courage to ask her out. Finally, one day he walked over to her and said—
“I’m sorry to interrupt you, but I was wondering if you couldhelp me with a small technical issue.” Stanley was standing by the desk, looking at June. “I need to print something, but I can’t make the damn thing work.”
“Of course,” she said, following him to the computer. Stanley was the only FOCL member who was talking to June, although he’d stopped asking her for help with the crossword. “How many copies do you want?”
“Twenty, please. It’s a petition about the library.”
June kept her face neutral, but she felt a rush of relief. They were four weeks into the council’s consultation, and so far, FOCL didn’t seem to have done anything except have endless meetings. June had been trying to eavesdrop on what they were planning, but they always stopped talking whenever she was around.
“It was Mrs.Bransworth’s idea,” Stanley said when June handed him the printed sheets. “We’re going to leave copies in the pub and Naresh’s shop, so everyone in the village should see them.”
June glanced over her shoulder to check that Marjorie wasn’t nearby to hear them, then lowered her voice. “You can have this printing for free.”
