“I often thought I’d made a terrible mistake by not giving up work to be at home with the kids,” said Annie. “I’d see women like you and think I’d denied my boys something precious.”

“It’s the guilt,” said Gemma. “Guilty if you do and guilty if you don’t. I worked in pharmaceuticals, so it was a lot of traveling. And what with Brian being away for months at a time . . .”

“And were you both men we wouldn’t be having this conversation,” said Maeve. “You want to judge yourselves? Judge yourselves by how a man would feel in the same situation. I guarantee you’ll have an easier time of it. Now, back to the matter in hand.”

“I say we choose a book now,” said Gemma. “And then, Annie, you can ask your friend tomorrow, and we’ll meet here next Wednesday, that’s the first of October at, say, seven thirty to discuss?”

“Provided Mari agrees,” said Annie.

“Oh, she’ll agree,” said Gemma. “Oh, it’s so exciting!”

“Gemma, don’t squeak so,” said Maeve. “It’s like being friends with a guinea pig.”

“Aren’t book clubs usually monthly?” Annie asked.

“Well, usually, yes,” said Gemma. “But I really can’t wait to get started. And if we meet, say, every couple of weeks, just think how many books we’ll get through . . .”

“Like I said,” butted in Maeve. “She doesn’t get out much.”

“I’ll bring wine,” said Gemma, ignoring Maeve.

“Of course you will,” said Maeve. “I’ll bring the car.”

“And I’ll make some nibbles,” said Annie. She was finding Gemma’s enthusiasm infectious.

“What’s going to be our first book?” asked Maeve.

“Ooh, I’ve got one!” said Gemma, her hand in the air.

Annie and Maeve looked at her expectantly.

“The Woman in White,” she said. “By Wilkie Collins. I watched it on TV and I’ve been meaning to read it ever since.”

Annie shrugged. “Works for me,” she said. “I’ll pick up a copy from the library tomorrow.”

“I’ll download it,” said Maeve. “Listen to it while I’m walking the dogs.”

“That’s cheating!” said Gemma.

“Poppycock!” said Maeve. “It doesn’t matter which way the words go in, so long as they go in.”

Gemma and Maeve left, having devoured the packet of Hobnobs between them. Gemma had the school pickup and Maeve—a retired sheep farmer, as it turned out—had to go and help her daughters, who now ran the farm between them, to fix a fence that had blown down in last night’s wind.

Annie texted Mari about the book club and received a swift response in the positive. Then, since she had nothing more pressing to attend to, she set about cleaning the tearoom.

Chapter 23