Yasmin looked at him for the first time, giving a polite nod. ‘Hello.’

‘Hello.’

Trev adjusted his hat again. A droplet of sweat ran down the side of his face. It was far too hot to be wearing a woollen cap and a thick shirt, but I suspected that might not be the reason for the perspiration.

After a lingering silence, where I supposed I should really come up with something to say, but was too intrigued to see what would happen if I kept quiet, Yasmin eventually gave a small cough and lifted her chin to meet Trev’s gaze.

‘You have nice teeth.’

Before he’d had a chance to gather his wits together, she’d floated out the door.

Trev and I were packing up when Chloe returned, Harry, Hudson and Holly proudly placing their returned books on the counter. ‘We read them all!’ Harry announced. ‘That one I read all by myself!’

Irene peered at him over the top of her glasses.

‘Can we take some more out, please?’

‘That is what the library is for.’

‘Yes, I know, but can one of the library ladies read them to us first again so we know what the funny voices are and if we like the story or if it’s boring or not?’

Chloe gave him a nudge.

‘Pleeeeaaaase.’

Irene searched the library until she found me, already hitching my bag on my shoulder. ‘Sorry, I’m in a rush today.’ I offered an apologetic smile, but the only thing I was sorry about was not having time to stay and hear Irene’s funny voices.

‘Please, Mrs Library Lady, you have to!’

‘It is your job, after all,’ Trev added, grinning.

‘Well.’ Irene cleared her throat, her thumb rubbing the dressing on her burnt hand. ‘I have a lot of very important things to do.’

‘What things?’ Hudson asked. ‘There’s no one else even here.’

‘Things like… replacing your books on the shelves.’

Hudson picked up the stack of books that had been checked back in using the automatic machine, and carried them over to the children’s section. ‘We’ll help you, then you’ll have time.’

Chloe leant forwards. ‘ I know you have a ton of things to do, but they’d be so pleased if you could squeeze in just a couple. They’ve been telling everyone about how brilliant the library is, what great books it has and how the women who work here are really nice.’

‘I’m the only woman who works here at the moment,’ Irene replied, stiffening her shoulders.

Chloe beamed. ‘Well, they must definitely have meant you, then, mustn’t they?’

‘Oh! Well. I could probably make time for one.’

The children let out a noisy cheer.

‘On the condition that you behave yourselves.’

I opened the door to go, stepping back as two more families were about to enter.