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Back The Library
Chapters (57)
  1. Cover
  2. THE LIBRARY
  3. Copyright
  4. Dedication
  5. Contents
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. EPILOGUE
  54. Questions for your Book Club
  55. Acknowledgements
  56. About the Author
  57. Become an Aria Addict

I reached the lambs. They’re allowed in the field with their mothers and the other ewes now and they’re hilarious to watch. One minute they’re lying down; the next one of them will jump up and race across the field and they all follow. They run flat out until they reach the fence and then they stumble to a stop. I swear they’re having races. It’s hilarious to watch.

I rattled the gate and they charged towards it and stared at me like I’m the one who’s behind a fence. They are so perfect and cute, like cuddly toys. I crouched and reached out to the smallest one, which I’d called Daenerys, and she nuzzled at my hand even though there was nothing there. One of the others bleated and they all leaped in the air like they’d been electrocuted and stormed off to the other side of the field. It was magic to watch.

I don’t want to leave here – simple as.

28

MAGGIE

Maggie had been fully occupied with plans for the library sit-in all day. But knowing Tom’s father was getting help had spun her off course. She was pleased for Tom and relieved for Paul. But she was so very sorry for herself. Tom had no idea but he had changed everything. He had breathed purpose into her mundane life and now she could see that slipping away. The thought of him not walking through the door at five o’clock was like a physical pain in her gut – not dissimilar to her cracked rib, which still twinged from time to time.

They had sat in silence on the bus, both lost in their own thoughts. Today was potentially a big day for the library. Maggie had invited the local press and they’d sounded keen. She had also invited a representative from the council who seemed less so. Christine had rung four times in various stages of meltdown as she was terrified of being dismissed on the spot for aiding and abetting the anti-closure supporters. Maggie had explained countless times that if the library closed she was out of a job anyway but it didn’t seem to land with Christine. She simply wasn’t a risk taker.

Maggie and Tom walked through the alleyway from the bus stop. Maggie saw the hooded figure up ahead and signalled to Tom, with a quick flick of her hand. It was far too warm to be wearing something like that. Tom was carrying two large bags stacked with cake boxes so there wasn’t much he could do. Maggie’s ankle was improving gradually. She could walk on it with only a slight limp but it wasn’t ready for any serious action.

Maggie was on red alert by the time they drew level with the hooded individual. She did a comedy double take. ‘Blimey, Christine. I thought you were the bag snatcher.’ Maggie shook her head.