The next half an hour was bedlam as word got around the village that they were going to be on the news. Everyone turned out. Maggie was wise enough to know that they were only there to get their mugs on the telly but at this stage she didn’t care what brought people there.

The party atmosphere grew until singing broke out, led by Alice from the care home. Farah tapped Maggie’s arm and pulled her away from the noise. ‘Christine’s asking for you,’ she said.

Maggie had almost forgotten about Christine. She was holed up in the library. Fearing the council might discover her involvement, she’d hidden herself away. ‘Of course,’ said Maggie, handing Farah her placard.

Christine was pacing the library when Maggie found her. ‘Is it going well? Farah said it was.’ Christine looked worried.

‘Yes, yes. It’s going very well. We’ve just been on the news.’

‘Really?’

Maggie felt bad that Christine was missing out. ‘Yes. Someone will have recorded it. I’m sure you’ll be able to see it later. The chap from the council refused to speak to the television crew but they got him being driven away and hiding his face.’

Christine’s lines deepened. ‘He didn’t say anything?’

‘No. But that’s good.’

‘Is it?’ Christine wrung her hands as she paced.

‘Yes. Please sit down,’ said Maggie and Christine paused for a moment and perched on the edge of a chair. ‘He won’t be able to authorise something just like that but he’ll report back and those further up the tree will have to take notice now.’

Christine didn’t look convinced. ‘But will they? And even if they do will they still close the library and sack me anyway?’

Maggie took a moment to think. She’d been so caught up in the protest that the personal impact on Christine had escaped her a little. ‘We’ve done all we can here tonight. Whatever happens we can say we gave it our all. And if it comes to it I’m sure you’ll find another job.’ She sat down on the chair next to Christine and looked around. How could one small building become so important? She thought about the people all those years ago who would have fought for it to become a library, who would have first stocked its shelves. Found sanctuary in the pages of its books. And all those it had brought joy and refuge to in its years as a library. There was a lot of history in its walls. ‘We’ve put up a good fight.’ She felt she was telling the library as much as Christine.

Christine gave an uncertain pout. ‘I suppose so.’

‘Now, give me ten minutes to thank everyone and get the bales moved and that will signal the end of the protest, then you can come out and have some cake and a cup of tea. All right?’