The Last Library

by Freya Sampson

  ‘Apparently they want to build a luxury leisure complex, and Stanley’s plot of land is key to that.’

  ‘So, is all of that money yours?’ Marjorie asked.

  ‘There are a few expenses that have to be paid from it, but Alex said I’ll end up with most of it.’

  Chantal’s eyes were wide. ‘Just think of all the things you could do with that much money.’

  ‘I’ve decided there’s only one thing I want to do with it.’ June looked around her at the library and then at the group standing in front of her. ‘I want this building.’

  Five shocked faces stared back at her.

  ‘What?’ Marjorie said.

  ‘The Cuppa Coffee sale has fallen through and the council are looking for a new deal, so Alex has contacted them about arranging a lease. That’s what he just texted me about.’

  ‘But what would you do with it?’ Jackson said. ‘I mean, you don’t wanna live here, do you?’

  ‘No,’ June said. ‘I want to keep it as a library.’

  ‘Have you gone completely bananas?’ Marjorie was staring at her. ‘You seem to have forgotten that the council have shut us down. I mean, look at this place.’ She gestured at the half-empty room.

  ‘So, I’ve just been to see Sarah Thwaite and the leader of the council about the library,’ June said.

  ‘Are they going to save it?’ Vera clasped June’s arm. ‘Please tell me they’ve changed their mind.’

  ‘I’m afraid not. Their decision on the library is final – they won’t pay for it anymore.’

  ‘Bastards,’ Mrs B said.

  ‘But they have agreed to consider an application to reopen it as a community library. The village would have to raise all the funds to run the library ourselves. But if we prove that we can do that, the council will lease us the book stock and all the technology, so we’d stay part of the library service.’

  ‘So, we’d still have a proper library here in Chalcot?’ Chantal said. ‘That would be—’

  ‘Hold on a minute.’ Mrs Bransworth held up her hands to stop them all. ‘A community library isn’t a proper library. There wouldn’t even be a librarian, just volunteers. And, more importantly, we shouldn’t have to run the library ourselves. This is what we pay our taxes for and the council should provide it.’

  ‘I know, Mrs B, I completely agree,’ June said. ‘But the council aren’t going to provide it, are they? All they’ll give us is the mobile library once a fortnight. So, I know it wouldn’t be a proper library like we had before, but at least this way there could still be a space in the village where people can borrow books and have a safe place to go.’

  ‘I’d be happy to help run it,’ Marjorie said. ‘As of today, I’m officially retired. And I’ve thrown that snivelling husband of mine out, so now I’ve got plenty of time on my hands.’

  ‘But I thought you wanted this place shut?’ Mrs B said. ‘You’ve never shown any interest in saving the library before.’

  Marjorie looked at her feet. ‘I was a fool. I was too scared of the council to get involved, and I believed Brian when he told me he was working behind the scenes to save the library. So now is my chance to make up for that.’

  ‘I’ll help too,’ Vera said. ‘Maybe I could sell some cakes to raise money?’

  ‘I could write some more poems for us,’ Jackson said.

  ‘And the council will let us do this, will they?’ Marjorie asked June.

  ‘You’d need to put forward a bid showing how the library would be run and funded,’ June said. ‘But Sarah and the council leader said they’d give us a six-month window, during which time they won’t accept any other offers on the building.’

  ‘It’ll be a hell of a lot of work,’ Marjorie said. ‘And I’m not having a sub-par library in my village. If we’re going to do this, we’re going to do it properly.’

  ‘June, are you sure this is what you want to do with the money?’ Chantal said. ‘Just think of all the things you could do with it.’

  ‘It’s not really my money, is it?’ June said. ‘I think if Stanley had known how much his land was worth, he’d have used it for this. What Stanley wanted more than anything else was to save the library, and now, in a way, he can.’

  ‘I still think it’s bullshit,’ Mrs B said, frowning. ‘But you’re right, we owe it to Stanley to try to keep this place open.’

  ‘And what will you do?’ Marjorie said, turning to June. ‘Will you stay and help us run it?’

  June didn’t immediately reply. She thought about her job offer at a large, well-resourced library. She thought about her house, full of her mum’s belongings in boxes. For a brief second Alex’s face flickered into her mind, and June pushed it out.

  ‘Well?’ Marjorie said. ‘Are you with us or not?’

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Seven months later

  JUNE WALKED SLOWLY UP her front path. Through the window she could see the old red curtains, faded from the sunlight. Weeds poked up through the paving stones, and she bent down to pull one up. Her mum had always kept the front garden immaculate, with geraniums planted along the edge of the path, but over the years June had let things slip.

  ‘Can I help you?’

  A young woman was standing behind June, a shopping bag in each hand and a small curly-haired boy peering round from behind her legs.

  ‘I’m here to see Linda.’

  ‘She lives next door, at number ten.’

  ‘Thanks.’ June paused for a moment. Should she tell her who she was? All the correspondence had happened via solicitors, so June had never met the woman before.

  ‘This is my house.’ The boy had stepped out from behind his mum and was staring at June. He must have been about four; the same age as she’d been when she first moved here.

  ‘It’s a lovely-looking house,’ June said.

  ‘That’s my bedroom.’ He pointed up at the top front window, to June’s old room. ‘It has pink walls, my favourite colour.’

  ‘Come on, Danny, we need to go in for lunch,’ his mum said, and she gave June a brief nod as she walked up the path towards the front door. But the boy didn’t move.

  ‘We have a garden as well,’ he said. ‘I have a swing.’

  ‘That sounds wonderful. Can I ask you a question, Danny?’

  The boy nodded seriously.

  ‘Do you like reading stories?’

  ‘Yes. I can already read by myself and I haven’t even started big school yet.’

  ‘Well, can I tell you a secret?’ June crouched down to his eye level. ‘Up in the loft of your house, at the very back behind the water tank, there’s a box of books that used to belong to the little girl who lived in the house.’

  Danny’s eyes were like saucers. ‘Are you joking me?’

  ‘No. She loved reading too, and she left them there for the next little boy or girl who lived here. So, they’re yours now.’

  ‘Come on, Danny, hurry up,’ his mum called from inside.

  ‘What books are they?’ he asked.

  ‘You’ll have to wait and see,’ June said, and the boy grinned at her. ‘Goodbye, Danny, it was nice meeting you.’

  ‘Bye!’ He charged past her and into the house. June heard him shouting, ‘Mum, there’s books for me in the—’ and then the door slammed shut and it went quiet again.

  Smiling to herself, June crossed the driveway and rang on the doorbell of number ten. She heard the familiar chime, and a moment later the door swung open and there was Linda, resplendent in an emerald-green tracksuit and matching eyeshadow.

  ‘June!’ Linda pulled her into an embrace. ‘Look at your hair, love, don’t you look glamorous?’

  June touched her hair, still unused to the sensation. She’d plucked up the courage to have it cut a month ago, and now she had a cropped curly bob, too short to ever tie in a bun again.

  ‘Well, don’t be a stranger, come in,’ Linda said, and June followed her through into the kitchen. ‘How was your birthday?’

  ‘I
t was fun, thanks. I went out for dinner with Katja and some friends from work.’

  ‘How is that gorgeous flatmate of yours?’ Linda had met Katja when she came to stay with June back in March. The two of them had got on like a house on fire and stayed up drinking gin until two in the morning, while Linda regaled Katja with embarrassing stories from June’s childhood.

  ‘She’s great.’

  ‘And the job?’

  ‘It’s good. The library is so busy, there are dozens of different activities every week. I’ve been more involved with the literacy training and I’ve set up a cryptic crossword club.’

  ‘Oh, that’s fantastic,’ Linda said. ‘Look who’s come to say hello.’

  She nodded towards the door, and June turned around to see Alan Bennett sauntering into the kitchen.

  ‘Alan!’ June dropped down on the floor and reached out tentatively towards the cat. He paused and for a moment June thought he was going to swipe out at her, but then he put his head down and nudged it against her hand. ‘Hey, old friend,’ June whispered, and her voice caught in her throat. ‘I’ve missed you too.’

  ‘Little Lord Fauntleroy has made himself right at home,’ Linda said. ‘I bought him one of those fancy bed things to keep in the lounge, but he likes to sleep on my towels in the airing cupboard. And he loves it when Jackson comes round to play – he lets him stroke him and he’s good as gold.’

  ‘He’s happy here,’ June said, scratching behind Alan’s ear. ‘I’ve never seen him so content.’

  ‘Now before I forget, I’ve got this for you.’ Linda took an envelope off the windowsill and handed it to June. ‘There’s a hundred and twenty-eight pounds from the last car boot sale and what Martin got for your old table and chairs.’

  ‘Thanks so much, Linda.’

  ‘Are you sure you want to give all your mum’s ornaments to the white elephant stall? The fete isn’t until next weekend, so you can still change your mind.’

  ‘I’m sure; I know this is what Mum would have wanted.’

  ‘Good on you, love.’

  Before June moved, she and Linda had spent three days emptying the house. The furniture had gone at several car boot sales, and Cherry Tree House had been delighted with all the books. June had only kept a few boxes for herself. Matilda and The House at Pooh Corner now sat on the bookshelf in her new bedroom, alongside the china girl with the book.

  Linda made them both a sandwich and they took them out into the garden.

  ‘It looks gorgeous out here,’ June said, admiring the riot of colourful flowers.

  ‘You should see what they’ve done with your old garden next door,’ Linda said. ‘They’ve cleared all the old weeds and put in a swing set for their little one. I hear him giggling over the fence and it reminds me of when you were small.’

  ‘I met him and his mum briefly,’ June said. ‘They seem nice.’

  ‘They’re a lovely family.’

  June took a bite of sandwich and sat back, letting the sunshine warm her skin. She’d been dreading seeing another family living in hers and her mum’s old home and had put off coming back to Chalcot for that very reason. But now she was here, it wasn’t so bad after all.

  ‘So, you’re going to this library thing then?’ Linda said.

  ‘Yes, I think so. Although I’m a bit nervous about going in there again – I don’t know what to expect.’

  June had exchanged emails with Mrs B and Marjorie to begin with, but once the building lease had been sorted, their messages had trickled off and June hadn’t wanted to bother them. She hadn’t heard anything about the library for months, until last week when she received an invitation to the grand opening this afternoon.

  ‘So, have you got any other gossip then?’ Linda said. ‘What about that guy from work you mentioned?’

  ‘We went out a couple of times, but I don’t think he fancied me.’ In truth, it had been June who wasn’t interested, her mind on someone else, but she didn’t want to admit that to Linda.

  ‘But you’re settled in your new place, are you?’ Linda asked. ‘I’ve been worrying about you.’

  June smiled. ‘It’s taken me a while to get used to it, but I feel at home there now.’

  ‘Your mum would have been so pleased, love. She always wanted you to spread your wings and leave Chalcot.’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘And you know you always have a home here too,’ Linda said, reaching across and taking June’s hand. ‘Me and Alan Bennett are your family, and don’t you ever forget it.’

  *

  The first person June spotted as she walked through the library front door was Mrs Bransworth, who was standing behind the desk serving a patron.

  ‘Marian Keyes? Are you sure you want to borrow this?’ Mrs B surveyed a book suspiciously. ‘I read one of hers once and it was shit.’

  ‘I really like them, actually,’ the woman said, snatching the book back.

  ‘Suit yourself.’ Mrs B raised her eyebrows and then spotted June. ‘Well, well, look who the cat’s dragged in.’

  ‘Hello, Mrs B,’ June said. ‘I can’t believe they let you deal with the public.’

  Mrs B laughed and gave June a punch on the shoulder. ‘It’s good to see you again, my friend. What do you think of the old place then?’

  June turned to survey the library, bracing herself for a painful rush of nostalgia. But the room was almost unrecognisable from the last time she’d been here. The shelves on the back wall had been replaced by a counter with a coffee machine, and half of the floor space was taken up by small round tables, all occupied with people chatting. Vera was standing behind the counter manning the till and next to her Leila was placing cakes onto a plate. The computers had been moved to the front and Marjorie’s office had been turned back into a stockroom, with a shiny new trolley sitting by the door. The Children’s Room looked like it had been redecorated too, and she could see Jackson in there wearing a badge that said ‘VOLUNTEER CHILDREN’S LIBRARIAN’. But the main thing that caught June’s eye was a huge framed photo on the wall above the door. It had been taken during the occupation and it showed Stanley, June and Mrs Bransworth standing outside, a large ‘Save Chalcot Library’ banner above their heads. Their arms were round each other’s shoulders and they were all grinning at the camera. Seeing Stanley brought a lump to June’s throat.

  ‘It looks so different,’ she said.

  ‘It’s been a hell of a battle. We nearly didn’t raise enough money, but Marjorie managed to secure us a wealthy sponsor just in time.’

  ‘Is she here?’

  ‘Of course. I can’t get rid of the old battleaxe, even if I wanted to.’ Mrs B nodded towards the stockroom, and as June got nearer, she could hear her old boss berating an elderly gentleman.

  ‘I know it looks prettier organising books by their colour, Donald, but the Dewey Decimal System has been refined over decades and is a highly efficient classification system. Please try to use it next time.’

  ‘Hi Marjorie,’ June said.

  ‘I’m going to kill one of them,’ Marjorie muttered, as the volunteer walked away. ‘They all think they know best and it’s driving me mad. God, I miss you.’

  June was pretty sure this was the first time Marjorie had ever paid her a compliment. ‘The library looks great.’

  Marjorie wrinkled her nose. ‘It’s not the same – we can’t run half the activities we used to – but I’m proud of what we’ve achieved, especially given how hard it’s been to raise the money.’

  ‘And you’re still volunteering here?’

  ‘Actually, I’m paid a salary to work part-time. It’s all thanks to our donor.’

  ‘What donor?’

  ‘Haven’t you met him yet? He’s over there.’ Marjorie pointed across the room to a man talking to Chantal. He was tall and wearing an expensive-looking suit, his dark hair sprinkled with grey. He looked up and caught June staring at him, then crossed the busy library in long strides.

  ‘Are you June?’

/>   She nodded. There was something vaguely familiar about this man, but she couldn’t think where she’d seen him before.

  ‘I’m so happy to meet you,’ he said, giving her a warm smile. He had a slight accent, although June couldn’t place it. ‘They told me you weren’t involved with the library anymore, so I thought we’d never get the chance to meet.’

  His eyes were blue and intense, and June felt herself blushing under his gaze. He really was very handsome. ‘I’m sorry, but who—’

  ‘Could I get everybody’s attention?’ Mrs Bransworth’s voice rang out across the library. She paused, waiting for the room to quieten, and June and the man both turned to listen.

  ‘For those of you who don’t know me, I’m the chairperson of the Friends of Chalcot Library. For the past seven months, FOCL have fought tooth and nail to set up this library. Those Dunningshire Council bastards have made life difficult for us at every step of the way, and we nearly gave up several times. So, it’s wonderful to be able to welcome you all here today for the grand opening of our community library.’

  A small cheer went round the room.

  ‘I’ll keep this quick, but there are a few people I need to thank. Firstly, to my fellow members of FOCL. Thank you to Chantal and Jackson, who’s brought a much-needed dose of youth to this place, and Vera and Leila for running the cafe. And in particular thanks to Marjorie; you and I may have had our differences over the years, but it’s thanks to your expertise and hard work that we’re here today.’

  June looked across and saw the five of them standing together, grinning.

  ‘I’d also like to thank our solicitor, Ellie Davis, who’s worked pro bono to help us with the legal side of things. I hate lawyers, as a rule, but Ellie is one of the good ones.’ Mrs B nodded towards a pretty blonde woman, and June felt her stomach drop. So, this was Alex’s flatmate. They’d exchanged emails about Stanley’s will and the lease, but June had never met her before. She looked lovely.

  ‘Where’s June?’ Mrs B said.

  June raised her hand partially in the air until Mrs Bransworth spotted her.

  ‘Now, anyone who used the old library will remember June, who was so timid she wouldn’t say boo to a goose. But what many of you won’t know is that June was one of the fiercest defenders of this place, right from the very start. I gave her hell for a long time, but if it wasn’t for her we’d be standing in a bloody Cuppa Coffee right now. So, June, I know you’ve got a new home and life, but you will always be a true Friend of Chalcot Library. Thank you.’