‘Callie?’ Bryony said, and Callie realised that she must have gone horribly quiet.
‘I’ll do it!’ Callie told her.
‘You will?’ Bryony said, giving a scream of joy that almost shattered Callie’s right eardrum. ‘You won’t regret it. It’s going to be brilliant! Just leave it all to me and I’ll arrange it all, okay?’
‘Okay,’ Callie said, and they said their goodbyes, promising to keep in touch.
So much for keeping my distance from the Nightingales, Callie thought as she returned to her desk.
Archie Prior was sitting on the top of one of the library steps in the front room of Sam’s shop.
‘What are you reading, Arch?’ Sam asked his young nephew as he looked up from the book club advert he was drafting to put up in the local library and the rest of the Nightingale bookshops.
‘I’m not sure,’ Archie said.
‘Hold it up,’ Sam said and Archie revealed the cover. ‘Ah, that’s King Lear. I’d come back to that in a few years if I was you.’
‘It wasn’t very good anyway,’ Archie said, stretching up to replace the book before climbing down from the library steps. Sam grinned. Archie had been in the bookshop for just over an hour after a friend of Polly’s had picked him up from school and dropped him off. In that time, he’d worked his way through most of the shelves, declaring that the books were boring.
‘Come on,’ Sam said to him now, ‘time to get you home.’
‘Is your car fixed?’ Archie asked.
‘Yep,’ Sam said. ‘Cost an absolute fortune but it’s up and running again.’
‘Does that mean we won’t break down?’
‘I hope so.’
‘Oh.’
‘You want to break down?’ Sam asked.
Archie nodded as they shut up the shop early and walked round to the back where Sam’s car was parked. ‘Tiger’s car broke down the other day and this massive yellow truck came to pick it up.’
‘I see,’ Sam said.
‘He sent me the photos – look!’
Sam looked down at Archie’s phone. Everything was photographed and shared these days, he’d noticed. ‘What’s that?’ he asked, as Archie scrolled to another photo.
‘My dentist’s nose,’ Archie said.
‘You took a photo whilst you were in the dentist’s chair?’ Sam asked.
Archie nodded.
They got in the car and left Castle Clare. A moment later, they pulled over at a small cottage on the left.
‘Have we broken down?’ Archie asked, glee filling his face.
‘No. Just stopping to get some eggs,’ Sam said, nipping out of the car and returning with a box that had been left on a small table of produce outside a cottage. ‘Flo Lohman’s free-range hens lay the best eggs in the county.’ He handed the box to Archie who immediately opened it.
‘Oh, gross!’ he said.
Sam laughed. ‘Just a bit of mud.’
‘There’s feathers in here too.’
‘You can have a feather omelette for tea.’ Archie didn’t look impressed. ‘Hold onto them tightly.’
They drove the short distance to the village of Great Tallington which had a large green surrounded by cottages in the traditional Suffolk pink, and a fine flint church guarding the inhabitants.
Polly lived in a lane overlooking Church Green, in a neat terraced row of brick and flint cottages.
‘Be nice and quiet for your mum, Arch,’ Sam said, as they got out of the car and walked up the garden path to the front door.
‘I will,’ he said.
‘We’re here, Poll!’ Sam called as they entered the kitchen, bending to pet Dickens, the liver and white spaniel who greeted him. Archie placed the eggs on the pine table and then shot off into the living room where he switched the TV on. Sam followed him through. ‘Not too loud.’
Archie nodded, turning the volume down.
Sam looked around the room, noticing that, despite his sister suffering from a debilitating migraine, she’d still managed to keep the house in order. There wasn’t so much as a cushion out of place.
As with every member of the Nightingale family, there were books galore, and Sam’s eyes roved over the shelves in the living room now, knowing – instantly – that there were no new editions. Polly had really had to cut down on her spending since Sean’s disappearance.
He looked at the little table by the sofa on which sat a wedding photo of his sister and brother-in-law.
Where the hell are you, Sean? he said to himself. What in the world happened to you?
Leaving Archie to watch TV, and letting Dickens out into the back garden, Sam walked through to the kitchen to start preparing something for tea. It was then that Polly appeared.
‘You okay?’ Sam asked as she walked into the room. Her hair was loose and her face was pale. She nodded but looked weak and shaky. ‘Sit down. I’ll make you something to eat.’
‘Bloody migraines,’ she said, going to the fridge and pouring herself a glass of orange juice. ‘Is Archie okay?’
‘He’s fine,’ Sam said. ‘Was it a bad one?’
‘No such thing as a good one,’ Polly said. ‘But it’s ebbing away now.’ She sat down at the kitchen table and Sam got on with tea.
‘I’ve brought some eggs,’ he said.
‘There’s a bit of cheese in the fridge if you want to make an omelette. Some tomatoes too.’
Sam nodded. ‘So, any more ideas about drumming up business for the book club?’ he asked her.
‘I’m sorry, Sam, I haven’t had a chance to give it any thought yet. But I will.’
‘That’s all right,’ he said. ‘Plenty of time. It’s probably just a case of letting it grow organically.’
‘The people of Castle Clare don’t like surprises,’ she said. ‘They like things that have been established for at least ten years.’
Sam laughed. ‘I don’t know if I’ve got the patience to give it that long!’
‘It’ll happen,’ she said.
Breaking three eggs into a bowl and whisking them, Sam continued. ‘Bryony came in today. She’s set up an author event with Callie.’
‘I thought Callie didn’t want to do one,’ Polly said.
‘I thought that too, and I told Bry not to push it, but you know what she’s like.’
‘Yes I do,’ Polly said. ‘But maybe Callie just changed her mind. Have you spoken to her?’
‘Not since I rang to thank her for the lift on Sunday,’ Sam said. ‘Maybe I should give her a call.’
There was a knock on the door.
Sam turned around from the cooker. ‘Are you expecting anyone?’
Polly shook her head and then winced, the movement obviously hurting her.
‘I’ll get it,’ he said, leaving the eggs and going into the hallway. When he opened the door, he was met by a tall young man who had to bend himself into the doorway. He had messy fair hair that looked too long to Sam and he was holding a guitar.
‘Is Archie there?’ he asked.
‘Erm, yes. Who’s calling?’
‘Jago,’ he said. ‘Come for Archie’s guitar lesson.’
‘Oh?’ Sam said in surprise. ‘I wasn’t aware he had one.’
The young man looked puzzled. ‘I spoke to him this morning.’
‘Jago?’ Archie cried as he came running through from the living room.
‘Hi, mate!’ Jago said.
‘I’m sorry,’ Sam said, ‘but Archie’s mum’s not feeling well. I think you’d better come back another time.’
‘Archie? Who is it?’ Polly asked, appearing in the hallway.
‘Hi, Mrs Prior. I’m Jago. Archie’s friend.’
Sam watched as his sister tightened the belt on her housecoat and frowned at the intruder.
‘Jago’s going to teach me to play the guitar!’ Archie said.
‘Oh, is he?’ Polly said. ‘Well, I don’t know anything about that.’
‘I was going to square it with you, of course,’ the you
ng man said.
‘We can’t afford guitar lessons,’ Polly said. ‘Archie’s already learning the piano.’
‘Oh, Mum!’ Archie groaned. ‘I hate the piano!’
‘Archie – go through to the living room,’ Polly said, giving him a warning glare. ‘I’m afraid you’ve wasted your time,’ she said, turning back to the young man who was still bent at an odd angle in her doorway.
‘I wasn’t going to charge,’ he said.
‘Then what’s in it for you?’ Polly asked, her voice full of suspicion.
‘Just the pleasure of passing music on to a young ‘un,’ he said with a lopsided grin.
Sam watched the exchange.
‘I don’t think so,’ Polly said, turning around and heading into the living room.
‘Sorry,’ Sam said. ‘She’s had a rough day.’
‘No problem,’ the young man said, waving a hand in the air before heading off with his guitar.
As he closed the front door, Sam could hear Polly talking to Archie and joined them in the living room.
‘You can’t just go around asking strangers into our home!’ Polly cried.
‘But he’s not a stranger, Mum.’
‘You said you only met him this morning when you got your lift to school. We don’t know anything about him.’
‘But he lives over the road.’
‘Where over the road?’
‘With Mrs Solomon.’
‘He’s Mrs Solomon’s son?’ Polly asked.
Archie shrugged. ‘Don’t know.’
Polly sighed and sank into an armchair. ‘You can’t just invite people round when you have a whim to.’
‘But he said–’
‘I don’t care what he said,’ Polly said, clutching her head as she closed her eyes.
‘That’s enough, Arch,’ Sam said.
‘But he was going to teach me the guitar,’ Archie said, stomping out of the room leaving the TV on.
Sam switched it off before walking towards Polly and giving her shoulder a squeeze. ‘You okay?’
‘I could have done without this today,’ she said.
‘He seemed like a nice enough chap,’ Sam said.
Polly looked up. ‘Did he?’
‘You didn’t notice?’
‘I think I’m going to go back to bed,’ she said, walking slowly out of the room. ‘You okay with Archie for a bit?’
‘Sure,’ Sam said.
‘Archie – come down and have some tea,’ Polly said as she climbed the stairs to her bedroom.
‘I’m not hungry,’ Archie said.
Sam, who was standing at the foot of the stairs, shook his head and took himself back into the kitchen where he finished making the three-egg omelette for himself.
Chapter 19
Bryony’s bookshop was everything that a children’s bookshop ought to be: bright, warm and inviting, and Callie instantly fell in love with it.
When she’d arrived in Castle Clare for her signing, she hadn’t been sure what to expect but, walking to the shop from the local car park by the antiques centre, she’d been surprised to see a long queue of people on the pavement outside ready for the three o’clock event.
‘It’s her!’ a young girl cried as she spotted Callie.
‘Callie!’ another girl shouted. ‘Sign my book! Sign my book!’
Callie smiled politely, her cheeks flushing red, as she rushed into the shop.
‘I told you there’d be a good crowd,’ Bryony said, a huge smile on her face as she ushered Callie in.
‘I can’t believe it,’ Callie said, feeling amazed that Bryony had managed to organise such an event in such a short space of time.
‘Everybody is so excited,’ she said. ‘When I popped into the primary school, all the girls were jumping up and down in their seats.’
Callie laughed. ‘Well, I hope I don’t disappoint them.’
‘Disappoint them? Are you kidding? They’re going to love you,’ Bryony said. ‘Now, let’s get you seated. Will you be okay here?’ She motioned to a chair and table she’d set up by the window.
‘I think so,’ Callie said, smiling again as a group of young girls waved at her through the window.
‘You okay?’
Callie nodded. ‘I always get so nervous at these things. Silly, isn’t it? I mean, everyone’s always so nice and kind, but I can’t help it. I guess I’m so used to spending hours on my own that suddenly being out in public can be a bit daunting.’
‘You’ve got absolutely nothing to worry about,’ Bryony said. ‘Polly’s helping out on the till.’
‘Hi,’ Polly said, emerging from the stock room with an armful of books which she placed by the till.
‘And I’ll be right by you the whole time to open all the books at the right page for signing.’
Callie nodded. ‘It’s a really lovely display,’ she said. ‘Thanks so much for all the trouble you’ve gone to.’
Bryony stepped forward. ‘Your hands are shaking,’ she whispered.
‘I know,’ Callie whispered back.
‘Let me get you a cup of tea before you begin.’
‘I don’t want to keep everyone waiting.’
‘They won’t mind,’ Bryony said. ‘Come in the back and have a cup of tea, okay?’
‘I feel so silly,’ Callie said. ‘I don’t know why I get so nervous about these things.’
‘It’s not silly at all,’ Bryony said. ‘I can only begin to imagine what it must be like to face a ravenous crowd of mad fans.’
Callie’s face drained of all colour.
‘Sorry,’ Bryony said. ‘Wrong phrase to use.’
Bryony quickly made two cups of tea and they perched on a pair of stools in the stock room.
‘I’ll be all right in a minute,’ Callie said. ‘I’m sure I will.’ She gave a little smile.
‘I read the Perdita books again this week,’ Bryony announced.
‘Really?’
‘Of course,’ she said. ‘I wouldn’t have an author here if I hadn’t read their books. They’re really wonderful, Callie. You should be so proud of them.’
‘They made me very happy writing them,’ she said.
‘So why did you stop? Or am I overstepping the mark by asking that? You must tell me if I am because I do that all the time.’
‘She does,’ Polly said, popping her head into the stock room.
‘Well, I think it was coming to a natural end in terms of storytelling and the market was changing. Children’s books have been getting a lot darker, haven’t they?’
Bryony nodded. ‘Yes. It’s all dystopian settings now, isn’t it? I don’t like it.’
‘I was also going through a separation and then I was sorting out moving here and I found I couldn’t write at all for months. It was really scary. So I came into Castle Clare and visited Sam’s bookshop.’
‘And you were inspired to write again?’ Bryony asked.
‘Very soon afterwards.’
‘That’s great. So what’s the new book about?’
‘Now you’re overstepping the mark,’ Callie said with a grin as she finished her tea.
Bryony laughed. ‘Fair enough,’ she said, standing up and taking Callie’s mug. ‘Shall we get this show on the road?’
‘I think we’d better,’ Callie said, taking a deep breath before heading out into the shop.
Sam had a pretty good view of the proceedings from his shop on the opposite side of the road. He’d been watching as the queue slowly got shorter and then the final mother and daughter had ventured inside and the door of the shop had been closed behind them.
‘You want to go over there and show your support?’ Grandpa Joe asked. He didn’t normally come into the bookshop on a Saturday, but he’d found out about Callie’s signing and had obviously wanted to keep an eye on things.
‘I’m not sure it’s my place to,’ he said.
‘Nonsense,’ Grandpa Joe said. ‘I’m sure she’d appreciate it.’
‘Yeah?’
He nodded. ‘Of course,’ he said.
‘Well, maybe I could just pop my head in for a minute.’
‘I’ll hold the fort here,’ Grandpa Joe said.
Sam looked around the shop as though he’d lost something.
‘Go on, then!’ Grandpa Joe told him.
‘Right,’ Sam said, leaving the shop.
The final mother and daughter were just leaving as Sam entered Bryony’s and Callie was stretching her arms out in front of her.
‘Oh, my goodness!’ Bryony said. ‘That was so amazing! Wasn’t that the best signing ever?’
‘It’s definitely up there,’ Polly said. ‘I’m exhausted!’
‘Yes, thanks so much for manning the till,’ Bryony said. ‘Sam – you should have seen how wonderful Callie was. The kids loved her!’
‘I’m sure she was fantastic,’ he said, exchanging smiles with Callie as she stood up.
‘I thought I’d rooted there,’ she said.
‘Do you want another cup of tea?’ Polly asked.
‘Oh, she’ll want something stronger than that!’ Bryony said. ‘Sam – why don’t you take Callie to The Happy Hare for a celebratory drink? We’ll be along after closing up.’
Sam hadn’t been expecting Bryony to suggest that and couldn’t help feeling surprised, but pleasantly so. ‘Would you like to?’ he asked Callie.
‘Erm, sure,’ she said. ‘I’ll just get my bag. Oh, thanks,’ she added as her satchel was thrust at her by Bryony who’d already retrieved it from the stock room.
‘We’ll see you there,’ Bryony said, giving Sam a sly wink. ‘Later.’
He rolled his eyes and left the shop. Subtlety was not his sister’s strong point.
Once outside the shop, they crossed the road.
‘Oh, there’s your grandpa,’ Callie said, waving back to the old man who was flapping an enthusiastic hand in the air.
Sam cleared his throat. ‘I’d better check he’s okay shutting up.’ He opened the shop door and poked his head in. ‘You all right if I–’
‘I’ll shut up shop,’ Grandpa Joe interrupted, giving him a saucy wink which Sam hoped Callie didn’t see.
‘Right,’ Sam said as he closed the door, ‘ready for that drink?’
The Book Lovers Page 21
