Page 21 of All Wrapped Up

While I collected the harness, Ash telephoned the library to double check that both Kay and Sandy were going to be in residence and, having confirmed they were and that they’d love to see Pixie, we all set off.

I sat in the back, while Pixie was secured in the front seat next to Ash, like the extra precious cargo that she was.

Unfortunately, we hadn’t gone far before she started to crane her neck to see where I was leaning through the seats to look at her, and then started to fuss.

‘Do you think we should stop?’ I asked Ash. ‘She’s obviously not happy.’

‘I think you should sit back so that she can’t see you and then she’ll be fine.’

‘Are you telling me off?’ I gasped, in almost mock outrage.

His eyes met mine in the rear-view mirror and I could tell he was grinning.

‘A bit,’ he laughed.

‘Fine,’ I huffed, sitting back and folding my arms.

‘There,’ he infuriatingly but justifiably said, when he’d driven a little further on and my traitorous friend had settled down completely. ‘She’s perfectly happy now.’

I stuck my tongue out at him and, catching sight of me in the mirror, he laughed again.

The library was towards the edge of town and Ash was lucky enough to secure a parking space right outside the door. In the spirit of not fussing, I let him lift Pixie out and attach her lead to walk her in.

‘I hope we aren’t going to disturb anyone while we’re talking to Hayley,’ I began to say, but then the automatic doors swung open and a cacophony of singing and clapping met our ears.

‘I think we’ll get away with saying a few words,’ Ash said loudly, as he smiled down at me. ‘If anything, we’re going to struggle to make ourselves heard above what sounds like a very noisy Bounce and Rhyme session.’

‘I think you’re right,’ I agreed, as we walked in and Pixie made a beeline straight towards the reception desk.

‘Pixie!’ The woman who had been working at a computer smiled in greeting. ‘And you must be Clemmie,’ she added, addressing me, ‘her new owner?’

‘I am,’ I confirmed, thinking how cool the woman, who was probably about my mum’s age, looked with cropped grey hair and lots of silver jewellery.

‘And I’m Kay,’ she told me. ‘I’m delighted to meet you and equally delighted to learn that you’ve taken the festival on.’

‘That’s very kind,’ I responded. ‘And I’m pleased to meet you, too. I was already planning to call in to talk to you about the possibility of setting up some sort of autumn reads book club or reading group when Hayley from Wynthorpe Hall suggested we meet here to discuss something else.’

I looked around, but there was no sign of her yet, but then we were a few minutes early.

‘I think a specific autumn book club is a wonderful idea,’ said Kay.

‘I already had lots of non-fiction books on order to make a wonderful seasonal display and, when I heard the festival was back on, I started to put a list of fiction titles together, too. Would you like to see it and let me know what you think people might like?’

I was thrilled that she was so keen and already a step ahead of me.

‘I’d love to see it,’ I therefore enthusiastically said, ‘but I’m sure you’re the better judge of what the local library members might like to read than I am. Would you be happy to pick the titles?’

‘Of course,’ she said, handing me a printed-out sheet.

The action made her bangles melodiously chime together.

‘And I’ll take on the running of it, too, if that suits you?

I have a couple of keen new volunteers who could help me.

I haven’t been the manager here all that long and I’m trying to shake things up a bit. ’

‘That suits me perfectly. Thank you, Kay.’

All the while I had been chatting to her, Ash had been bobbed down behind the desk and when I peered over the top, I found him stroking both Pixie and a golden Labrador who had an almost completely white face.

The two dogs were happily settled together and Pixie was receiving a very thorough wash from her canine friend.

‘I’m guessing this is Sandy?’ I smiled.

The dog looked up at me with kind eyes and thumped his thick tail in response to his name.

‘It is.’ Ash nodded. ‘He’s the oldest member of Wynbridge library.’

‘And the most popular member of staff!’ Kay laughed, just as another bout of singing struck up, this time supported by a host of noisy instruments. ‘He’s also a bit deaf, which is a blessing on mornings like these.’

Pixie had no problems with her hearing, but didn’t appear bothered by the noise.

‘How’s the new medication working out?’ Ash asked Kay as he straightened up.

‘I haven’t seen any improvement in him yet, but you did say it might take a little while. Sandy’s hips aren’t what they were,’ she added for my benefit.

‘Keep me posted,’ Ash sighed. ‘I’m hoping you’ll notice a change soon.’

‘Will do,’ she said. ‘You can leave Pixie here with me while you talk to Hayley if you like? She seems settled back there.’

‘Clemmie?’ Ash said, looking at me.

‘As long as you don’t mind?’ I said to Kay, feeling a little uncertain about leaving Pixie off the lead in a public building.

‘Not at all,’ smiled Kay. ‘And don’t worry. I won’t let her out of my sight. Hayley and Molly are upstairs. I thought it would be easier for you to talk in the relative peace up there.’

‘Thanks, Kay,’ said Ash, moving off and with a quick glance at Pixie, who hadn’t noticed me stepping away, I followed on behind.

‘Do you know Molly?’ I asked him as we climbed the stairs. ‘Hayley mentioned her at the meeting in the pub, but I don’t think she was there. Is she a member of the Connelly family?’

‘She is.’ Ash nodded. ‘And she’s also the Wynthorpe witch.’

I thought I must have misheard him, but there was no opportunity to check as we were then at the top of the stairs and I could see Hayley at the far side of the empty, open space with a laptop, sketchbook and lots of papers spread out on a large table.

‘Hey, you two,’ she smiled, when she looked up and saw us.

‘I hope we haven’t kept you waiting,’ I apologised, because she looked as if she’d been there a while.

‘Not at all,’ she said. ‘I was early. Molly decided to come in with me, so we arrived a while ago. You know she’s not a fan of indoor crowds and the library has a tendency to get busy.’

I didn’t know that, of course, but it didn’t seem to be a surprise to Ash.

‘And noisy, too,’ he laughed, with a nod back to the stairs.

‘Quite.’ Hayley grinned. ‘It can be too much for her.’

‘But it’s not been too hectic this morning,’ said a soft voice behind me and I jumped. ‘Though there’s certainly a lot of energy coming out of the children’s area now.’

I quickly turned around and found a very beautiful woman, wearing a dark green cloak and with an abundance of auburn hair looking right at me.

She was the ultimate pre-Raphaelite muse and I had absolutely no idea where she’d sprung from because I hadn’t seen her when we walked into the space which was completely open.

‘I wish you wouldn’t do that,’ Ash puffed, with a hand on his chest.

‘Do what?’ she said, still looking at me.

‘Manifest like that,’ he complained. ‘You almost scared me to death.’

Molly’s eyes twinkled as she switched her attention to him.

‘What a joy it would be if I could appear at will,’ she smiled. ‘If I could do that, I wouldn’t have to endure Hayley’s driving.’

‘Hey!’ Hayley objected and Ash laughed.

Molly returned her gaze to mine. I found it a little disconcerting.

‘So,’ she nodded. ‘You’re Clemmie.’

‘Yes, sorry,’ said Hayley, with a wave of her hand. ‘Clemmie, Molly. Molly, Clemmie.’

‘Hello,’ I said, feeling scrutinised and, truth be told, a little vulnerable. ‘Hi.’

‘Hello,’ Molly responded. ‘I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.’

‘As soon as I told her that you’d said Wynthorpe not being involved in the festival this year was meant to be ,’ Hayley told me, putting air quotes around the comment, ‘her ears pricked right up.’

‘It’s always a joy to come across someone else who understands that everything in life is preordained and meant to be,’ Molly wistfully said.

Given what had occurred in my life, I wasn’t sure I did understand that, but without inferring that I’d experienced something to make me question, even resent, the idea, where enduring the traumatic bits were concerned anyway, I couldn’t express it, so kept quiet.

‘Right,’ said Hayley, who was obviously used to her friend saying that sort of thing and took it in her stride. ‘Come and tell me what you think of this lot, Clemmie.’

I went to move, but Molly stopped me by stepping close and lightly laying a hand on my arm.

‘You’re doing brilliantly,’ she said, in a hushed tone.

‘I know it’s been hard, felt impossible at times, but you’ve taken the right step at every turn.

You’ve given yourself time and there’s little that’s more precious than that.

You’ve tuned in to what you’ve needed and allowed yourself to accept it… ’

I was completely taken aback, and my initial reaction was to want to ask her if she was talking about how I had stepped in to manage the festival, but the quickest glance into her eyes, eyes that felt like they could see into the very depths of my soul, told me she wasn’t referring to that at all.

‘You’re almost there, you know,’ she whispered and the pressure of her hand increased a little. ‘If you could just find it in your heart to—’

‘Come on, Clemmie,’ said Ash, and Molly let me go. ‘Come and look at this.’

‘Are you all right?’ Hayley frowned at me as I walked over. ‘You look a bit peaky.’

The truth was, I had been more than a little unsettled by Molly’s words.

It wasn’t every day I encountered someone like her and her words of wisdom, for want of a better expression, had felt a little too personal for my liking.

Especially given that I had kept my private life very private since my move to the Fens and that I’d never laid eyes on her before.