Emily O'Brien closed the cottage door behind her quietly so as not to disturb Kate, walked down the short path to the garden gate and opened it. It squeaked and she made a mental note to oil it when she returned at lunchtime. She turned, pulled the gate closed and looked back at the cottage which she had just left. It looked beautiful in the early morning light with dew on the roses, twinkling in the sunlight. All her life she had lived in this cottage, all twenty-four years, with her mother Kate. She had never known her father, only that he had died when she was three months old. Oh, her mother had told her about him, how he had come from a "well-to-do" family who had disapproved of their relationship - and so they had run away together, married and twelve months later Emily had been born.
Her father James had had to take a job down the coal mines in order to provide for Kate and his daughter but this had proved too much for him and as Emily reached the age of three months he had died. Kate was left with nothing; no house, money and very little food in the cupboard so she had packed up their few belongings in one canvas bag and made her way to Smallwood. Emily had never given any thought to why her mother had chosen Smallwood but she was glad she had, because she loved it here.
Emily stepped away from the gate and set off towards the village green and the library with its grand facade where she was librarian. She proceeded up the marble steps and after unlocking the door, entered and walked over to her desk ready for another day. She enjoyed being a librarian, here she met everyone in the village, from those in the big house to those in the miners' cottages. If there was anything missing in her life at all, it was the fact that there was no-one to share her innermost feelings and thoughts. But then, "You can't have everything" she thought.
At 9 am precisely in walked Mrs. Pringle. She and her husband ran the Post Office across the green, and if there was any gossip to be had, then she had it!
"Good morning Emily, how are you? How's your mother?" she asked in hushed tones as was customary in the library.
"Mother isn't feeling too well today Mrs. Pringle, just a cold I think, so she's staying in bed this morning".
"I'm so sorry to hear that dear, I'll call round later and see if there's anything I can do for her."
"Thank you, but there's no need, I'm sure she'd rather not be disturbed. I'll be going home at lunch time myself to check on her". Emily was sure her mother would prefer not to be subjected to Mrs. Pringle's prying and gossiping. "It's very kind of you though, thank you".
"All right then dear, if you're sure. Now, I'm looking for a good romantic novel, you know the sort I mean, the beautiful debutante ends up marrying the handsome earl following all sorts of misunderstandings and intrigue?".
"Of course," said Emily, "you'll find some new stock on the trolley over by the staircase, it's so new I haven't had chance to put it on the shelves yet. I'm sure there's a couple which will suit you."
"Thank you dear", Mrs Pringle said with a gleam in her eye, and off she went in search of her novel.
For the next few hours a steady stream of local people came into the library. Some changing their books, others passing the time of day reading the daily newspapers, and also Miss Baxter brought in the school children for their weekly visit. Emily looked up at the clock and was amazed to see it said 1 pm, time to close for lunch. "How time flies", she thought as she picked up her bag, took out her keys ready to lock the library until she returned again at two. Only old Tom was left, and when he saw her getting ready to leave he folded the newspaper and walked towards the door with her. "It's a fine day today Emily, I think I'll take a walk over to the Inn and sit outside with a mug of their fine ale. Nothin' nicer on a day like today. Ta Ra then", and off he went. Old Tom was one of Emily's most regular visitors, if he ever missed a day she would be very worried about him, he was like clockwork. Emily locked up and set off home to check on Kate.
As she walked towards the cottage she saw a horse and rider coming towards her and as they drew close the rider tipped his hat and said "Good afternoon Miss O'Brien", to which Emily nodded, turned a remarkable shade of pink, and almost ran to the cottage door. None of this went unobserved by the rider who continued on his way without another word.
Emily pushed open the door, sprang through it and stood leaning her back on the now closed door. Her heart was beating "fifty to the dozen" and she felt so annoyed with herself for blushing like a silly schoolgirl. "What is wrong with me?" she asked herself, "why can't I be sophisticated like Lizzie, she wouldn't go to pieces every time a handsome man said hello to her".
At this precise moment Kate put her head round the kitchen door. "Mother!" queried Emily, "what are you doing out of bed? You promised you would rest this morning." But Kate was more interested in Emily to even consider a reply because she had witnessed the encounter through the kitchen window. "Archie Thornton, gentleman farmer", pondered Kate to herself, "pity about his wife dying and leaving him with that small baby to bring up, must be five years old now."
"What's wrong with you Emily, are you ill?" "No, of course not," said Emily, "I've just been rushing, that's all. Now, why aren't you still in bed resting?" she said, whilst trying hard to regain some sort of composure.
"Never mind me, I feel much better already, be back to normal in no time. I've made us some lunch, thought it would be nice to have some together. Come along now, sit down and talk to me."
The time passed pleasantly as they ate their lunch and Emily told Kate about her morning - deliberately omitting to tell her about Archie Thornton - and when it was five minutes to two Emily kissed Kate on the cheek and left to reopen the library.
She thought about Archie Thornton a lot that afternoon. Why did he have such an effect on her? why couldn't she have just said hello back to him instead of turning into an idiot? she just couldn't stop thinking about him. Then at four o'clock, just fifteen minutes before closing, almost as if she had conjured him up, who should walk into the library but Archie Thornton. She was rooted to the spot as he strode towards her, a very slight smile on his face, and to her eyes looking thoroughly irrisistable. He stopped right in front of her, there was no escape this time, no door to dash through, he had her cornered.
"Miss O'Brien", he said in a very polite, if not firm, manner. "I have something I would like to ask you. I was wondering if ............" Just then the library door swung open and in rushed Jimmy and Jack Bates, grubby as ever and noisy with it. Ten year old twins from Miners' Terrace who's parents had a job making ends meet at the best of times.
"Mam wants to know if ya gotta book about 'ow to cook trout?" shouted Jimmy. "Aye, we're 'avin it fer tea but me mam don't know whatta do wi' it." finished off Jack. "You'll 'ave to read it to us mind, cos mam can't read see."
Archie Thornton looked at the two boys, then back to Emily and whispered "Seems you've been saved by a trout Miss O'Brien - maybe next time". He said goodbye and left without another word, however, he did wonder where the trout had come from, the only place for trout hereabouts was on Lord Smallwoods Estate!.
Emily told the boys to make less noise but refrained from asking where the trout had come from, instead she told the boys what their mother should do with it and made them repeat the instructions over again in order to make sure they would remember.
On her way home that evening Emily couldn't help but wonder what Archie Thornton had been about to ask her when the twins had turned up so abruptly. Could he have more than a passing interest in her? The thought both disturbed and pleased her and she suddenly realised that she might enjoy having a friend like Archie Thornton.
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