The Naughty Girls Book Club. Sophie Hart

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СКАЧАТЬ might be nice to have a regular boyfriend, but a series of unsuccessful dates and a love of feminist literature had left her feeling that it wasn’t a necessity. Women didn’t even need men nowadays, after all – babies could be created in a test tube! Her own father had left when she was a toddler and was in and out of her life sporadically, occasionally remembering her birthday, or sending a card at Christmas. By and large, he was a waste of space. Gracie had grown up believing that men couldn’t be relied upon, and her mother, Maggie, had reinforced that view. Maggie had never remarried, and had impressed upon her only daughter the importance of self-reliance and financial independence from men. As such, Gracie had developed strong opinions that she wasn’t afraid to share, and had extremely high standards when it came to finding a boyfriend.

      ‘Ooh, that’s a lovely outfit, Gracie,’ she heard a voice say, as she passed through Contemporary Fiction.

      ‘Thank you, Mrs Jaworski,’ Gracie replied, as she turned and saw the small, Polish-born pensioner looking her up and down.

      Gracie was wearing a fitted black pencil skirt, with a tight white blouse and oversized red belt, teamed with red patent kitten heels and seamed stockings. Her dark hair was loose, with a red silk handkerchief looped underneath and knotted on top.

      ‘You always look so nicely turned out,’ Mrs Jaworski was saying. ‘So many young people today just don’t make an effort, and the girls these days are always wearing jeans or trousers. It’s nice to see someone dressing like a lady for once.’

      Gracie smiled to herself, wondering whether to engage Mrs Jaworski in a debate about a woman’s right to choose what she wanted to wear, and how it was only in the last century that it had become acceptable for women to even wear trousers in this patriarchal society. On reflection, she decided not to. ‘What are you reading today?’ she asked instead.

      ‘I’m looking for something different,’ Mrs Jaworski replied, her tone serious. ‘Tell me, have you read this Ten Sweet Lessons that everybody’s talking about?’

      ‘Yes, I have,’ Gracie nodded.

      ‘And what did you think?’

      Gracie pulled a face. ‘I didn’t really like it, and I’m not sure it would be your kind of thing either. Maybe you should just stick with a nice Josephine Cox.’

      ‘I might be old, but there’s life in me yet,’ Mrs Jaworski chuckled. ‘I’d like to see what all the talk is about. It’s supposed to be very naughty, isn’t it?’

      ‘Very,’ Gracie emphasised. ‘It’s all handcuffs and candle wax. It doesn’t leave much to the imagination, let me tell you!’

      Mrs Jaworkski’s eyebrows lifted so high they almost disappeared into her wiry grey hair.

      ‘Fascinating. Do you have it in stock?’

      Gracie laughed, as she skimmed the shelves and found the last remaining copy. ‘Now don’t say I didn’t warn you,’ she teased, as she handed it over. ‘Is there anything else I can help you with today?’

      ‘Not now, thank you. I’ll carry on looking, and come to the desk when I’ve chosen everything.’

      ‘No problem. Just let me know.’

      Gracie returned the last couple of books to their homes and made her way over to the counter. She tapped into the computer, making a note to reserve the new Harlan Coben for Mr Harris.

      ‘Are you busy, Gracie?’ asked Simon, who was officiously stamping a pile of books.

      ‘Almost finished,’ Gracie replied, as she hit the enter key and the ‘reserved’ notice popped up.

      ‘Great. When you’re done, could you go and help that gentleman over there? He’s looking a little lost.’

      ‘Which gentleman?’ Gracie asked in confusion.

      ‘The one with his back to us, wearing a grey coat.’

      Gracie stared across the library and frowned. There was something very familiar about the man’s lean frame and messy brown hair, not to mention the battered satchel he was carrying. Gracie approached him slowly, an odd feeling in her stomach.

      ‘Excuse me,’ she began.

      The man turned around, and his mouth dropped open in shock.

      ‘Reggie!’ Gracie exclaimed. ‘It is you.’

      Reggie looked startled. ‘Hello, Grace,’ he began nervously.

      ‘It’s Grac-ie,’ she retorted, pursing her lips into a fine line. ‘What are you doing here? Making notes on us outside of the book club too?’

      ‘No, of course not,’ he replied, angry spots of colour appearing on his cheeks. ‘Besides, you’re the one who came over to say hello to me. I didn’t even see you.’

      ‘I work here,’ Gracie shot back. ‘My manager sent me over because he thought you looked like you needed some help.’

      ‘Oh, I see,’ Reggie replied, caught off-guard. ‘Well, I could do with some help actually. I … um … I can’t seem to find a copy of Lady Chatterley’s Lover.’

      Gracie raised her eyebrows. ‘So you are planning to come to the next meeting?’

      ‘Yes, most probably. After all, it’s very important for my—’

      ‘For your thesis. Yes, you mentioned that,’ Gracie finished sarcastically, and Reggie blushed even deeper. ‘I’m afraid Lady Chatterley’s Lover isn’t in stock.’

      ‘How do you know without checking?’ Reggie shot back suspiciously, worrying that she was trying to fob him off.

      Gracie tried hard to keep a straight face, but couldn’t hide her triumphant smile. ‘Because I’ve already borrowed it. Librarian’s privileges, you see. It means I get first dibs.’

      Unable to help himself, Reggie began to laugh. ‘Well, I can’t compete with that, can I? I suppose I’ll have to buy it instead. Isn’t there a little bookshop around here? Bainbridge Books, or something like that?’

      ‘It closed down,’ Gracie told him glumly.

      ‘Right. Well, I’ll have to go to the big Waterstones in town. Or maybe I could look in the university library next time I’m in.’

      ‘I can check the system if you like,’ Gracie offered, taking pity on him. ‘See if it’s in stock in any other libraries nearby.’

      ‘Would you?’ Reggie asked gratefully. ‘That would be very useful.’

      ‘Of course.’

      ‘I used to have a copy,’ Reggie explained, as he followed her over to the main desk. ‘But I don’t know where it is now. It’s probably in a box somewhere at my parents’ house, with all the other books from my undergraduate degree.’

      ‘Did you study English?’ Gracie asked.

      Reggie nodded.

      ‘Me СКАЧАТЬ