‘I believe she goes by the name Honey,’ Sam said.
‘Well, it doesn’t surprise me that she’s late,’ Antonia said.
‘Shall I go and see if there’s any sign of her?’ Polly asked and Sam nodded.
Polly walked through to the front of the shop and looked out of the window. A woman was walking up the street, but could this be the mysterious Hortense ‘Honey’ Digger whom Polly had yet to meet? Polly watched her, taking in the fluffy white-blonde hair that looked so bright under the street lighting, and the long frilly skirt that flounced as she moved.
Sure enough, she entered the shop.
‘The book club is here, isn’t it?’ she asked, her glossy pink mouth smiling at Polly.
‘Honey?’
‘Yes!’
‘Very pleased to meet you,’ Polly said, noticing the thick make-up and the lilac eye-shadow Honey was wearing. She really didn’t need either for, despite being in her mid-sixties, Polly guessed, Honey was still a very beautiful woman.
‘Am I the only one?’
‘Oh, no,’ Polly said. ‘We’re all in the back. Come on through.’
‘I’m afraid I’m horribly late,’ Honey said.
‘Not at all,’ Polly assured her. ‘We were only just about to begin.’
Polly led the way into the back room. ‘Can I introduce Honey to everyone?’
Honey followed her in and beamed a soft smile around the room.
‘Charmed!’ Winston said, instantly on his feet, tipping his hat with one hand and shaking Honey’s with his other.
‘Good to meet you,’ Callie said. ‘I’m Callie.’
‘Flo!’ Honey cried. ‘If I’d known you were coming, I would have brought back my egg boxes.’
‘Just drop them off when you’re next passing,’ Flo said.
‘And you know Sam, of course?’ Polly said.
‘Hello, Honey,’ Sam said.
‘And you know Antonia, I believe?’ Polly asked.
‘Yes. We’ve met,’ Antonia declared.
‘Yes,’ Honey said, her smile fading a little. ‘Antonia and I are old friends.’
It was then that Honey saw the biscuits and apple slices.
‘Was I meant to bring something?’ she asked, her face falling in dismay.
‘It isn’t compulsory,’ Sam said. ‘But you’re very welcome to.’
‘Then I will next time for sure.’
Winston beamed his approval. He’d already eaten one apple slice and two biscuits.
‘Please help yourself,’ Polly said.
Honey approached one of the plates. ‘Ah!’ she exclaimed. ‘Antonia’s orange and lemon biscuits. Now, they’re an old favourite, aren’t they?’
‘At least I brought something with me,’ Antonia said.
Winston guffawed from the sofa whilst Sam cleared his throat.
‘What’s going on with those two?’ Jago whispered to Polly.
‘They’re a couple of Titans from Castle Clare’s WI,’ Polly whispered back. ‘Life-long rivals, I hear.’
Jago smiled. ‘Should be interesting.’
‘Fasten your seatbelt,’ Polly said with a grin.
CHAPTER FOUR
‘Right, we’d better make a start,’ Sam said. ‘Everybody take a seat.’
It was then that Polly noticed that, whilst she’d been watching for Honey’s arrival, the chairs had been rearranged, obviously after the instruction of Antonia Jessop. But she had to admit that the little circle they now made looked friendly and inviting.
Winston was the only one on the sofa and Delilah lay on the floor by his feet. Everybody else had chosen one of the rigid wooden chairs borrowed from the village hall and Polly had somehow ended up in between Antonia Jessop and Jago Solomon. She looked at the little assembly and hoped that it was the start of something rather wonderful both for Sam’s bookshop and for Castle Clare. It was exciting to be at the very beginning of a new venture, she thought, and she sincerely hoped that it would be a successful one.
As people shuffled in their seats to get as comfortable as was possible on the old chairs, Honey Digger unbuttoned her coat to reveal a candyfloss-pink cardigan over a white lacy blouse and a flaring skirt which Polly had only got a brief glimpse of under the street lighting. Now, it was revealed in all its splendour. With its bright green background littered with flowers in every colour, it was like a little glimpse of summer in the middle of the Suffolk winter.
‘What a pretty skirt,’ Polly couldn’t help saying, suddenly feeling very drab in her utilitarian black one.
‘Oh, thank you!’ Honey said with a smile.
Antonia glanced at the skirt in disdain before stroking her hands down her own hairy Tweed one.
‘Right,’ Sam said, ‘welcome, everyone, and thanks for coming out on a particularly gloomy winter night. It’s lovely to see so many of us for this first meeting. Now, I want to keep things fairly informal because tonight is really all about what we want from the book club. Polly and I have a few ideas, but we’re open to suggestions and would love to hear everyone’s thoughts.’
Polly bit her tongue. Everybody’s thoughts except Antonia Jessop’s that was.
‘Then we can all talk about books: what we like, what we don’t like – that sort of thing. How does that sound?’ Sam continued.
Everyone nodded.
‘Good. I don’t want to scare anybody off at this stage, but I do think we should lay a few ground rules about the book club just so we all know what we’re doing. Everyone happy with that?’
‘First rule of book club,’ Jago said. ‘You must not talk about book club.’
There were a few titters around the room and Polly caught Jago’s eye and he grinned at her.
‘What’s he talking about?’ Antonia Jessop cried. ‘Of course we’ve got to talk about book club. How else are we going to spread the word?’
‘He’s referencing a film,’ Polly explained. ‘It’s a line from a film.’
‘Well, it’s not a film that I’m aware of,’ Antonia said.
‘That doesn’t surprise me,’ Jago said under his breath. Polly shot him a warning glance.
Sam cleared his throat. ‘So, first things first. Are we all happy to meet every other month? Any thoughts on that?’
‘We thought monthly meetings would be too much,’ Polly joined in.
‘I’m a very slow reader,’ Flo said. ‘I know I couldn’t manage a book a month. Not unless they were those nice slim Mills and Boon novels.’
Antonia tutted. ‘We won’t be reading that kind of novel!’
‘There’s nothing wrong with those kind of novels,’ Honey said. ‘They’ve given me much pleasure over the years. You should try some, Antonia. A bit of romance in your life certainly wouldn’t go amiss.’
Antonia’s thin lips got even thinner at this comment whilst Winston chuckled from the sofa.
‘So, are we all agreed on every other month for a meeting? January, March, May etc?’
‘Sounds good to me,’ Winston said. ‘Although I’ll miss these nibbles in the other months.’ He leaned forward from the sofa and took another of Flo’s apple slices.
‘There are some of my orange and lemon biscuits here,’ Antonia said. ‘Not many of you are eating them.’
Flo allowed herself a little smile.
‘How are we going to choose the books?’ Honey asked.
‘That was my next point,’ Sam said. ‘I think it would be a great way to get to know each other, and to keep things fair, if everyone had a choice. Of course, to make sure we’re all happy, we’d all need to be in agreement with the choice of book.’
‘Yes,’ Antonia said, ‘because if it was down to the individual, we’d end up reading some dreadful Barbara Cartland novel.’
‘There’s nothing wrong with a bit of Barbara Cartland,’ Flo Lohman said, realising that the barbed comment was aimed at her.
‘That’s right,’ Sam said diplomatically. ‘There’s room for every book in the world.’
‘Oh, how dreary,’ Flo said. ‘Isn’t a classic just a book in which everyone dies and nobody has a happy ending?’
‘I can think of lots that have happy endings,’ Sam said.
‘Well, can we please make sure that our books have happy endings, Sam, dear?’
‘I think some of them will and some of them won’t,’ he said. ‘I think it might be good for all of us to read outside our comfort zone.’
‘And that’s why I’ve prepared a list of genres we should look at,’ Polly said, taking the list out of her handbag together with a notebook.
Jago took a look. ‘Ah, the felt pen chart,’ he said.
Polly glanced up at him. He was smiling; she wasn’t.
‘What’s johnres?’ Winston asked.
‘Genres. It’s the categories books are placed in,’ Sam explained. ‘Polly?’
‘I’ve made a list to include non-fiction genres like biography and history, and the fiction genres include crime, thrillers, classics–’
‘Romance?’ Flo asked.
‘Yes, romance,’ Polly confirmed, remembering that her brother had told her that Flo would be on the lookout for it.
‘What about children’s fiction?’ Callie asked.
‘Children’s? Are we to read children’s books?’ Antonia said.
‘I don’t see why not,’ Sam said. ‘They’re a very important part of literature and many of the great classics are children’s books. Just think of The Secret Garden, Little Women and Swallows and Amazons, and the modern classics like Goodnight, Mister Tom and War Horse. That’s a very good suggestion, Callie.’
Callie smiled. ‘I know I may be biased,’ she said, ‘but I really think some of the best stories are those written for children.’
‘Including your own of course,’ Sam said with a proud little smile.
‘Well,’ Callie said, blushing furiously, ‘I couldn’t possibly say!’
‘You’re a writer?’ Honey asked. ‘How exciting. I must have a chat with you. I’ve written a little story for my grandchildren and they simply love it! Perhaps you can help me get it published.’
‘Oh, no!’ Antonia said with a groan. ‘Not that thing about the haunted Wendy House that you read out on the WI picnic?’
‘And what’s wrong with it?’ Honey asked.
‘Ladies, ladies,’ Sam said. ‘Let’s get back to book club business, shall we?’
Winston chuckled again from the sofa. ‘I’m loving this,’ he said with a little shake of his head. ‘It’s better than anything on the telly.’
‘So, meetings every other month during which we take it in turns to choose a book agreed upon by the group as a whole. Okay?’ Sam said.
Everyone nodded.
‘Who chooses first?’ Antonia asked.
‘I think it only fair that Sam has the first choice,’ Polly said, ‘seeing as he’s organised everything.’
‘Quite right,’ Winston said.
‘Choose a nice romance,’ Flo said. ‘I do like a nice romance.’
‘We know,’ Antonia said.
Sam pushed his glasses up his nose and cleared his throat. ‘Well, I have had a few thoughts and I’ve come up with both a classic and a romance. A novel that has proved its worth over several readings of mine over the years and one which TV and film directors turn to again and again.’
‘Oh, no,’ Antonia said, ‘not that Mr Darcy book!’
‘No, not Pride and Prejudice,’ Sam said, ‘although that would make a very good choice at some point.’
‘I don’t like Jane Austen,’ Antonia said, to shocked gasps from Flo and Honey. ‘She’s too sickly saccharine for my taste.’
Polly resisted saying something, knowing that she could never have any sort of a happy relationship with somebody who denounced Jane Austen in such a way.
‘Which book were you thinking of, Sam?’ Flo asked.
‘Thomas Hardy’s Far From the Madding Crowd.’
‘Oooh!’ Flo said. ‘That’s just been made into a film, hasn’t it?’
‘It has indeed,’ Sam said.
‘And Gabriel Oak was to die for!’ Honey said with a little giggle.
‘Is that the one with that Julie Christie?’ Winston asked. ‘I’ve always had a soft spot for her.’
‘That’s the film version from the 1960’s, silly,’ Honey said.
‘Is it? I lose track of time these days,’ he said.
‘How does everyone feel about reading it, then?’ Sam continued.
‘Doesn’t everybody always die in Hardy’s novels?’ Flo asked, a frown etched across her forehead.
‘Mostly,’ Callie said, ‘but this one has a happy ending.’
‘After just a few deaths,’ Sam said.
‘Oh, dear,’ Flo said. ‘I’m not sure I’m going to like that.’
‘Well, I’m happy to read it,’ Antonia said.
‘I’d love to,’ Jago said, and everyone else mumbled their approval.
‘We’ll make sure the book choice after that has fewer deaths, Flo,’ Sam said.
‘Good,’ she said. ‘Life’s too short to be reading about death.’
‘If anybody would like to order a new copy of the book, I’ll be happy to arrange that with Josh next door. As far as I’m aware, there are two second-hand copies here in the shop, but one’s a bit tatty so I’d be happy to give that to anyone who’d like it.’
‘I’ll tek it,’ Winston said. ‘I don’t mind tatty.’ He lifted up the corner of the coat he hadn’t yet taken off and pointed out the holes in it.
‘I’ll get it for you in the break, Winston,’ Sam said. ‘So, if we’re all happy with that, why don’t we kick things off with what we all like to read? We can go round the circle and each of you can tell us your favourite book or author–’
‘Anthony Trollope,’ Antonia interrupted. ‘You can’t beat a good Trollope.’
Jago gave a chuckle and Polly did her best not to join in for fear of never being able to stop.
‘His Barchester novels are some of the finest literature,’ Antonia went on.
‘I think I’ve read one of his,’ Flo said. ‘The Rector’s Wife? I did enjoy it.’
‘That’s Joanna Trollope!’ Antonia said.
‘And a relative of his, I believe,’ Callie said.
‘Winston?’ Sam said.
Winston’s head jerked up as if he’d been about to doze off. ‘What’s that?’
‘Do you have a favourite book or author?’
He screwed his eyes up. ‘Let me see,’ he said. ‘Favourite book. Favourite author.’
The group waited patiently.
‘Nope,’ he said at last. ‘Not really.’
‘Well, let’s hope we can introduce you to some favourites here,’ Sam said, and then his eyes rested on the young man next to him.
‘Jago, isn’t it?’
Jago nodded. ‘Erm, a favourite? I read a lot of non-fiction as part of my music studies, but I managed to read a few of the classics too like Dickens and some Conan Doyle. I read some plays as well – some Arthur Miller.’
‘He was married to Marilyn Monroe,’ Honey pointed out.
‘I don’t think that has anything to do with Arthur Miller’s writing,’ Antonia said.
‘Actually,’ Sam said, ‘Arthur Miller wrote The Misfits for Marilyn Monroe.’
Honey seemed delighted by this information.
‘Which plays did you read, Jago?’ Sam asked.
‘I didn’t get on very well with The Crucible, but A View from the Bridge was fantastic.’
Polly looked at Jago with renewed respect. ‘Maybe we should add plays to our list of books?’ she said.
‘That’s not a bad idea,’ Sam said.
‘What about poetry?’ Flo asked.
Sam frowned. ‘Probably not a great idea. Poetry tends to divide readers.’
‘Even love poetry?’ Flo asked, hope in her voi
ce.
‘Especially love poetry,’ Sam said. ‘Now, where did we get up to? Polly, I think.’
‘Favourite books?’ she said, twisting her hands together in her lap. ‘Well, since having Archie, I haven’t had much time to read which is an awful confession for somebody who works in a bookshop, isn’t it? But I read whenever I can. Everything really. The classics, the latest book club favourites, books recommended by friends, and children’s books with Archie. But I suppose I enjoy biographies the most.’
Sam nodded. ‘Now, we all know that Antonia likes a nice Trollope.’
There were a few titters around the room at that.
‘Flo – we know you like romance, but do you have a favourite title or author?’
‘Well, I’ve just finished reading In the Prince’s Arms which was very good,’ she said.
Antonia shook her head in dismay.
‘It’s a sequel to Lost with the Prince which kept me up all night wanting to know what was going to happen.’
‘That’s always a sign of a good book,’ Sam said.
‘But not necessarily a sign of a quality book,’ Antonia said.
‘Perhaps that’s something we can talk about,’ Sam said. ‘The difference between popular fiction and literary fiction.’
Polly scribbled his idea down in her notebook.
‘And Honey? Any favourites?’
‘I like a good thriller,’ she said. ‘Lots of intrigue and a nice handsome hero to make the world a better place. Lee Child and Scott Mariani are unbeatable. I often take Jack Reacher or Ben Hope to bed with me!’
Flo gave a giggle and Polly couldn’t help smiling.
‘Well, it looks as if we’ve got a really wide range of interests in the group,’ Sam said at last. ‘Shall we break for a cup of tea and some more of these nibbles?’
Winston leaned forward and helped himself to another of Flo’s apple slices and Jago bent forward and took one too. Antonia, who was watching, didn’t look pleased.
Polly followed Sam into the tiny kitchen and helped with the tea things, filling the kettle and putting it on to boil.
‘It’s going really well,’ she told him.
‘You think?’
‘Don’t you?’ she asked, noticing the two little creases of anxiety above his nose.
‘Antonia worries me,’ he said.
‘Oh, you mustn’t let her.’
Rules for a Successful Book Club (The Book Lovers 2) Page 4