Page 6 of The Secret Librarian
‘Well, most of all I think it’s important because it allows us to record documents and books without requiring inordinate amounts of storage space,’ she said. ‘For instance, if we were to consider how many copies of theNew York Timesare produced each year, and how much space the library would need to dedicate in orderto preserve each copy, it’s rather daunting. But if wemicrofilmedeach newspaper, we would still have access to the information indefinitely, and have it stored safely, without needing space to do so. They’re tiny records of information, a photograph of each page, to be viewed in the future if the information is ever needed.’
He glanced up and smiled. ‘And you’re confident in your ability to photograph and store such documents? You would consider yourself highly proficient?’
‘Without wanting to sound as if I’m boasting, sir, I would say that I am. This is what I’ve been trained to do,’ she said. ‘My camera of choice is a Leica 35mm, but I have worked using different cameras as well.’
His pen hovered again, and this time when he looked up, he wasn’t smiling.
‘Avery, I have one last question for you that I’d like you to think very hard about before you answer.’
She hesitated, before eventually nodding. ‘Please, go ahead.’
‘This is personal in nature, so I do apologise, but I’m wondering if there is anything holding you back from, say, doing something important for your country if you were asked.’ He paused. ‘I notice you don’t have a wedding ring on your finger, which would indicate that you don’t have a husband. And once again, I do apologise for such an intrusive question.’
‘Something for my country?’ she asked. ‘You mean, something related to America’s involvement in the war?’
Miller stared at her, without blinking. ‘I’m afraid I need you to answer the question.’
Avery bristled, but she knew better than to make a fuss. He’d told her at the very beginning that he couldn’t disclose what this was all about, and if she didn’t give him the answer he needed, she might never find out.
‘A colleague of yours was initially the candidate put forward to me for consideration, however it came to my attention that she’s expecting her first child, which means she’s not suitable for the position I’m recruiting for,’ he said, carefully, as if he was being particularly thoughtful in his choice of words. ‘So I will ask you again. Is there anything that would prevent you from assisting your government?’
Avery’s heart began to beat faster, and she lifted a hand to the base of her throat as she took a deep, slow breath. She glanced at her bare ring finger, knowing that she should be thinking of Michael when she answered, but at the same time feeling the most overwhelming sense of relief that they weren’t yet married.
‘No sir, there is nothing that would prevent me from assisting my country with the war effort.’
One corner of his mouth lifted in a small smile. ‘I never mentioned anything about the war effort.’
‘No, you didn’t,’ she said, folding her arms across her chest. ‘But you didn’t have to. There’s only one reason we’d be meeting in this way, with you asking me questions of a personal nature, and that’s because you need my assistance for something important. Something to do with the war.’
He tore a piece of paper from the back of his notebook and scribbled something down, before standing and passing it to her. She stood, too, taking the paper and unfolding it to read an address in black ink.
He held out his hand. ‘It was my absolute pleasure to meet you today, Avery. I don’t doubt that we’ll cross paths again soon.’
Avery placed her palm in his and he shook it, more firmly than he had when they’d first met.
‘The address—’ she began.
‘Be there at twelve noon tomorrow,’ he said, already gathering up his notebook and papers. She couldn’t help but see her name with the wordsIvy Leagueunderlined. ‘Don’t be late.’
‘But I have to work tomorrow, and that’s on the other side of—’
‘It’s all arranged. You’re to be there by midday, and if all goes well, I doubt you’ll be returning to work. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have somewhere else to be.’
‘Sir, before you go,’ she said. ‘Are we talking about me possibly working for my country here, or ...’ Avery swallowed. ‘Abroad?’
He smiled. ‘Just last week I sent a librarian to Stockholm, Sweden. Ivy League graduates such as yourself can be highly useful to our war effort, believe it or not.’
Avery had to force herself not to ask any more questions as Miller nodded and walked quickly past her, his briefcase in hand. He strode through the door and out into the library, leaving her alone in Fred’s office. Instead of going straight back to work though, she lowered herself into her chair, taking out the piece of paper again and staring at the address. Never in a million years had she imagined that a librarian like her would have anything meaningful to offer the war effort, and to be posted overseas?
She had no idea what all this was about, but deep down inside she had the strangest feeling that everything about her life as she knew it was about to change.
Avery took a plate of supper to her father and curled up on the sofa beside the wireless radio. Her father had made dinner almost unbearable, having spoken to a pilot he knew to ask whether Avery’s information on women flying planes was correct, which had made her wish she’d never brought it up in the first place. It also didn’t help that she couldn’t stop thinking about what she might be asked to do, and just how she was going to broach that with her father if it eventuated. She couldn’t stand the thought that she might do something he’d never forgive.
‘Avery, are you alright? You’re awfully quiet tonight.’
She looked up to see her mother standing by the door.
‘I’m fine,’ she said. ‘Just pensive I suppose. I’ve been thinking a lot about Jack and where he might be.’
