Page 44 of Beyond Her Manner
“Ice queen, eh? Then the assistant is a man. Romance has come a long way.”
“No, they are both women.” Viola grinned. “It’s a sapphic romance.”
“Sapphic?” Gillian blinked in confusion. “Not lesbian?”
“In this case, it’s a lesbian and a bisexual woman, so yes, sapphic.”
“Things reallyhavecome on.”
“Where have you been these past decades?”
“In here, out there.” Gillian nodded out the window. “It has been some time since I’ve wandered into a bookshop. I don’t remember seeing a sapphic romance section. I’m sure I would have remembered.”
“They have whole book shops dedicated to LGBTQ+ books now. You won’t find so much in the larger retailers, mainly youth or new adult offerings from traditional publishers. You need the indie presses and authors. I do a lot of travelling, and I’d go mad without it. I often listen to audiobooks too. Can I take it that you only read heterosexual romance?”
“Once upon a time. I became sick of female characters being developed just enough to serve the role of the love interest, only to then become an appendix of a man.”
Viola nodded her agreement. “It is so much more difficult to get them right. Queer romance is gentler, more balanced, and less aggressive. The characters are often portrayed as equals, with less emphasis on traditional power dynamics or roles. I find it makes the relationships feel more authentic and relatable. I could lend you one if you like?”
“I don’t think that’s necessary,” Gillian stammered, though she couldn’t deny she was more than a little intrigued.
Viola could see in Gillian’s face that she was a little intrigued by the concept of a sapphic romance book; even so, she wasn’t about to push it on her. She was still baffled that Gillian was completely unaware of an entire industry, one that she might take pleasure in.
It wasn’t as if she knew exactly what Gillian’s sexuality was; she had once mentioned being like Viola. That didn’t necessarily mean she was a lesbian; she could be attracted to women as well as men, or ‘people’ as she preferred to see it. She wasn’t sure any woman could be in a relationship with a man for that long if she were a lesbian — but then, this was Gillian Carmichael. Viola wouldn’t put anything beyond her abilities.
Until she heard otherwise, she decided that Gillian was likely to be bi or pansexual and that she herself would assume nothing concrete. Knowing Gillian, though, Viola didn’t think she would be into labels. The woman had spent most of her life pretending to be someone else; she likely didn’t know who she was anyway. It didn’t stop Viola from feeling like Gillian’s eyes were hungry for something more than lunch when they were inside the outfitters. She had stared so intently at her that she felt like she was being undressed.
Who knew, though? Maybe Gillian really liked tweed.
“The rain has stopped. I’d better check on Dudley,” Gillian said, draining her cup and stepping off her stool. “Thanks for the coffee. It doesn’t compare to Earl Grey, yet it was perfectly palatable.”
“Noted. I’ll get some in… for next time.”
Gillian’s smile was unmistakable despite her attempts to hide it as she made her way through to the back hall. It may havearisen, though, from the mention of Earl Grey rather than the potential for a future invitation.
The towel on the radiator reminded Viola of their earlier moment when she had patted it against Gillian’s wet chest. She cringed as she replayed it in her mind, wondering what she’d been thinking. The truth was, she hadn’t thought at all. She was caught up in the heat of the moment. Her gaze had inadvertently lingered on Gillian’s chest, and in a momentary lapse, she had reached out to dry it without fully considering the situation. Their brief eye contact, followed by her quick retreat, only added to her unease.
Watching Gillian slip into her shoes, Viola couldn’t help wondering how she had perceived the gesture. She had seemed at ease when entering the kitchen, and no awkwardness had followed.
Pushing the thoughts aside as Gillian headed to the door, Viola realised she would be gone in a moment. “Could I come with you? I haven’t managed to look around the stables, and I’d like to meet Dudley. Properly, anyway.”
Viola blushed a little as she recalled the altercation with Gillian at the stables following her unexpected planning meeting.
“Of course,” Gillian replied as she picked up a bag of what looked like carrots beside the door.
Viola hadn’t noticed it before, being too distracted by Gillian and the rain. Slipping into her boots, she asked, “Why do you have a bag of carrots?”
“They’re for Dudley. Mrs Hawkins from the village shop occasionally has some past their best. He’s not as fussy as her customers.”
“I made the mistake of nipping in the shop the other day.” Viola chuckled as she held the back door open for Gillian.
“Mistake?”
“Oh, everyone was perfectly nice; it’s just a few customers conducted a loud conversation with the woman behind the counter about the manor summer ball.”
“The villagers aren’t very subtle, especially when it comes to anything important to them,” Gillian said as she led them around the side of the manor. “Bridget mentioned this morning that people were asking.”
“Does it mean that much to people?” Viola asked, her tone full of curiosity and concern.
