Page 44 of Bea's Book Wagon
‘How lovely! Does she live in the village?’ Tori asked.
‘Yes, just on the outskirts,’ Arthur explained. ‘I’m in Rye, myself.’
‘Why don’t you join me for a cuppa?’ said Bea. ‘I was just about to take a break – if that’s still okay, Tori?’
Tori nodded, enthusiastically.
‘If you’re sure I’m not imposing? You look like you’re in the middle of something important,’ said Arthur, gesturing towards the papers strewn all over the tabletop.
‘Bea’s working on plans for her new business,’ said Tori. ‘I’m sure she’d love to tell you all about it. What can I get you? Tea? Coffee?’
‘A pot of tea would be just the ticket,’ said Arthur, slipping off his jacket.
‘And you have to try some of the carrot cake, Arthur. Tori’s mum makes it, and it’s just delicious,’ said Bea.
‘I do have a sweet tooth,’ said Arthur. ‘My doctor said I should be watching my cholesterol, but that does look good. I’ll take a slice.’
‘Coming right up,’ said Tori, from behind the counter.
‘Sit down, Arthur, I’ll clear some room,’ said Bea, gathering her paperwork up into a neat pile.
‘So, what is it you’re working on?’ asked Arthur, easing himself gently into the seat opposite Bea.
‘I’m just about to launch my own business,’ said Bea. ‘But I’ve never done anything like this before, so I’ve got a lot to learn.’
‘What kind of business is it?’
‘Well, I’ve bought a second-hand horsebox and I’m turning it into a mobile bookshop.’
‘A mobile bookshop!’ said Arthur. ‘What a novel idea!’
‘Thank you. It’s all happened quite quickly, so it’s been a bit overwhelming to be honest.’
‘Well, that’s the thing with running your own business, you have to be a jack of all trades: retailer, accountant, marketer, designer… you get the idea.’
‘You’re not wrong,’ said Bea, leaning back in her chair. ‘It’s a big learning curve and I still don’t understand half this stuff.’
‘You’ll get there. If I can do it, anyone can.’
‘What was it you did exactly, Arthur? Did you have your own business, too?’
‘I did, yes. I used to have a little antique shop by the quay in Rye.’
‘Wow, did you? I love it down there, I bet you had some incredible finds!’
‘Oh, I did well enough over the years. I learnt on the job, really, but you start to develop an eye. There was one item that stands out though…’ he chuckled. ‘I’ll never forget it.’
‘What was it?’
‘I was doing a house clearance for a widow whose husband was a big stamp collector. He had a vast collection, so I catalogued them all, gave the lady a fair price…’
‘And what happened?’ Bea asked, her curiosity piqued.
‘Well, when I was listing them ready for auction, a sealed envelope fell out of one of the albums, and when I opened it there was a Penny Red inside!’
‘And that’s good? Valuable, I mean?’
‘Not necessarily,’ said Arthur, shaking a finger, ‘they’re old, but most are fairly common.’
