Page 15 of The Cornish Cream Tea Bookshop
Between closing time at A New Chapter and the start of the book club on Friday, Ollie walked down to the harbour to stretch her legs, and pick up the supplies she needed from Main Street. Clouds were racing across the sky, hiding then revealing the late afternoon sun like a faulty Jack-in-the-box, and the sea went from twinkling to dull grey, then back to twinkling.
It was so beautiful. Even now, only ten days from November, she could picture this place under warmer, heavier sunshine and with an idyllic holiday atmosphere, and, as it was, it wouldn’t be too long until it was fully decked out for Christmas.
Ollie walked back up the hill, her tote bag heavy on her shoulder, her insides a mess of nervous excitement. She checked her hair which, that morning, she’d pulled into an elaborate bun with plaits feeding into it, and glanced at her reflection in the window before pushing open the bookshop door.
‘Do we know how many people are coming?’ Thea asked. She was carrying two bottles of wine up the stairs, while Becky followed with a couple of foldable chairs.
‘I’m not sure,’ Ollie admitted. ‘Meredith said she and Finn were coming, and I think Lizzy is – I met her in Sea Brew. Maybe Maisie, too, though she didn’t confirm. Adrian and his wife, Tillie, have another event to go to.’
‘OK,’ Thea said. ‘Ben can’t make it, but I think Sylvia is coming.’
‘Sylvia?’ Ollie asked, following them up the stairs.
‘She used to live here, before the renovation. She ran the post office with her husband, and everyone in Port Karadow knows her. Since I’ve taken over the building, she hasn’t exactly lost interest in what happens here – she’s not shy about voicing her opinions.’
Ollie thought of Marion’s endless curiosity, and grinned. ‘Sounds familiar. I bought scones, by the way.’
‘Scones?’
‘And jam and cream. I thought we could offer everyone a cream tea with their wine.’
‘It’s all a bit haphazard,’ Becky said, unfolding the chairs then gesturing around the room.
It looked eclectic, with its mix of seating – the beanbags alongside the flimsy chairs, the sofa under the window – but Ollie didn’t think that was a bad thing. ‘We’re just trying to get some people here to talk about the bookshop, get the reality of events and book clubs on everyone’s radar.’
‘Did you run a book club in your last place?’ Thea asked, as she arranged glasses on the table.
‘I wanted to,’ Ollie admitted, ‘but my boss didn’t think it would work. She said there would be no consistency, thatbook clubs were more suited to front rooms and friendship groups than bookshops.’
‘Well, if it helps,’ Thea said, ‘this was a bedroom until a few months ago.’
‘And Port Karadow is very different to London,’ Ollie added, her hands on her hips. ‘The community’s smaller, tighter. If we do well tonight, then we’ll get the same faces coming back next time, along with a whole load of new ones.’
‘Are you all right if I head off?’ Becky asked. ‘I need to get the kids.’
‘Of course. Ollie and I can manage.’
Becky said goodnight, and Ollie went back to her tote bag, taking out a small box that she’d purchased from Maisie half an hour before. ‘It’s never too early for fairy lights,’ she said, pulling the long, LED trail out of the box. ‘And these are gold. I thought we could drape them along the bookshelves.’
‘Perfect.’ Thea took the other end and, together, they unwound them. ‘We’ll match the twinkliness of the town.’ She gestured to the window, where dusk had fallen and the lights of Port Karadow stood out, like a dense blanket of stars, beyond the glass.
Lizzy was the first to arrive, followed by Meredith and her very blond, very smiley boyfriend Finn. Ollie poured them glasses of wine, and told them to help themselves to the scones and toppings.
‘I’ve got a stew in the oven,’ Lizzy said. ‘If I’d known there was all this, I would have left Martin to fend for himself.’
‘We were going to get fish and chips,’ Meredith added. ‘This is as good, if not better.’ She loaded her scone withjam and cream, and went to speak to Thea who, Ollie couldn’t help noticing, was looking anxious.
‘Hello!’ Maisie was the next to arrive. ‘The lights look great.’
‘They do, don’t they?’ They had given the upstairs space a celebratory feel that would last long after Christmas was over. ‘Help yourself.’ Ollie gestured to the refreshment table, and Maisie grinned and went to get a plate.
‘Do you think this is it?’ Thea asked, ten minutes later. ‘I was sure Sylvia was coming, but maybe her daughter wasn’t free to drive her over.’
‘Six is a great number,’ Ollie said. ‘And tonight’s just an introductory session. Discussing how the club will work, picking the first book. After this we can promote it properly, get more people interested. Then, next time, the chairs will have been delivered, and it will be—’
‘Look who I found outside, Theophania!’
Ollie and Thea both turned, and Ollie’s stomach swooped as she watched their two new guests reach the top floor, their cheeks pink from the cold.
