Chapter Twenty-One
H ARRY KNELT TO slide the book out from inside the basket. The monkey clutched on, but Harry was stronger. ‘C’mon, now, don’t be silly,’ he said, and with a sharp tug, the book was free.
‘Oh, quick, quick. The whole of Derbyshire can probably hear that racket,’ said Chloe as the basket moved beneath her.
‘You have to do it,’ she said to Eric. She wasn’t sure how she knew, but something told her the same person who brought the character out had to put them back.
Harry laid a hand on the basket, helping her keep it down, as he handed over the book to Eric.
‘The last page, read out his last line. Hurry!’
His hands shaking, his face bright red from running around, Eric opened the book. He read aloud, ‘ “You were right, Crocodile ,” cried the purple monkey . “ There were enough bananas for everybody . ” ’
At the last word, the thrashing and noise under the laundry basket vanished in an instant, and the basket stopped moving. Breathing hard, Chloe rose and checked inside. The purple monkey was gone.
They all breathed great sighs of relief as Chloe picked up the laundry basket. Eric lay the net against the wall. ‘I . . . That was an interesting way to find out I could do that, too.’
‘And by “that”, you mean . . .?’ Harry was staring between them. ‘What? Pulling characters out of books?’
‘Exactly,’ said Chloe. ‘This library is magical.’
The word rang between them. Eric gave an enthusiastic nod beside her. ‘She’s right, Harry. Mrs Cook can do it, too. And the library makes its own scents, and some things move on their own, and . . .’
‘Let’s not overwhelm him,’ Chloe laughed as Harry rubbed his temples.
The upper floors seemed so quiet now that the chattering little monkey was safely back in his book. ‘I might not have to say this,’ said Chloe, rearranging her lopsided cardigan, ‘but Eric, please check whether a book is glowing before you read it. You never know who might come out next time.’
They headed downstairs, Chloe trying to think of a plausible reason why the three of them had needed to be up here for so long and wondering if they’d be in trouble with Mrs Cook.
Chloe glanced around the library, trying to gauge its reaction.
She felt a faint sense of . . . amusement from the wooden rafters and arched windows. Like that had all been a great joke.
‘Do that again, and we won’t invite anyone else,’ she muttered as she pushed open the door that led to reception.
Well, she tried to. The door wouldn’t budge. She pushed hard, but it refused to move.
‘Did it lock by accident?’ asked Harry beside her.
‘That door doesn’t lock.’ Eric came up beside her and pushed it. Chloe was about to huff at him that he wasn’t any stronger than she was, but the door opened easily at his touch.
She glanced upwards again, knowing the library had locked the door for her on purpose. ‘Ha, ha, very funny.’
‘Who are you talking to, Chloe?’ Harry asked beside her.
Her cheeks burned. ‘The library, of course. Do you think it can’t hear me?’
‘After seeing cartoon animals running around?’ He glanced up at the rafters above them. ‘I’m ready to believe anything.’
Chloe tensed when they rejoined the event in the children’s section, but it didn’t appear anyone had noticed anything.
Chloe, Harry and Eric blended back into the group, and Chloe noted that almost all of the cakes and treats were gone – the library had stopped refilling them, then.
She supposed Hannah would have noticed something was up eventually.
Eric bounded over to the soft play area, slipping off his shoes and asking what book he should read next.
He scrutinised with squinting eyes the book the children had chosen, as though checking for a glow, making Chloe and Harry exchange amused grins.
Mrs Cook gave her a warm smile as Chloe came up to her. ‘Everything’s sorted out,’ said Chloe. ‘But the book got damaged in the process.’ She handed Mrs Cook the children’s book Eric had passed to her. The monkey had torn a page nearly in half.
‘I didn’t doubt you for a second.’ The librarian took the book, looking under her glasses at the ripped page. ‘This is nothing some tape won’t fix. Well done, Chloe.’
‘It was a team effort. And, um, Harry Ashcroft knows about the library’s magic, too.’
‘How’s he taking it?’ she asked with interest, glancing over at him. He had picked up a piece of chocolate cake and was leaning against the far wall on his own.
Chloe wasn’t sure.
The kids chattered noisily, and no doubt Mrs Cook had encouraged the noise to mask the racket upstairs.
Almost all of them were holding books, parents smiled on the sidelines, some of the teachers were helping put used paper plates and plastic forks into bin bags, and to Chloe’s delight, several children ran with enthusiasm to listen to Eric’s new story.
The children all went home with a book each, and with shiny new library cards, many of them with elaborate, colourful patterns and pictures they had designed themselves.
The parents promised to visit again soon, the teachers were all smiles and enthusiastic handshakes, and later they found they had raised over a hundred pounds for the library’s funds.
‘Thank you so much for your help, Hannah,’ said Chloe when the last teacher had slipped out of the door. ‘Your treats are truly amazing.’
‘I have some left. It’s weird, I don’t remember making this many. Often it seemed like the cakes . . . There were more of them than I thought, you know?’
Harry, Chloe and Mrs Cook all shared knowing looks.
‘Anyway, I’ve got a bunch left. No one’s got a gluten allergy, have they? Anyone vegan? These ones don’t have nuts, either.’
When they confirmed that they could eat her treats, Hannah happily handed them the spares. Eric dived for the cheesecake with boyish enthusiasm. ‘Thanks, Hannah.’
‘My uncle is going to be so pleased,’ said Hannah happily. Bags and empty boxes in hand, she waved to Chloe. ‘This was so fun. Let’s do it again.’
‘Bring Lily next time, okay?’ Chloe called after her as Hannah stepped outside. The doors closed behind her.
They all exhaled. Chloe was acutely aware that Harry was still beside her. His presence was warm and comforting, and somehow, the event had felt even more enjoyable with him here.
‘That was fun,’ said Eric, stretching his arms above his head.
‘It’s good to let loose and monkey around sometimes.’ Harry’s eyes crinkled as Chloe snorted with laughter.
‘That joke was awful.’
Harry stayed to help clear up, even when Chloe said he didn’t have to.
‘What else am I going to do on my day off? Sit around watching Netflix?’ He smiled at her as they cleared up the books the monkey had spilled upstairs.
Eric had filled in Mrs Cook on what exactly had happened, now they were out of earshot of the parents and kids.
He made himself look more heroic than he had been, hinting that he had been the one to trap the monkey with the basket.
‘Then I read his last line from the book, and he disappeared like that ,’ Eric boasted, clicking his fingers. ‘Didn’t I, Chloe?’
‘Yes, Eric. You were fantastic,’ she agreed. He beamed at her, and she felt something between them. A small nudge of reassurance that they were okay.
‘The whole day was a success,’ said Mrs Cook happily. ‘Although I wonder why the library allowed that particular book to glow when Eric was reading it?’
Chloe had wondered the same thing. ‘Maybe the library thought it would be funny.’
The lanterns glowed brighter, a happy scent of cinnamon rolling over them all. Chloe laughed as Harry gasped in shock.
‘You’re really having a conversation with this place?’ he asked, looking around in awe. ‘And here I thought the cartoon monkey coming to life was the strangest thing.’
Clementine, having hidden throughout most of the event and the entire chase with the monkey, reappeared with quiet dignity, meowing softly.
‘You could have helped us catch the visitor,’ said Chloe with affection, kneeling to scoop up the cat. He let her, purring softly when she petted his head in the spot she knew he liked it. ‘You could have grabbed his tail or something.’
‘This is the most fun I’ve had in a while,’ said Harry. When his large hand reached out to pet Clementine, the orange cat let him, meowing softly into his palm. ‘Monkey and all.’
Chloe beamed at him, feeling suddenly very fond of all the people around her.
The books were cleared up, the earnings locked safely away, and the tables and chairs back to their original positions. Harry had been strangely zen about everything that had transpired. ‘You’re not freaked out by all this?’ Chloe asked him when they were alone.
‘A bit,’ he admitted. ‘But I take it as it comes.’
Chloe nodded, feeling like she understood. Unbelievable things could happen at times, but you’d give yourself a headache if you tried to deny it when it was right in front of your face. Even if it came in the form of a purple cartoon monkey.
‘Do you have any plans for Bonfire Night?’ he asked.
‘None,’ she said. In truth, she had been so preoccupied with the library event and with everything else going on that she hadn’t spared a thought for 5 November. She had hardly noticed the turn of the month, only the colder, longer nights reminding her of the upcoming winter.
‘There’s an event on at Thornbridge Hall.’ Harry scratched the back of his head. ‘I’ve never been before, but I’ve heard good things. If you’d like to go? With me?’
Something happy danced in Chloe’s chest. ‘Harry, you helped us catch the purple monkey. How could I say no?’
‘A purple monkey? That’s not some sort of euphemism, is it?’ said Mrs Cook, entering the kitchen and coming up beside them with a plate of leftover cakes in her hands. Eric giggled from the next room.
‘No, it’s not!’ Chloe’s cheeks burned. ‘Harry was . . .’ She remembered what he’d said about wanting to keep their outings private, swallowed, and said, ‘getting ready to leave. I’ll text you,’ she mouthed to him over Mrs Cook’s shoulder.
‘Take some of the baked goods home, too, Harry. I shall pop if I eat all these,’ said Mrs Cook, packing a Tupperware box into Harry’s hands. ‘There you go, love. It’s the least we can do for all your help.’
‘Thanks.’ He waved to them. ‘Goodnight. I have to be getting through the rest of those books I borrowed.’
Chloe found herself smiling as she watched him go, the light reflecting in his hair. He stepped outside and glanced back, giving her a wink before the door closed behind him.
When Chloe turned, she saw Mrs Cook watching her, a knowing smile on her lips.
‘What?’ Chloe asked, half amused.
‘Nothing at all, my love. I just wish I could give you some glass slippers and a carriage for your date at Thornbridge Hall.’
Chloe’s cheeks blazed.
She happily marked 5 November in her phone.
Though it bothered her a tiny bit that Harry wanted to keep their outings a secret, it also really wasn’t her co-workers’ business.
Even if Mrs Cook had worked it out in five seconds.
Chloe had a feeling you wouldn’t be able to hide anything from the librarian.