Jinny’s Book Room

The bell tinkled and the boy looked up to see an ancient iron cow-bell hanging above the door.

‘Come on in, my lover.’ Jinnie put her knitting down on the counter and the cat promptly pulled several stitches off the needle.
‘I got all sorts here. Things folk do ask for and things they don’t too, but then it turns out they does want ‘em arter all.
Now just what is it you’m after?’ Her spectacles drifted down towards the end of her nose.
‘Books is it? Oh we’s got plenty o’ they.
Mind you … books is funny things, they usually knows who they’re waiting for long afore their people does.
Now …’ And she bustled round the counter and led him through a little door he’d not noticed before.

It was full to the brim with books.
Wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling books, old, new, mixed, higgledy-piggledy but somehow ordered.
A small window open ed opposite, a pink climbing rose clambered through to be part of the room.
Two mismatched armchairs sat either side of a small table.
Jinny led him in …

‘Them there’s mysteries and love stories too.’ She waved towards the top shelves.
‘Detectives? Oh yes we got an odd ol’ bunch o’ they.’ ‘Tree lore.
An’ deer trods an’ our lady Elen of the Ways be right yere. The gardening’s over yonder
And if it’s wizards you’re after,’ She smiled wickedly down to him, eyes twinkling.
They’re forever escaping so you’ll likely have track they down fer yersel.’
The black cat twined the boys ankles, he bent to stroke the soft, black fur.

‘And don’t you mind Kellan she allus do come when she likes folk.
An’ you want to have a browse likely she’ll lend you a paw.
So you just has a ferret around, you’ll likely come across whatever t’was even though you didn’t know you wanted it.
‘Now I’m jus’ puttin’ t’kettle on.’

She set two lovely rose-cups and matching tea plates on a table between two comfy chairs,
along with delicate tea knives and forks. and clear amber teaspoons with running deer for handles.
And then she bent under the counter.
Thn there was an ominous amount of clattering …
A moment later she emerged triumphantly holding a delicious chocolate cake.
‘You just see what’d like to foller you ‘ome.
And then, when you’m done, just come an’ settee down yere an’ we’ll share an nice cup o’ tea.