There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written.

[westin_sagert]

[A bright and crisp mid-morning, June 8 (day 373)]
[At the library]It is quite a lovely day; cool and crisp and not at all cold enough to ache. I was somewhat apprehensive about stepping outside yesterday, but the snow hardly seems to cause a slip at all. And as it seems to be here still, I suppose I should not get into the habit of letting it

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[janeveniver]

I suppose we've had stranger things than snow in June happen in town, and certainly worse ones, but I can't really say that I'm very impressed with this stuff. It looks very pretty, certainly, but it's made getting to work very difficult. It's also seems to have made half the town cheerful and prone to frolicking outdoors, and I really don't feel like smiling all the time and dodging snowballs. It isn't really Christmas.

With everyone outside being merry, the Library is quite empty, so I've taken refuge in here until I have to go to work. It's quiet and warm and I can prop my feet up and read something I've read a dozen times, and it will still be the same book it was before I was married to Jamie Kincaid and before I was carrying his child. This is comforting.

When the door opens, I look up and crane my neck around the shelves to see who it is. If anyone starts caroling or frolicking or throwing snowballs, I don't know what I'll do. But this man doesn't seem to be in a state to do any of those things. He also has a bag of new books. "Hello," I say, closing mine. "Do you need some help?"

[westin_sagert]

"Hello?" and I look around to see a woman I do not expect to be Lydia looking around one of the shelves. "Do you need some help?"

"That would be very kind, if you can," I say. "Do you happen to know if there's any place in particular I should leave these? I told Mrs Stephanides that I'd see what I had that might be useful, but I confess I didn't set a time to see her." I smile a little. "And I don't know if she'll be in today."

[janeveniver]

Something very terrible has certainly happened to him, but he seems to be mending. Still, balancing on that crutch and his unbroken leg can't be easy. I help him remove the books from the bag he's brought, and soon we have them out on the desk. "I suppose this is as good a place as any," I say, trying to get a look at the titles. "I haven't seen Hermia today. I imagine she's out enjoying the weather with the rest of the town."

I can't keep my voice from going a little flat on the last part, probably because I'm in no mood to enjoy the weather myself. That's no reason to be rude, though, I know. "You must have had a time getting here." I gesture to the armchair I've just vacated. "Would you like to sit down?" I pause, since I don't know his name. I think I have seen him at the market, though.

[westin_sagert]

"I suppose this is as good a place as any," she says, looking over the books; it is always a relief to find that someone you have just met can read. "I haven't seen Hermia today. I imagine she's out enjoying the weather with the rest of the town."

"It does seem to have drawn people outside," I say neutrally. She sounds a little distant; perhaps simply resentful about needing to work when most people have managed to get a little spare time. "Have you been at the library long?"

"You must have had a time getting here. Would you like to sit down?" she adds, and the pause after she speaks is the kind that leaves me wondering what she is--oh, of course.

"Yes, thank you," I say, patting the books once before moving away from the desk--they were hardly my favourites, after all, but I shall miss them. I look around again as I cross the room, and cannot help but smile; it really is a fine institution, although I have found that some of the shelves are unsteady; twice now I have been bruised by falling volumes. "Very kind of you," I say, leaning my crutch against the chair and lowering myself in. "Do pardon my absent-mindedness; Westin Sagert," I say, offering my hand.

[janeveniver]

He asks me if I've been at the library long, and I frown, not so much at the question as at his phrasing. It seems a little odd. "I've been here a couple hours, I think. I tend to lose track of time reading." Usually. Not so much today.

He settles in the chair and introduces himself. I shake the hand he offers and tell him my name, doing my best not to stare at his injuries. I am very curious about what happened to him, but of course I can't ask. "Mr. Sagert, do you mind if I have a look at the books you brought?" I'm nearly as curious about them.

[westin_sagert]

"I've been here a couple hours, I think. I tend to lose track of time reading." Ah. I do hope my presumption was excusable.

"Certainly understandable," I say, smiling. "Given the opportunity, reading is one of the better ways to spend an hour."

"Mr. Sagert, do you mind if I have a look at the books you brought?"

"Oh, please do," I say, glancing to the pile of them. "I'm afraid they might be a bit dry--one or two works on matters of history, a romance, one that I found I happened to have two copies of..." I shrug at that last, slightly embarrassed, and leave off listing them. "I do try to manage my collection, but occasionally duplicates do creep in, I am afraid."