Page 30 of Lady Charlotte and the Lending Library
Charlotte was ready for a night arranging furniture at Thorne’s when Edith’s carriage arrived at her home.
“That is a rather odd way to spend the evening,” her mother commented after hearing Charlotte’s plans. “Although I’m happy not to attend the musicale.”
“I want to do everything I can to keep the library open. You know how important Thorne’s is to me.” She was grateful her mother had always supported her love of reading and didn’t try to dissuade her from spending so much time at the lending library.
“Indeed I do, dear daughter.”
Her brother had not joined the family for dinner. William was already out for the evening; Charlotte wondered if he was avoiding her. She left her parents sitting companionably in the drawing room, her mother with her current needlepoint project in her lap, and her father engrossed in a book.
Charlotte took a seat on the burgundy squabs next to Edith in the town coach. She nodded to Louisa seated on the bench across from them. “The furniture has arrived at the library?”
“According to one of the footmen I had deliver it there,” Louisa replied.
When the ladies exited their carriage at the lending library, they found a hulking man loitering beside the front door. Louisa led the way past the man, her chin held high. Charlotte and Edith hurried inside the shop behind her.
Mr. and Mrs. Thorne greeted them from the center of the room. The couple stood near the collection of new furniture. Louisa’s servants must have removed the old furniture as it was no longer in the main room. Their former sitting alcove now housed the table of sundries and the shelves full of writing goods.
“Robbie had to get home to his mother,” Mr. Thorne said as he walked to the front door of the shop and turned the OPEN sign around and locked the door.
There was no mention of the man loitering outside the shop. As for herself, Charlotte had no desire to distress Mrs. Thorne if she was unaware of the man’s presence.
“The furniture looks very nice,” Mr. Thorne said to Louisa.
“I thought you could put it to good use,” Louisa replied lightly as she strode to the middle of the large room.
The ‘new’ furniture consisted of three stuffed tub chairs, a low round table, and a sopha. The pieces were constructed of rosewood, and the upholstered furniture sported fabric in shades of green from sage to moss.
“Not sure why you’re going to all this trouble,” Mrs. Thorne said with a shake of her head. “The shop will be closing soon.”
“It doesn’t have to.” Charlotte added brightly, “I’m sure trade will increase over the next few weeks.”
“I’m not so sure,” the other woman responded gruffly. She turned and walked to the open door to the backroom, entered the room, and shut the door behind her.
“She’s just worried,” Mr. Thorne said once his wife had left the room. “The shop is all we have.”
Edith turned to Louisa. “What do you need us to do?”
“We have to figure out the best way to place this furniture. None of it is particularly cumbersome. Mr. Thorne should be able to move most of it for us. I had my footmen put the sopha across from the left front window. Now the seating area is visible from the front door and windows. It should make the library look more inviting from the outside. What do you think?”
As a group, they agreed with the positioning of the sopha. Next, they placed the table in front of the chaise. Louisa directed Mr. Thorne to put one chair on the left and two on the right of the sopha to create a U-shaped sitting area, the table in the middle.
The arrangement did indeed create a cozy seating nook without blocking the view from the sopha out to the front windows.
“It looks ever so much nicer! The furniture and the curtains have transformed the room.” Charlotte smiled at Louisa. “You have quite a talent for this sort of thing.”
Louisa’s cheeks turned pink. “Thank you. I’m learning a lot from studying fashion periodicals.”
“Lady Louisa, your efforts have created an elegant atmosphere for the shop,” Mr. Thorne said, looking about him. “Thank you so much for your help, ladies. I hope it is enough to save the business.”
“I guarantee you will see more new patrons in next week,” Edith replied. She added with some hesitation, “If your wife would allow you to advertise, that would help.”
Mr. Thorne nodded. “I will speak with her again. She really can be quite reasonable.”
None of the ladies said a word to that statement.
“I do think there are too many items on that table. Clutter simply looks untidy.” Louisa pointed to the table displaying various sundries.
Mr. Thorne removed the items Louisa suggested and placed them under the sales desk while Louisa arranged the remainder of the goods to better advantage.
