Page 30 of The Midnight Book Club
Aurelia noticed Vronsky keeping his distance from the circle around her but was so caught up in Marianne and Rachel’s anxious greeting that she didn’t have a chance to wave hello to him.
“I’m alright!I’m sorry—I took a nap last night and meant to wake up by midnight, but I slept straight through.”
“Our late nights must be wearing on you, dear,” Marmee said, concern etched in her features.
“I’m fine.Really!But I was disappointed to miss seeing you.”
“I surmised you had prior commitments,” said Sergeant Cuff confidently.“One cannot spend all one’s days running a shop and one’s nights talking to its extraordinary inhabitants.”
“Extraordinary?I suppose we are, but I am uncertain as to whether I should like to be described as such when I feel rather ordinary,” Vronsky said with a slight smile as he appeared at Aurelia’s side.His mood seemed muted, a contrast to the rest of the characters gathered around her.
“I am sorry for the manner in which we parted,” he said quietly.“We have no control, you see.When first light appears, we are bound to return to our books.”
“I understand,” she said, nodding to reassure him.“Sergeant Cuff told me, but I’d forgotten.”
Just then, Marianne, Elinor, and Rachel caught her attention, leaving Vronsky to speak with Sergeant Cuff.
“Aurelia, is it true you attended university?”Rachel burst out, incredulous.“Laurie said he thought he overhead as much but we could not believe it unless we heard from you directly.”
“I am certain Laurie never meant to eavesdrop,” Elinor told Aurelia.“Only, it is quite difficult to maintain a confidential conversation in the shop.”
“I’m sure he didn’t mean to—I don’t mind.”
“Is it true, then?”pressed Rachel.
“It is.I have a degree from University College London.”
“A degree!Not just a course?”Marianne asked, incredulous.
“Lots of courses, actually,” Aurelia said, laughing as she thought of the countless lectures she’d attended.
“Is it altogether normal for a woman to attend university during your time?”Elinor seemed concerned, as though Aurelia had done something scandalous.
“It is, yeah.I’d say most universities have a student body that’s about half and half, men and women.”
Marianne, Elinor, and Rachel looked at each other, then at Aurelia, their faces masks of amazement.Marigold hadn’t gone to university, and while Aurelia wasn’t sure about her great-great aunt and great aunt she assumed—given the characters’ reactions—that they hadn’t either.She hesitated, not wanting to shock the characters too thoroughly.
“We can also vote.”
“Marigold did mention that, but I never quite believed her,” Rachel said, her voice hushed in wonder.“Will we get to vote in an election?”
Aurelia did a few quick calculations in her head, then said, “I’m sorry, I don’t think you will.Your daughters and granddaughters, though…”
She trailed off, seeing their disappointment.
“I suppose there is some comfort in knowing that future generations of women will vote, even if we are not amongst them,” Rachel said diplomatically.
Laurie—who’d been speaking with Marmee, Cuff, and Vronsky—walked over to join their circle.
“Did I hear talk of women’s suffrage?I seem to remember Jo saying she wanted to join the movement.We’ll ask Marmee.She might have even gone to a meeting herself,” Laurie said as he led the women over to her.
Marmee confirmed Laurie’s guess and then listened as the others told her about Aurelia’s degree.When Rachel and Marianne stepped aside to ask Laurie about his time at university, Marmee and Aurelia were left to talk amongst themselves.
“Tell me, what did you study, Aurelia?”Marmee asked.
“English literature, and then later I went back for a graduate degree in creative writing.”
“Did you?My Jo would have loved that.What is your specialty?Novels?Poetry?”
