12
Karen checked the time as she climbed the stone steps that led to the entrance of the library. She was only a few minutes late for their lunch date, which, considering how long the bus took in traffic, was not so bad.
She held open the heavy swing door to allow an elderly man to exit, which he did without acknowledging her assistance.
The minute she entered the building, Karen was struck by the same feeling of wonder and awe she had often experienced as a girl on school trips and excursions to museums and art galleries. She gazed up at the high oak-panelled walls that rose to meet the ornately carved beams that criss-crossed the ceiling, and echoed with the sound of footfalls on the polished parquet floor below.
Karen always attributed her feelings to the fact that she always felt o
