Saving Sandy

Chapter 3 - A Girl? Working in the Library of an All-Boy's School?

The library at the Merton was spacious and old. Well, the school was several hundred years old, so obviously the library would be around that old, too. The place smelled musty and used. I walked along the tables in the main area of the library, and only a few guys were in there reading or working. Shelves of books surrounded the table area, and there was a desk to the right of it, near the entrance. I came up to the desk, and a brown-haired man in a gray suit andhad a mustache was standing there, head bowed. He had an old hard-bound book in his hands.

"Excuse me," I said, and he looked up. His blue eyes widened.

"My, miss, what brings you to a men's college library?"

Was it really that out of the ordinary? It would be wise to get straight to the point. "Well, I heard that there were positions open for work, and I wanted to inquire about them."

His brows rose, probably at hearing my American accent. "Well, miss, indeed there is a position open, but there is a slight problem..."

I nodded, knowing what it was. "I'm a woman."

"Precisely. I apologize. The woman's college down the way may have a post open."

"Yes, of course. I'll try there. Thank you."

I left the desk, but stopped when I heard, "Wait a moment, miss."

I turned and found a second man there at the desk, an older man by maybe ten years, so he was probably around fifty-five. He had gray hair and mustache. "Were you inquiring about a job?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, it turns out that we do have a post open."

"But sir..." complained the younger man.

"Yes, Mr. Harris, I am aware that she is a woman. That is exactly why I want her for this job—this desk job as a matter of fact. This library is hardly busy. I think a pretty face will bring in the lads."

My mouth opened in surprise. He wanted to use me to bring publicity to the library?

"Mr. Hartford, I hardly think that this lovely young lady would want to..."

"I'll take it," I said, cutting him off, and they both looked at me. "I have worked in a library before, so I know the basic way of things."

That was a lie, but I had to be in a place close to Sandy. That was the only way I could accomplish what I needed to. I could deal with some boys flirting with me at this front desk, even if they acted like Geoffrey. I could hold my own. I would just need to prevent myself from punching any of them.

"That settles it," said Mr. Hartford. "What is your name, miss?"

"Katie Hearst. I plan to attend the woman's college."

"Very well, Miss Hearst. I will show her around, Mr. Harris."

He patted the man's shoulder, and we were off. That was easy. Getting a job in the 21st century was much harder, having to sit through interviews and such. I sat through three in hopes to get a secretary job at a travel company in my hometown.

Mr. Harford showed me the whole library and told me my post was solely at the front desk, not anywhere else. He wanted the boys to see me and enter the library. It didn't matter that I was the reason why they were in there, at least they were. It would cause them to use the library more often. I was bait. What would Sandy think about that? He didn't like me being mistreated by Geoffrey those two instances, so he most likely wouldn't like me being used. I just wanted to be close to him. Maybe someday I would tell him that.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Hartford," I said at the entrance to the library.

"You are very welcome, Miss Hearst. I expect you here tomorrow morning at eight sharp."