The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris

by Daisy Wood

‘You’re a peacemaker, Jacques, and I love you for that. You want to smooth things over and you can’t bear hurting anyone’s feelings. But those days are over, don’t you see? The more you give these people, the more they’ll take, and they’ll laugh at you in the process. You have to harden your heart.’ She started to climb the steps; slowly, so that he could follow more easily.