Page 72 of Diana Adores the Puzzled Duke

Chapter 18

“More, more!”Miriam and Geoffrey shouted out as Diana paused in reading her Christmasstory.

“Cannot a lady have a sip of tea?” sheasked.

“If you must. But we want to know what happens to Tommy. Does he get the tripe for Christmas dinner?” Geoffreyasked.

“And does Doris get the Christmas tree?” Miriamwailed.

“Patience. Patience.” Diana insisted as she took a sip of her tea and a bite of her scone, clotted cream, and strawberryjam.

“Now then… onward,” Diana said and carried on reading thestory.

Once again, Tommy loaded up the coal buckets and this time carried them successfully to the butcher’srooms.

Misses was waiting. “And about bloody time too.” She said as she started throwing coal onto the dying fire even before Tommy had set the buckets down on thehearth.

Tommy stood back to take a breath and rub his elbow which was still hurting from thefall.

“You best be going,” Misses said, “You still got work below. No time to dawdle,young’un.”

“Yes, Misses,” Tommy said and limped back down the stairs to theshop.

Meantime, Doris was on Regent Street with her few bunches of flowers. There was a cold wind from the North and her thin coat gave her little protection. She sheltered in a doorway as best she could, but her potential customers could not see her there. So, reluctantly she ventured out to the middle of the sidewalk and held up her bouquets to be examined by the ladies passingby.

“Flowers. Lovely Flowers, only sixpence for a lovely bunch of flowers,” she called out in her weakvoice.

Fortunately, she had already sold all but two bunches. She figured if she could sell these last two, she would be able to run to the shop that had the cheapest Christmas trees and perhaps get a good deal, as it was Christmas Eve and the shop owner might let her have one on thecheap.

An elderly lady stopped. “May I,” she asked holding out her hand for a bunch of flowers. Doris handed her abouquet.

The lady studied them. “Hmm. Not very fresh, lass. I will only give you a tuppence for it.” The lady handed her two pennies and walkedon.

Doris was too cold and tired toprotest.

“Ah, horrible mean lady,” Miriaminsisted.

“What happens next?” Geoffreyasked.

“Then let mecontinue.”

Doris was so sad. She turned away and thought it was not worth it. She would never get enough money together for the tree. She was ready to toss away her last bouquet and walk home when she heard a kindly voice ask, “Little girl. How much is your lovelybouquet?”

Doris turned to see who was speaking to her. The woman was young, with the most piercing eyes that seemed to look right into Doris’soul.

“May I see your bouquet please?” the womanasked.

For one instant Doris hesitated, after what had just happened with the other lady, but it was for only an instant and she handed the flowers to thewoman.

The woman stood tall after accepting the bouquet and she smelled them. She seemed to be bathed in a radiant light, even though it was not yet evening and the gas street lights were notlit.

“How lovely they are, young lady,” she said. “How much are you asking forthem?”

“Sixpence, please. And they are fresh from the market this verymorning.”

“Sixpence? Oh, no…” the womansaid.

Doris’ heart sank and her eyes tearedup.