Page 82 of Diana Adores the Puzzled Duke

Chapter 20

Finally!Diana had a whole morning to herself for writing. Even though the Goodwin sisters had helped mind the gallery, they were infrequent attendants and Diana found herself sometimes minding the gallery, constantly running up and down the stairs tending to her mother, or coordinating with her father over the reception at thecollege.

Her mother had struggled with the cold for a full week, but now she was back in the gallery, and while she was still weak and unable to paint, she was able to run thegallery.

Diana worked hard all morning and finished the story in one sitting. It was now after lunch and her mother was settled in the gallery. Her father was in a tutorial at the college so Diana decided it was time to read the rest of her story to thetwins.

Miriam opened thedoor.

“Put the kettle on. It is time for me to finish reading the Christmasstory.”

“Geoffrey,” Miriam shouted. “It is time to hear the rest of Diana’sstory.”

Geoffrey appeared from the kitchen with an apron on. His face, hands, hair, and shirt front were covered inflour.

“I am learning to bake,” he said. “I’ve decided to apprentice as abaker.”

“Then why are you not apprenticing? Why are you here?” Diana asked, ever amused by herfriends.

“Oh, I could never go to a lesson unprepared. I am making bread. Want tosee?”

“Ofcourse.”

Geoffrey led Diana and his sister into the kitchen. It looked as though it had recently snowed inside. There was more flour on the kitchen surfaces than there was in the rather strange looking lump that Geoffrey proceeded to knead on thetable.

“It is quite pretty, do you not think?” he asked, rather hoping she wouldagree.

“Geoffrey, I have made many loaves of bread and none of them ever turned out looking like that. It is as hard as arock.”

“Well, the dough was like soup so I kept adding flour. Too much, do youthink?”

“Why not take a break. Make us some tea and I will finish reading you the Christmasstory.”

Geoffrey stared at his doughy mass and answered, “That sounds like a very good idea. Sis, put the kettleon.”

Once tea was served and all were settled in, Diana began reading the remainder of the story from where she left off lasttime.

Tommy returned to the butchershop.

“Sir, I am ready for my next task,” he said bravely, still smarting from thefall.

The shop was filled with customers doing the last of their Christmas dinnershopping.

Customers were shouting orders and the butcher was working as fast as he could. He turned to Tommy and asked. “Can you lend me a hand here? I’ve only got two hands and two dozencustomers.”

“I can,sir.”

Tommy went right to work, asking what each person wanted. And even though he was too short to be seen above the counter, the lady customers were delighted with his willingness to help and his eagersmile.

Tommy wrapped each chop, chicken, or roast quickly after the butcher weighed it and collected the money from thecustomer.

They stayed open much later than the usual closing time, and by then, there was hardly any meat left to sell—a few pieces of liver, some chicken feet, and a sheep’s head that was only suited for making soupstock.

As the last customer left and the butcher locked the front door, Tommy collapsed onto the floor behind the meat counter. If he had two more minutes he would have fallenasleep.

The butcher came over and looked down at Tommy. “You done a good job today, lad. And I am sorry about yourfall.”

Tommy looked up and gave a weak smile. “Thank you,sir.”