“Ah. Excellent. I had no idea where to begin with that .”
Sir Gerald was a middle-aged, slender, and quite elegant man. He dressed impeccably and one could tell he was used to moving comfortably in aristocratic circles .
“I am happy to work directly with you or with your staff—whichever works best for you .”
“And will you be staying with us until the Queen’s arrival ?”
“I am quite content at a local inn .”
“Not at all. You must be our guest .”
Sir Gerald nodded. “Most gracious of you. And if there might be a room where I can set up my operation ...”
“You will have a suite of rooms at your disposal .”
“Excellent. Then if I might be shown to my rooms I shall begin my work. And with whom shall I liaison ?”
“That would be me, as I am organizing the fete where the investiture will be held .”
“Then perhaps we might have a meeting later this afternoon ?”
“I shall seek you out. And you shall be notified of meal times. Anything else you need, just ring your bell .
Sir Gerald nodded and was led away by Sithens .
Chapter 18
“M ore, more!” Miriam and Geoffrey shouted out as Diana paused in reading her Christmas story .
“Cannot a lady have a sip of tea?” she asked .
“If you must. But we want to know what happens to Tommy. Does he get the tripe for Christmas dinner?” Geoffrey asked .
“And does Doris get the Christmas tree?” Miriam wailed .
“Patience. Patience.” Diana insisted as she took a sip of her tea and a bite of her scone, clotted cream, and strawberry jam .
“Now then… onward,” Diana said and carried on reading the story .
Once again, Tommy loaded up the coal buckets and this time carried them successfully to the butcher’s rooms .
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 the hearth .
Tommy stood back to take a breath and rub his elbow which was still hurting from the fall .
“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 the shop .
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 passing by .
“Flowers. Lovely Flowers, only sixpence for a lovely bunch of flowers,” she called out in her weak voice .
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 the cheap .
An elderly lady stopped. “May I,” she asked holding out her hand for a bunch of flowers. Doris handed her a bouquet .
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 walked on .
Doris was too cold and tired to protest .
“Ah, horrible mean lady,” Miriam insisted .
“What happens next?” Geoffrey asked .
“Then let me continue .”
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 lovely bouquet ?”
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 woman asked .
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 the woman .
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 not lit .
“How lovely they are, young lady,” she said. “How much are you asking for them ?”
“Sixpence, please. And they are fresh from the market this very morning .”
“Sixpence? Oh, no…” the woman said .
Doris’ heart sank and her eyes teared up .
“These flowers are worth much more than that. I think a guinea is about the right price. Do you not think ?”
“A guinea?” Doris asked in utter amazement .
“Very well then, two guineas,” the lady added. And she reached into her purse and pulled out two pound notes and two shillings. “There you are, young lady. And you have a very happy Christmas .”
Doris could not believe what had just happened and she wadded the money into her hand and turned away to stuff it in her pocket. But she remembered she had not thanked the kind lady and she turned back. But the lady was gone. Doris ran up and down the street looking for her to thank her but she was nowhere to be found .
Doris stopped and stood in wonderment. What had just happened? Had she been visited by a Christmas angel ?”
Diana stopped reading and put the pages on her lap .
“What? What?” the twins shouted. “What happens next ?”
“I am sorry. That is as far as I have written .”
“Cruel. Cruel. You are too cruel,” the twins insisted .
“I will write more, then we shall have more tea and more story. But now I must go home and start preparing supper. Adam is coming this evening and I want the supper to be extra special nice .”
“Do not dare…” Geoffrey said, ominously .
“What?” Diana asked .
Geoffrey continued, “Do not ever start telling us a story …”
“you have not finished,” and Miriam continued .
“It is agony,” they both said together .
“I shall remember,” Diana said, taking the last sip of her tea, gathering her pages together, and then leaving the Sinclair house. “Good-bye. Until next time .”
Diana strode back to the cottage and went inside. As she was passing by the sitting room on the way to her room she saw her father seated and chatting with a stranger. She went to her room, placed her story on her desk and went back down .
“Oh, hello Father,” she greeted .
“Diana, this is Sir Gerald Conty.” Her Father said .
“Good afternoon, Sir Gerald, I am Diana—the daughter .”
Sir Gerald stood. “It is a pleasure, Miss Browning .”
“It seems Her Majesty will be visiting Balfour during the fete and he tells me the investiture will take place at the fete instead of in London. Sir Gerald is filling me in on the details .”
“How splendid. That will save us all a trip to London, will it not ?”
“I must get a new suit of clothes,” Father said. “It seems appropriate attire is required for a court appearance .”
“But you will not be at court,” Diana said .
“But the court is where Her Majesty is,” Sir Gerald pointed out .