Page 76 of The Little Shop on Silver Linings Street
Bea looked again, drawing out the finest of threads. ‘Would you?’ she asked. ‘I’m scared I’ll break it.’
Daisy took it from her with trembling hands and slipped the heart onto its chain before laying it across Bea’s palm. The pendant was embellished with several tiny flowers – a rosebud curled around the bottom, its stem partially forming the point of the heart, while two daisies nestled between its leaves, every petal picked out in perfect relief.
Bea touched a gentle finger against a detail before looking back at Daisy. ‘How long have you been making these?’ she asked.
‘A few years…’
‘But you never told us…’
‘No, I…’
Kit’s hand slipped into hers. ‘Daisy didn’t think they were good enough. She thought you would all laugh.’
Sudden tears sprang into Bea’s eyes. ‘Oh, my darling girl…’ Her hug was fierce, pulling her away from Kit, but he let her go, watching her with a gentle expression on his face as he nodded in affirmation of everything that Daisy was. Everything that she had become.
Bertie was next, holding out his hand in wonder, a broad grin on his face. ‘I bloody knew it,’ he said. ‘I knew there was something special about you. That day when you skated on the ice, I saw just a glimpse of it, a lightness of spirit, something set free. That’s what this is – imagination set free.’
‘So that’s it, is it? Just like that.’ Lawrence’s voice was harsh. ‘We’re just going to throw everything out the window because Daisy can make a bit of jewellery, are we? It’s lovely, but could we possibly get back to the business in hand, and the small matter of who should be running your business, Mother.’
‘I rather thought that’s exactly what we were doing,’ Bea replied, archly.
‘Well as far as I’m concerned this doesn’t change anything and—’
Bertie cut across him. ‘For God’s sake, man, can you not see what’s in front of you?’
‘No, frankly. What I can see, however, is someone who we thought we could trust, but who all along has been waiting to snatch our customers.’ He looked directly at Kit. ‘And I also see someone else who knew exactly what kind of jewellery Daisy liked. You’re nothing but a cheat, Kit. I don’t know what’s in this for you, but I can guess… In fact they’re probably in this together.’ He looked Daisy up and down.
‘Lawrence! That is quite enough.’
‘No, it’s okay, Mum. I’m happy to explain.’ Kit glared at his brother. ‘I think Lawrence has just shown his true colours, so perhaps I should remind you of Daisy’s. Right at the beginning of this competition it was actually you who suggested that we each take Daisy out for the day. And may I remind you that it was Daisy who insisted that none of the details of said excursions should be discussed with anyone else. A stipulation that you agreed to. Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but I’d lay money on the fact that you asked Daisy for some insider information on your day out, but she said no…’ Lawrence had the grace to look a little sheepish. ‘In fact, I bet every one of us tried it on.’
Bertie shrugged. ‘He’s right, Lawrence. I know I did, and sorry, but after I told them I was pulling out of the competition, I outright asked Daisy to cheat, but she wouldn’t. Got pretty angry about it actually.’
Kit continued. ‘But the truth is, obviously, I did know about Daisy’s jewellery. I found out purely by chance when a friend of mine let slip that Daisy was making a gift for him to give to his partner. He didn’t know it was a secret and so the whole thing was just a misunderstanding. And that would have been fine if Daisy hadn’t found out that I knew.’
‘So, at that point you just cooked this whole thing up between you—’
‘No!’ Kit gave an exasperated sigh. ‘Look Lawrence, will you just let me finish? I entered this competition to win, just as you did, but my intention was always to then pass over the reins to Daisy. All I’ve done now is simply cut myself out of the equation, because I’m not what’s important here. When I found out about Daisy’s jewellery-making I knew I had to keep my knowledge a secret so that I didn’t compromise the integrity and loyalty she fought so hard to keep. She would have accused me of cheating, and I couldn’t run the risk that she would tell Mother and the whole competition would be called off. The other point is that had she realised I knew exactly what her designs were like and how I found out, she would never have made the heart that you’re looking at now. And I almost blew it… The other night I let slip I knew and she did just what I knew she would – accused me of trying to wheedle information out of her in order to win the competition and—’
‘So you let me think badly of you instead,’ said Daisy, her nose beginning to prickle. ‘You could have explained how you knew, but you didn’t… to protect me…’ Her eyes found Kit’s. ‘You did that forme?’
He nodded gently. ‘To protect you so that I could bring your jewellery here today, for everyone to see. This is not something that should be hidden away, and neither should you be, Daisy. You have a rare talent and an imagination that deserves to be given wings. It’s time for you to shine.’
And he smiled, a smile that went straight to Daisy’s heart, that came from somewhere very deep inside of him and met something very deep inside of her. There were tears in her eyes as she saw Bertie nod.
‘And Buchanans is the perfect place for you to do it,’ he said, coming forward. ‘I agree with you, Kit. Daisy is the only one who deserves to run the business.’
He opened his arms to give her a hug and although she could feel the warmth of his embrace, his stubbly chin scratching against her hair, all she could see was the look in Kit’s eyes as the enormity of what he had done for her began to sink in. He was watching her now, an expression on his face that she thought she would never tire of seeing.
‘So what do you think, Mother? It’s time to announce the winner.’
Bea came forward as if taking centre stage and Daisy had a strange feeling that this was what she had planned all along. She daren’t look at Lawrence but, as Kit came to stand beside her, his hand slipping back into hers as if it had never been away, she found she no longer cared what Lawrence thought of her. Just as she no longer cared if he did end up running Buchanans. Daisy was already the biggest winner of them all, for Kit had just given her the best present she could ever have wished for. His love.
‘Well…’ Bea clasped her hands together in delight, her face shining with excitement. ‘I had hoped that something like this would happen, but I’ll confess this has surpassed all my expectations.’
Daisy stared at her. She’d been right all along – she’d known Bea was up to something.
‘Close your mouth, Lawrence, dear, and don’t look so surprised. Even you, when you think about it, will begin to understand why I’m doing this.’ She took a deep breath. ‘As you know, in a little over a week, I will be sixty, and Charles and I will start our new lives together. I’ve waited a long time for this, but I always knew that the question of what happened to Buchanans would be one that was not so easily resolved. My three darling boys…’
