“For him maybe. He’ll have Blinky but I won’t have Gus. Oh, what a mess.” Daffy dabbed the mist from her eyes. “Let’s see if we can find the gown.”
But Lucy didn’t move. “I feel horrible I brought it up.”
“You should.”
“Really? I’m so sorry.” Lucy hurried after Daffy.
“It’s all right. Forget it. Let’s just do our job and find a gown for the poorUnknown Bride?”
“For what it’s worth,” Lucy said, “I see how Prince Gus looks at you and—”
“Don’t say it.” Daffy swung around to her colleague and friend. “Gus and I could never… I’m not a princess. I can’t be a princess. The queen would not allow it.”
“What do you mean? Not allow it?” Lucy made a face.
“Never mind. Dress. Shop. Now.” If she started even the smallest explanation, Daffy feared the whole blooming thing would spill out. And she could not risk it. Even with the prince she worried she might fall into a contemplative moment and reveal her secret. What she knew about the queen. But just imagining the shock on his face was enough to buy her silence.
Yet there were those moments when she wondered. Had she heard right? In eighteen years, there’s been no proof. And she’d been a mere child. Eavesdropping. Surely, she misunderstood. Twisted the details.
They arrived at the shop without another word of love and princes. Lucy was bold but respectful and let the topic drop.
A lone bell attached to a Christmas ribbon clattered against the glass. The broad floor boards creaked beneath their feet, and the shop’s fragrance was timeless, a perfume of generations past.
“Hello?” Lucy glanced around with a twist on her lips. “Look at this junk.”
“One man’s junk is another man’s treasure. I know, I know—a cliché, but it’s true.” Daffy kept her voice low. “Luce, you’re a curator for crying out loud. Open your eyes, See the potential.”
Daffy wandered deeper into the large, open showroom. In the back appeared to be living quarters, as would’ve been the norm when the shop was built three hundred plus years ago.
To her right were shelves of knickknacks, books, china sets, dolls. On her left, center tables arranged with antique toys, bolts of cloth, old pictures, handkerchiefs, tea towels and washrags.
Lucy moved through to the opposite side to peruse the racks of dresses, shirts, and slacks. She picked up a pair of scuffed women’s wedges.
“Who would wear these? They look as if they marched in World War II.”
“There are people with a gift to see beauty in old things. And we should be two such people.”
“We’re also trained to recognize junk.” Lucy dropped the shoe to the floor with a thud and wiped her hand on her coat.
“Hello, hello, I didn’t hear you come in. Welcome. I’m Adelaide.” A tiny, sweet-faced woman with white Brillo-pad hair above sparkling eyes appeared from the back. “May I help you?”
“Sorry to have disturbed you.” Lucy shot Daffy a pointed look. “We were just going.”
“Actually, we’re from the Royal Trust and staging royal wedding dresses at Hadsby. We came to see if you had something special to represent theUnknown Bride.”
Lucy pointed to the rack of gowns. “But your inventory will not suffice.”
Adelaide ignored her and focused on Daffy. Rather intently too. “You say the gown is for the royal wedding gown display? TheUnknown Bride?” The woman, who seemed to have stepped into some sort of glowing spotlight, popped her hands together. “Good, good, good. I have just the thing. Are you Daffy?”
“I am. How did you know?”
“Be right back.” The woman dashed around a corner and returned moments later with a large, pale blue box tied with a white ribbon. “This.” She set the box on the cashier’s counter and stepped back. “This is what you’re looking for.”
Daffy shot Lucy a glance. Might as well look. Lucy nodded, adding a slight eye roll.
“Did you know the tradition of theUnknown Bridewas to find a bride for a young prince Blue?” Adelaide’s story swirled in the air. “Now I understand it’s to be donated to a lass of lesser fortune. Isn’t that delightful? But in the old days, theUnknown Bridegown was for the girl who’d become a princess.”
“We thought no one knew the origins.” Lucy had softened but still had one foot out the door.
