Well, her method for dealing with him was going to be the same as with quitting smoking. She would say one final goodbye and then throw herself into other things, get a meeting with the bank, try and kick herself up the butt and get Out of Date Gingerbread on the go at last.
Let him fill her mind while she weaned herself off him. It wouldn’t work. He would fade like the cigarettes had done as time went by. Soon, he would be gone from her head.
“How you doing in there?” Tabby called from the bathroom. “Ready for the judge’s scores?”
“Almost,” she called back, standing up and examining herself in the mirror.
It had taken over an hour to choose the right outfit. She might be ready to get over Jock MacGregor but Tabby had still insisted she look good.
“I don’t need to impress him,” she’d protested as her wardrobe was emptied onto her bed. “I’m just delivering the box, that’s all.”
“You do need to impress him. Then he’ll hand over his bankcard and you can open your bakery.”
“You think I want him for his money?”
“No, I think you want him because you’re a dried up old spinster who’s not had a man in her bed since TVs were only available in black and white.”
“I’ve had men.”
“No, you haven’t. You forget, I live with you. Do you not think I’d notice if you brought a man back?”
“What about Brian?”
“Gay Brian who was here to cry on your shoulder about his relationship breaking up? I’m not a hundred percent sure he counts.”
“He counts.”
Tabby had chosen the dress for her. It did look good, she had to admit, as she looked in the mirror. Sure, she wouldn’t mind more curves, and maybe less unruly hair but at least the slinky thing was flattering.
“Good luck,” Tabby said when she emerged at last.
“Thanks.”
“I meant good luck to him keeping his hands off you. If I was a man, I’d be all over you.”
“I thought you were a man.”
“I bleach this ‘tache, I’ll have you know,” Tabby replied, pointing to her face.
They both laughed. “I better be going,” Daisy said, looking at the time. “Don’t expect anything.”
“Go do him. God speed.”
“Thanks.” Tabby gave her a rare hug and Daisy was glad. She felt more nervous than she would have liked to admit.
The drive to the castle seemed to take forever. Every now and then Daisy would glance at the box on the passenger seat. What if the silver key was special?
It didn’t matter. It wasn’t hers. Whatever magic it might contain, it was aimed squarely at Jock MacGregor, not her.
She was surprised to find the door to the castle open when she arrived. There was no sign of the custodian. She called out a hello but there was no answer.
Passing through to the courtyard, she couldn’t help but feel worried. Something about this was strangely familiar. How could she know that the window up there to her left was where the infirmary was?
She shouldn’t know.
The place was having the strangest effect on her again. Had she been in the infirmary? No, it was crazy to think that was possible.
The door at the top of the stairs was also open. She passed through it, the box feeling heavy in her hands. She would be glad to get rid of the thing.
