The Baker's Daughter by Anne Forsyth Page B

job,’ said one woman to Angus. ‘Makes a fair difference to your window.’
    â€˜Aye.’ Angus was reluctant to admit it, but it had been good for business. Customers kept coming into the shop, asking for the Coronation biscuits. ‘We’ll have a few more of these,’ he said to Rona. ‘Folk seem to like the iced biscuits.’ So he produced a batch with
EIIR
and a few with crowns. ‘They’re selling like hot cakes,’ he said to Lizzie with a rare attempt of humour. ‘Not a bad idea of Rona’s.’

A DAY OF CELEBRATION
    Two days before the Coronation, the judges came round. Rona watched from inside the shop at the two men who stood in front of the window with notepads. She wished she could see what they were writing. A
Highly Commended
would be nice, a third or a second even better.
    Next day the awards were announced. As Rona had expected, the toy shop got first prize. Well, she told herself what else? Those bears with their red, white and blue bows were really appealing. Every day there had been crowds of small children oohing and aahing in front of the window until they were dragged away by their mothers.
    But then, the girl from the town clerk’s office popped her head round the door, as she waved a card. ‘Second prize, Mr Maclaren,’ she called out. ‘Well done!’
    â€˜Well done, Rona,’ said Angus. ‘It was a bright idea of yours, and its done our business no harm, no harm at all. Away you go and put the card in the window, and I’d better see about some more of these biscuits.’
    â€˜You’ve put Maclaren’s on the map,’ said Callum later. ‘I’m really proud of you.’
    Aunt Lizzie didn’t say very much except, ‘We should have had Coronation shortbread tins. I told Angus.’
    â€˜You told him no such thing,’ said Rona under her breath. But she didn’t want to spoil this special day by arguing with Aunt Lizzie, who really, thought Rona, was much better-tempered since her return.
    Now Aunt Lizzie was keeping an eye on the wireless shop across the road. ‘Mrs McFarlane tells me the owner’s having a lot of old folk in to watch the television,’ she said. I wonder . . .’ she turned to Angus. ‘It would be a kindly gesture if you were to give them a slab of sultana cake for their tea.’
    â€˜I never heard the like. You’ll have me bankrupt.’ He pretended to be stern, but Rona knew him well enough. Father would agree.
    â€˜Oh, Father,’ Rona protested. ‘It’s the Coronation—it’s a special occasion.’
    â€˜Ah, well,’ he said. ‘Maybe you’re right. Away you go, Lizzie, and take them a couple of slabs of sultana cake.’
    Aunt Lizzie returned from her errand, beaming. Rona couldn’t remember when she had last seen her aunt looking so pleased about anything.
    â€˜He said to thank you kindly,’ she reported to Angus, ‘and the old folk will enjoy the cake. And he’s asked me if I’d like to go across—if we’re not busy here—and watch the ceremony on the television. Fancy that! I’ll see the Queen being crowned!’
    *        *        *
    It was certainly a day to remember. There was the news that Mount Everest had been climbed—the news came over the wireless that Hillary and Tenzing had reached the summit.
    â€˜A grand beginning to Her Majesty’s reign,’ said Angus.
    Aunt Lizzie watched the ceremony throughout—the arrival of the young Queen with her maids of honour and the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret watching from above with a young Prince Charles.
    The solemn moments of the anointing, Prince Philip taking the oath of loyalty to the Queen—there were so many memorable moments.
    Outside Westminster Abbey, the crowds ignored the rain. Some had been waiting all night in the Mall, sharing