May Queen Book 1 by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2024 Madeline Bell One day your life is just, well life, the next has Daisy in it!

 

It was close on twenty minutes later before my parent found me in the back kitchen picking at my plate of lasagne.

"Kettle’s boiled.”
"Thank’s, did you not want chips with that?”
"Not really hungry.”
"It’s no problem,” Mum insisted.
"Fine,” I allowed, more from reflex than desire.
"Think I’ll join you, your Dad and brother’ll eat later.”
"Whatever,” I allowed, "So what d’ya want to talk about?”
"Straight to the point as usual,” she observed having set the air frier going for the chips.

I gave a shrug, "If its about Manda I don’t wanna know.”
"Its not about Amanda, well not directly,” Mum started.
"It either is or isn’t,” I pointed out.
She poured herself a cup of tea before going on, "You know Amanda was going to be this year’s May Queen? Of course you know, it’s not exactly a secret.”
"She’s not even cold yet,” I snapped.
"I know, we know, but its caused us a bit of a dilemma, you know how big a thing the May Queen is for the village.”
"Can’t you just pick someone else or get Sarah to do it again?”
"If only it was that simple.”
"Oh come on, there are loads of girls in the village.” well there always seems to be anyhow, I think they outnumber boys by about two to one.
"Do you know how the Queen is selected?” Mum queried.
"Don’t the Coven vote on it or something?”
"The Committee have a blind ballot of all the eligible girls, sometimes there can be several rounds before a clear winner is elected.”
"So just promote whoever came second,” I suggested.
"That would be our usual approach, there is precedent, Amanda isn’t the first girl to become ineligible.”

The frier beeped, distracting Mum for a couple of minutes as she plated up the chips.

"So who came second?” I asked out of curiosity.
"Well that’s just it kiddo, no one came second or third or fourth, Amanda was the only candidate this year.”
"But there are loads of girls in the village,” I reiterated.
"Not that qualify this year.” She paused before going on in a more businesslike tone. "How many village kids are in your year at school?”
"Just me and Mand.”
"How do girls qualify for May Queen?”

I felt that I was missing something, maybe I’m gonna be privy to some great secret. "Live in the village?”
"Its a bit more involved than that kiddo, so what else do you think?”
I wracked my brain, "They have to be sixteen?”
"You’re getting there but at this rate we’ll be here all night, according to the Assize of Wellow, the May Queen must, and I quote, be of Wellow blood, unsullied, unpromised and of their fifteenth summer.”
"Really?”
"Really, that’s how its been done since twelve thirty four,” Mum stated.
"Surely there must’ve been times when they couldn’t find some one?”
"Thirteen forty nine.”
"You’re kidding me, so what happened, pestilence and crop failure?” I scoffed.
"Nope, a girl from Retford was made Queen, Jemima Scrawbottom, the pestilence was the Black Death and crops failed as there was no one to gather them.”
"But the Black Death was everywhere, we did it in History last year, you can hardly blame it on not having the right May Queen.”
"Different times kiddo, but that was the last time a non qualified incumbent was made Queen.”
"So the coven think the Black Death will return without the right May Queen?”
"Don’t be daft, the Committee aren’t stupid but they, we, don’t want to be the ones to break a near seven hundred year run.”
"I can see how that might suck,” I allowed reluctantly. "So where do I come in, searching the parish records or something?”
Mum had a strange look on her face, "Erm, not quite, there is a sort of loophole which the Committee have proposed.”
"Loophole?” I queried with a little unease.
 

"Now you have to be honest with me Johnny, I think I know the answers but before we get ahead of ourselves I have to ask.”
"Ask what?”
"Well weather you qualify for the post of Queen.”
"Duh, I’m a boy,” I needlessly pointed out, "Queens are female.”
"Come on kiddo, humour me,” Mum persisted.
"Okay, whatever, can’t see how it would help though.”
"Where were you born?”
"Upstairs or so you’ve told me, next?”
"Are you engaged to be married?”
"Mu-um, I’m fifteen.”
"I’ll take that as a no then and we know you aren’t sixteen until June which just leaves the biggy, are you still a virgin?”
"Mu-um!” I complained.
"I’m serious Johnny, I know what its like at your age, peer pressure and so on.”
I let out a sigh, "No I’ve never had sex, I mean, who’d want to do it with me?”
"You’d be surprised kiddo but I’m glad you haven’t.”
"So what’s the crack then?”
"Well, on the plus side you qualify as a prospective May Queen.”
"Which isn’t gonna happen right? I suppose there’s a down side?”
"There is, you qualify as a prospective May Queen and I need to talk to the Committee.”
"What about me?”
"You need to finish your tea and get revising, its only a few weeks to your GCSE’s.”
 

Of course, the conversation with Mum raised more questions than it answered. Being of the male persuasion I’d never really thought about the whole May Queen selection process or that incumbents had to meet some very specific conditions to be elected to the post. What else don’t I know?

I’ll admit, very little actual revision took place that evening as I played everything over in my head. I still couldn’t see how me ticking the relevant boxes would make any difference, after all, by definition the Queen has to be a girl. But what else do I know about the Wellow May Queens?

I started a list;
1) Of Wellow blood
2) A virgin
3) Unpromised
4) fifteen years old

But what else, well apart from all being girls that is. I wracked my brains, the only thing that came to mind was that the Village Committee had all been May Queen including Mum. What else links them then? Are they all related? Probably I allowed, I mean Wellow isn’t the biggest place on the planet but apart from Jane Farmer and her sister Gloria none of the others were that closely related.

Okay, to put that in context, Mum is Jane’s daughter and Amanda’s Mum was Queen the year before Mand was born. We did something about viable populations in Biology, if I remember right you need five hundred people to avoid inbreeding which handily is about Wellow’s population and of course quite a few of them aren’t Wellow born. Can you qualify if your parents aren’t from Wellow? Have to ask Mum about that.

What else then? Looks? Blue eyes? Nah, last year’s Queen, Sarah Greene, is no beauty and I know for a fact that Amanda had green eyes, same as me. Something else then. I was so preoccupied that Jake had to fetch me down to help with the nightly clean up.
 

Friday arrived, bright and perky, can it be almost a whole school week since the accident? I still couldn’t think about Manda without getting a bit of a lump in my throat but it was getting better. After Wednesday’s chat with Mum I had been expecting another yesterday but nothing was said so I guess I was fretting over nothing there, they must’ve got things sorted.

"Johnny?” Mum called from the bar as I unlatched the front door, "Can I have a word?”
"I’m running late, can it wait?”
"Very quick, can you go to the village hall straight from school tonight, its about what we talked about the other night.”

Ot oh, that doesn’t sound good.

"I guess so, that it?”
"That’s it, go on, you don’t want to miss the bus, see you later.”
"Bye Mum.”

 
© Maddy Bell 04.08.2025

May Queen Book 1 by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2024 Madeline Bell One day your life is just, well life, the next has Daisy in it!

 
I tried to think of anything apart from the obvious Elephant that my summons to Committee could be for. Something to do with the maypole dancing perhaps or, or, I dunno, something that doesn’t involve me and the post of May Queen directly. It was weird though, all the girls, right down to the Markham twins seemed to giving me funny looks, maybe I’ve grown a second head?

By the time I caught the afternoon bus I was convinced though, and I suppose I was sort of resigned to the idea they wanted me to put on a frock, to keep on the good side of St Swithin and history. If I say no I’ll never hear the end of it, if I say yes – well I might as well sign up as a nun, my life at school won’t be worth living. The Wellow girls were still acting strange, what do they know that I don’t?

Instead of getting off at the Maypole I rang the bell for the stop before which isn’t quite in the village, its there for Wellow House, but it is closer to the village hall. I still wasn’t sure what my response should be if it was the elephant question. Surely though they’ve found some way around the Assize and I’m just wanted to lace ribbons or something, yeah, that’ll be it.

You’ve been to a village hall right? Large room with a stage, kitchen, toilets, the basics are pretty much the same from my experience. Wellow’s example is a fairly typical mid twentieth century example, the hub of village life, everything from the amdram society, scouts, guides, pensioners lunch club, aerobics, you get the idea. It’s also the operating centre for the Coven, aka the Committee who I discovered ensconced in the committee room, well where else would they be?

"Ah Johnny come on in,” my Gran encouraged.

I was aware that the door was closed behind me and that the room was quite full, all seats taken bar one. Well what would you do? I nervously made my way to the chair which faced the rest of the room but sat alone.

"Er here I am, so what do you need me for,” I asked although I was now more sure than ever it wasn’t to dance on the village green.
 

"Your Mum has told you of our predicament?”
"You need a stand in for Amanda as May Queen and I tick all the boxes?”
Gran looked around the gathered Committee members before replying, "Well I suppose that’s the gist of things but its not a stand in we need, its an actual May Queen.”
"So not just for the May Day shindig?”
Aunt Gloria was the one to reply, "The Queen’s duties go far beyond the crowning ceremony.”
"How would that work then? I’m not a girl in case you all forgot, if its not just wearing a frock for one day then, what do you want me to do?”
"We know you aren’t female Johnny but there are precedents, not recently I’ll admit, we’ve gone to some pains to make sure we have sufficient candidates but as your Grandfather would say, shit happens.”
"So these precedents, they were May Queen for what, the whole year?”
"The first time was in sixteen ninety seven, there was an outbreak of plague locally, brought in by a ship into Bawtry. The Queen, Janet Foss, unfortunately succumbed and was replaced by her half brother, Simeon.”
"I thought the plague was in thirteen something?”
"There were smaller, localised outbreaks until the mid seventeen hundreds.”
"So this Simeon was May Queen, I bet that went down well with the locals.”
"It was kept secret, no one beyond the committee knew, they were simpler times, no social media back then.”
"Okay, you said precedents,” I emphasised the plural.
"Nineteen sixteen, poor Mary Forster.”
"Go on.”
"I’ll let you tell it Gloria,” Gran suggested to her sister.
"Mary was over in Sheffield visiting relatives when the Zeppelin raid happened and was badly injured. That was in the September afore her crowning the next spring, she recovered from her injuries but contracted pneumonia and passed away in the January.”
"So who stepped in this time?”
"Her twin brother Archibold Forster.”
The name struck a chord, "As in the farrier?”
"His father actually, it was a bit more difficult to keep things secret but the cover story was that he’d joined up and was in France. With the war still raging at the end of ‘her’ term, she did join up and was even injured not long before the armistice.”

The stories of Simeon and Archibold sounded convincing, I mean, who’d make stuff like that up? But that was then, this is now, people don’t just disappear without people noticing.

"So what you are saying is, you want me to be the May Queen for like the whole year? If I did agree what about my exams, and I’m due to go to sixth form college in September and what about people in the village? Everyone knows me and that Mum has two sons.”
"Mark my words Johnny, we know this isn’t ideal, that you’ll need to make some sacrifices, we’ll be behind you every step and we’ll do everything in our power to keep the whole thing under wraps,” Gran told me.
"Why couldn’t I just be the May King?, easy peasy then.”
"We did consider that kiddo,” Mum put in, "But the whole covenant refers to the Queen, which, by definition, at least appears to be female.”
"Do I get anything out of this?” hey, I’m a teenager okay.
"That will depend very much on you, it’s not a paid post, not in the traditional way but incumbents usually gain something from the experience,” Aunt Gloria noted.

I looked around the room at the rest of the Committee, of course I know them all, its a small place it would be hard not to. Dr Sherwood our GP, Anne Parsons is some sort of lawyer, the headmistress of the village school, Mrs Johnson, of the others there were two farmers wives, a teacher at Wellow House, a nurse and a couple of, what Dad calls women of leisure. Wellow May Queens do not become crack heads on Middleton Lodge.

"Do I get time to think this over?”
"Not much I’m afraid,” Gran told me, "We’ll need to know tomorrow at the latest.”
"If I say yes, and that’s a big if, when would this all start?”
"Straight away, there’s no time to lose, its only two weeks to May Day. Now go home with your Mum, think about what we’ve told you, ask of you, sleep on it and let us know your decision.”
"Just one more question,”
"Go ahead,” Gran allowed.
"What will my name be, you can’t exactly have Queen Johnny can you?”
Grans face broke into a smile, "That would be entirely up to you.”
 

Mum and I left the village hall and started the short walk home to The Red Lion.

"So what do you think?” Mum enquired.
"I’m not sure to be honest, before I got there I thought it was just dressing up for the one day, a frock and a wig, joke’s on Johnny for a few days and I was up for that. Not super happy but I was ready to go along with it but what’re you’re all asking is several leaps on from that.”
"We know kiddo, we didn’t get to this point without exhausting our options elsewhere.”
"If I decide no, what then?”
"Good question, I’ve no idea but seriously kiddo, don’t let that influence your decision.”
"Do Jake and Dad know about this?”
"Not yet, clearly they’ll have to know something if you do say yes but its better that as few people as possible are in the loop.”
"Some of the girls were giving me strange looks earlier.”
"Just the girls?”
"Only the villagers, do you think they know something?”
"What sort of looks?” Mum asked.
"I dunno, like they were weighing me up maybe?”
"I’ll let the Committee know, maybe its some sort of intuition.”
"Whatever, it was a bit weird.”

We walked down through The Maypole’s car park before crossing Newark Road and I couldn’t help but look over at the Maypole itself on the green proper, currently surrounded by scaffolding ahead of a fresh lick of paint to be applied by a working party of male villagers tomorrow. Yeah, the men of the parish think they are in charge but the wise ones know better.
 

After dinner, I was excused my usual bar duties, Mum insisting I needed to ‘revise’, we both knew she really meant think the current proposition over. But time on my hands was not a great help and I went to bed with a head full of questions and very few answers. Not that I could sleep, who could?

I went over what I’d been told, what I knew, on repeat, the stories of Simeon and Archie, the wording of the Assize. Then thoughts strayed to just how The Committee could make this work and just how I could be made into a believable May Queen, not just for a day but for a year. Okay, I’ll admit I’m not exactly a jock but I have started to shave, well once a month and I most definitely don’t have the curves that all the girls in my year at school seem keen to flaunt at anything in trousers.

My head came up with ever more bizarre ideas on how this would go down. I’m not stupid, I’ve heard about trans people but that’s not me, I don’t want to change sex, gender, whatever you call it. No this is just a temporary gig and, I realised, The Committee seemed to be confident that the whole charade will be possible, will work.

 
© Maddy Bell 04.08.2025

May Queen Book 1 by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2024 Madeline Bell One day your life is just, well life, the next has Daisy in it!

 

As you might imagine, I didn’t sleep well or long, my dreams a fantastical mix of what if’s and fantasy. Okay, I do have quite a vivid imagination, my teachers expect me to get an A at the very least in English Language, but honestly, I couldn’t see how they, we could pull this off. On the other hand, if I don’t at least give it a go we’ll never know will we?

"Morning kiddo,” Mum greeted when I made my way to the kitchen for breakfast.

Dad and Jake were nowhere to be seen, they’d both be at footy training, not my cup of tea, I’m more a cricket man and I’m no great shakes at that.

"Mornin’,” I allowed.
"Full English?” she offered.
"Er sure,” was she buttering up the condemmed? You could see that she was dying to ask the question, so I thought it worth a punt, could I have scrambled rather than fried?”
"No problem kiddo, there’s tea in the pot.”

Usually about this point it’d be a conversation about my plans for the day, which, to be honest were usually on the lines of getting the bus into Worksop for cricket practice, sometimes Mand would tag along and we’d do the teen thing around the town centre for a bit, if there wasn’t cricket we might even go down to Newark. There isn’t really a great deal going on for the youth of Wellow outside of school, school friends can live ten miles away, it’s not like the buses connect everywhere in any sort of timely manner. But this morning, the question wasn’t even posed.

The food had mostly been in the warming oven, yes we have an Aga, the scrambled eggs took literally two minutes in the microwave so, by the time I’d poured the tea, ‘pour me one’, my breakfast was placed on the table. Oh boy, Mum really had gone the extra mile, sausage, bacon, tomato, mushrooms, hash brown, black pudding, the eggs and fried bread, the Full Monty indeed.

"Thanks,” I allowed reaching for the red sauce.
"I know you like a fry up.”
 
Who doesn’t? I barely had the first forkful in my mouth before she broke.

"You made a decision?”

Had I? Well sort of, I wasn’t one hundred percent sure it was the right decision but it was mine, no one had pressured me one way or the other so it was all down to me. I finished eating my mouthful of egg, bacon and fried bread before replying.

"I’ll do it.”

Mum’s face lit up with obvious relief.

"I’ve got two conditions, firstly my girl name will be Daisy and secondly, you let me finish my breakfast in peace.”
"Daisy it is, I’ll leave you to eat, I need to ring your Gran, let her know.”
"Sure,” I agreed.

Daisy? Where the hell did that come from? I had given it some thought this morning as I lay in bed, you don’t usually get to name yourself in this life, you go from cutie, poppet, darling to whatever your parents decide. I’d tried a few options out in my head, Joanne, Sarah, Julie, Rose and I’d sort of settled on Marie, not a common name but quite traditional.

So why did I blurt out Daisy as my choice to Mum? I ran it through a few scenarios as I consumed my plate of food, there weren’t any weird substitutions, shortening it to Dais wasn’t too bad. Overall it was definitely girly, not in current use in the village as far as I know and, well it sounds kinda cute and sassy.

I did my best to savour what, for now could be my last meal as Johnny. I was putting the empty plate and cutlery into the dishwasher, it’s a pub okay, when I heard Mum end the call with Gran.

"Okay then Daisy, the ball is rolling, lets start getting you ready to be May Queen kiddo.”

Strangely it didn’t sound odd to be called Daisy by my Mum.
 
"So um, what now?”
"First job is to get you feeling the part, run yourself a bath, use one of my bath bombs but don’t bother washing your hair, we’ll be going over to Retford once you’re clean. I’ll sort you out some stuff to wear.”
"A dress?”
"Lets not get ahead of ourselves, besides which, no teenage girls that I know willingly wear dresses unless its an occasion and we want you to fit in with other girls your age.”
"I guess,” I agreed, at least I’m dodging that for now.
"And Dais?”
"Yes Mum?”
"Shave your legs, there’s a packet of disposables under the sink.”
"Really?”
"Really, no daughter of mine is going round looking like a rugby player.”
"Yes Mum,” I conceded. And what’s with referring to me as a girl and using my ‘new’ name all the time, I only agreed thirty minutes ago and already Johnny has been banished.
"Now off with you, we need to be in Retford at eleven thirty.”
 

I’d not had an actual bath since I was about ten, showers are just so much quicker, I don’t need to look like a prune to know I’m clean. Mum, I know does like to have a bath at least once a week, says its more relaxing than a shower. All I know is that on bath nights you do not want to disturb proceedings or you’ll know about it.

I must say, having a bath at nine o’clock on a Saturday morning did feel a bit decadent, the flowery scent of the bath bomb relaxing and the woes of the world seemed far away. A voice from beyond the bathroom door urged me to hurry up and not forget to do my legs. Easier said than done, I’m not overly hairy, not like some of the lads at school, Gareth Ardron looks like a gorilla, but even so, the razor kept jamming with hair.

But I managed to avoid a bloodbath, it wasn’t a perfect job but I’m sure I’ll get plenty of practice over the next few weeks. My legs, as I dried myself off, felt different, definitely naked but times ten and they looked, I dunno, slimmer and more shapely.

"I’ve put you some clothes out Dais,” Mum called up, obviously the creaking boards had given me away.
"Okay.”
"Don’t be all day about it, I want to leave in twenty minutes.”
 
© Maddy Bell 04.08.2025

May Queen Book 1 by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2024 Madeline Bell One day your life is just, well life, the next has Daisy in it!

 
Whatever I may have imagined I’d be wearing, once the spectre of a dress was at least temporarily discounted, it wasn’t what I found on my bed. I haven’t made observing what girls wear a big part of my daily routine, at school its about a fifty fifty split of trousers or skirts as part of the school uniform. Out of school, I suppose its either jeans or those legging things, shorts if its warm, in truth, when I think about it, Amanda and the other girls in my year mostly favour wearing trousers of some form.

There on the bed were several items which I’m guessing are from Mum’s closet, top of the pile was one of her sports bras and the matching shorts. The rest comprised a lilac t-shirt and the short dungarees Mum uses for gardening and stuff. Not sure why I need the bra thing but it could’ve been a lot worse.

"You dressed yet Daisy?” Mum’s voice enquired from the doorway as I tried to work out how the dungarees shoulder straps clipped in place.
"Almost, what do I wear on my feet?”
"Hang on, I’ll get you something.”

Looking in the mirror on my wardrobe door, I could see why Mum had chosen this particular set of clothes. Apart from my unruly hair I did sort of look quite girly, the outline of the bra suggested curves I didn’t have and the shorts were doing quite a good job of keeping stuff down below in check. The dungarees loose fit helped draw attention away from my lack of shape whilst looking, I dunno, cute?

"Here you go kiddo,” Mum enthused passing me her trainers and a pair of white ankle socks.
"Er thanks,” I allowed perching on the bed to put them on.
"Hmm, we need to do something with that mop before we go, don’t want anyone thinking you’re a boy eh Dais.”
‘Heaven forbid,’ I mumbled to myself, "Er no,” I agreed.
 

Ten minutes later we were on our way to Retford, my hair now adorned with a couple of slides, decorated with, you guessed it, daisies. On the plus side for this exercise, my hair is on the longer side, about collar length, maybe a bit long on a boy, a bit short for a girl but there are a few girls at school with a similar length. Oh, and Mum insisted on a coat of lip gloss, which tasted weird and made my lips feel sticky.

"So,” Mum began once we’d cleared the Ollerton crossroads and started our journey on the lanes towards Retford, "We’ve come up with a cover story to explain the absence of Johnny and appearance of Daisy.”
"Okay,” I allowed, my attention on the denuded legs poking out of the denim that I was wearing.
"You’d best listen up, you will get questioned.”
"I’m listening.”
"So Johnny is so upset about Amanda that he’s gone to stay with your Aunt, that is Daisy’s family down in Devon, your parents thought it would be a good idea for you to broaden your horizons hence the swap.”
"Seems simple enough,” I noted, "What about school, exams and stuff and what about the May Queen coming from Wellow?”
"The cover story is that you were born up here during a family holiday which is what qualifies you. As for school, you won’t be going apart from to sit your exams, its all revision so you can do that from home. Your Gran has already spoken to Wellow House, you’ll sit your exams there.”
"Its full of girls.”
"And? So is the Dukeries and in case you hadn’t noticed Dais, you’re a girl too and anyway they do have boys, just fewer of them.”

That’s me told. We crossed the A1, busy as usual and I strained to see if there were any planes doing stuff as we passed Gamston airfield.

"What about sixth form?”
"Give us a chance Dais, you only arrived this morning.”
"I know but its important,” I mentioned.
"I know kiddo, we’ll sort it out before September. Oh and before I forget, your surname is Miller, your mum is Dad’s sister.”
"He doesn’t have a sister,” I pointed out.
"You know that, I know that, the rest of the village doesn’t.”
"So what about Dad and Jake?”
"Well I must admit that I jumped the gun a bit last night, lets just say they won’t be surprised when I get home later with cousin Daisy.”
"You knew I’d do it?”
"I wasn’t certain, if you’d said no it wouldn’t have mattered but if you agreed things would be set in motion.”
"Guess that makes sense.”
"God, getting out of this junction is a nightmare.”

We’d reached what in years gone by, was the old A1 when it went through towns rather than bypassing everywhere. From here the Great North Road goes up through Bawtry to Doncaster before rejoining the older route northwards. Retford itself is quite small as towns go but they’ve been building houses in the villages around to the point where its not far off the size of Worksop just with less facilities although it does boast a mainline train station.

The traffic was fairly heavy all the way up into the town where Mum took us round to the big car park behind the library. Sat in the car I hadn’t really given my appearance much thought, oh there was the novelty of my (badly) shaven legs and sticky lips but nothing was uncomfortable just different.
 
"Mum,” I started, "This appointment, what are they gonna do?”
"Aunty Claire.”
"Huh?”
"I’m your Aunt Claire now, your mum is in Devon remember?”

I guess that makes sense.

"So, erm Aunty Claire, this appointment?”
"Well you’ve become a bit of a tomboy down there in Devon so we thought we’d treat you to a bit of a makeover, let you fit in with the locals a bit easier.”
"Can’t I just be a tomboy?”
"Not gonna work for the May Queen kiddo, don’t worry, its mostly sorting you out to look more like a girl rather than Johnny in drag.”
"Okay I guess.”
"Once we’ve got you looking the part we need to get you dressed the part, you can’t be borrowing my clothes all the time, besides which you need to dress like a teen not her mother. Now come on, don’t want to be late.”
 
Once out of the car I had a bit of a panic attack, I mean what if anyone I know sees me? What if anyone realises I’m a boy?

"Come on Dais, its only just around the corner.”
‘You can do this Daisy, no one’s gonna see you’, "Coming Aunty.”

Mum, Aunty Claire clearly knew where we were going, setting a good pace along Churchgate before heading down the side of The Vine, well actually through the yard to reach a shopfront that proclaimed to be ‘Debbies Hair’, apparently our destination. Its not the first time I’ve been inside a ‘ladies’ hairdresser, until I was about nine or ten that was where most kids I knew got their hair cut, ‘Madges’, which used to occupy a tin shed near the village hall. Then before ‘big’ school you were deemed old enough to go to the barber in Ollerton with Dad, that was then, this is now.

"Hello ladies,” a middle aged woman greeted as we entered this alien place.
"We’ve an appointment for my niece? Daisy Miller?”
"Oh yes, you rang this morning.”
"That’s right, thank you for fitting us in.”
"Things are a bit quiet today, give it another couple of weeks and I’ll be run off me feet, all these prom things and wedding season too.”
"Tell me about it,” Mum, Aunt Claire, agreed, "We run a pub, we’ve got three receptions booked next month.”
"So Daisy, what are we doing?”
"Erm,” I managed to mutter.
"She’s a bit shy, she’s come up from Devon to stay for a few weeks, I’m afraid she’s a bit of a tomboy,” Mum explained.
"A very pretty one,” the woman whom I presumed was Debbie noted.
"Exactly but will she admit it? Her mum’s given me carte blanche so whatever it takes.”

Mu-um!

"And what does Daisy think?”
"I um, er, guess I’m up for it,” well I could hardly dissent could I?
"Can I leave you to it? There’s a few bits I need to pick up while we’re in town.”
"No problem…”
"Claire,” Mum filled.
"Claire, two o’clock?”
"Wonderful, I’ll see you later then Dais.”
"Okay Aunty.”

And with that she was gone leaving me alone with the barber surgeon of Retford.
 
© Maddy Bell 04.08.2025

May Queen Book 1 by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2024 Madeline Bell One day your life is just, well life, the next has Daisy in it!

 
I could tell you what I endured over the next couple of hours, except in reality I’ve no real idea. There was a bit of tutting, hair was washed, stuff put on said hair and washed again, what felt like most of my brows pulled out, my arms waxed, nails manicured, often more than one thing at once as ‘Jemma’ joined ‘Debbie’ a few minutes after Aunt Claire departed.

"We really should do your ears, maybe your nose,” Jemma stated plucking another stray hair from my forehead.

In my naivety I assumed she meant hair removal.

"Er sure.”
"Goody!” she enthused, "Be right back.”

Meanwhile Debbie was ‘cleaning up’ my admittedly ham fisted attempt at leg shaving with more wax.

"One? Two?” Jemma asked.
By reflex I answered "Three?”
"Cool, three it is!”
 

Aunt Claire, that’s just so weird, anyway she got back a couple of minutes after two just as Jemma, who’d barely stopped talking for the last two hours, pronounced me done.

"Just in time for the grand reveal Claire,” Debbie announced, "Jem, if you’ll do the honours.”

The last time I’d seen my reflection was during the cycle of hair washing and rinsing when I just looked like a soggy me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not stupid, I know they did stuff, I realised my error over ears and nose when the sharp sting in my nose didn’t immediately abate, I’ve been squinting at something glittering on, in my nostril for the last forty minutes. She’d already started assaulting my ears before I recovered enough to talk as I was distracted by more hair being ripped from my leg.

The reflection wasn’t me, Johnny that is, that’s for sure.

"So what do you think?” Debbie asked.
"Her own mother won’t recognise her,” Aunt Claire stated, "Are you sure that’s Daisy.”

To be honest I couldn’t take it all in, Debbie really had taken Aunt Claire’s ‘carte blanche’ and run with it. I didn’t recognise anything of the girl, no, young woman, looking back at me, from the bright blonde curly bob, the delicate eyebrows, the full lips. When we left home it was as a boyish looking tomboy, now it was definitely a female head on a boyish body.
 

"Well kiddo,” Mum started once we were outside, "I don’t think anyone would mistake you for a boy now.”
"Except my lack of, er, chesticles. Isn’t this a bit much?”
"I did give them a free hand but I didn’t think they’d go this far.”
"You should be where I am.”
"Look I’m sorry Dais, I should have been more specific, hungry?”
"More thirsty than anything.”
"Okay, we’ll get a coffee then do a bit of shopping so you’ve got at least a few bits to wear.”
"Can’t I just wear jeans and stuff?”

I got such a look.

"Okay, but nothing too girly.”
"Looking like that Dais, you’d make a sack look girly.”

Not what I wanted to hear.
 

From the moment we returned to the street, it felt like everyone was looking at me and they probably were. Mum is, in my view at least, quite a looker, when I caught our reflection in a shop window, I now made her look plain. We had coffee at a place on the main square where Mum dissected the salon’s bill.

"Hair colour and cut, eyebrow shape, lip plump, piercing, arm wax and leg tidy, nail extensions, facial, daytime makeup, well they certainly gave you the works Dais.”
"I thought they’d just stuck some plastic nails on?” I inspected the cherry red tips to my fingers.
"Well they did sorta do that but extensions can last weeks.”
"They won’t just come off?”
"Nope.”
"So I’m stuck with these red talons?”
"We can change the colour, in fact we’ll need to do that, but the extensions are there to stay.”
"Great,” I sighed, "Anything else?”
"The lip plumper could last a while too, the good news is that none of it is permanent, brows grow back, you can take out the piercings, they heal up fairly quickly with nothing in.”
"I guess changing my mind’s not an option then?”
"I’ll put it this way Daisy, Johnny won’t be back for quite a while whatever.”
"Best get me some clothes then,” I sighed.

Retford, lets be fair, is not exactly overflowing with clothing stores, what there are are polarised, so cheap or silly expensive. Fifteen year olds don’t buy designer brands so Peacocks and New Look were it, a visit to Pettits provided a couple of pairs of shoes and Sports Direct supplied a pair of trainers and some workout gear, apparently I’ll be joining Aunt Claire at her aerobics class. Some basic makeup supplies concluded an expensive afternoon for whoever is footing the bill for all this. At least I didn’t have to suffer buying underwear, that had been purchased whilst I was getting ‘made over’.
 

"Look who I found!” Mum announced when I sheepishly followed her into the Red Lion just after six, "Come on Dais, don’t be shy.”

I allowed myself to be pulled into the bar area.

"Daisy,” Dad beamed, "Good journey? Your mum okay?”
"Erm yes to both, she er, sends her love.”
"Dais,” my brother joined in the production, "Long time no see.”
"Well I’m here now,” I allowed.

Of course none of this was missed by the regulars already propping up the bar.

"Come on Claire, introduce us then,” Jack Worrall from Hall Farm chivvied.
Mum took a breath, "Everyone, this is our niece Daisy up from Devon who, as Wellow born will be taking poor Amanda’s place as May Queen. You know how our lad felt about Amanda, he’s taken it all quite hard so he’s gone down to stay with his aunt while Dais is up here.
Be kind to her now, she’ll be helping out around the Lion, and none of your hands Dickie Smart.”
"I wouldn’t dare,” said letch replied from his usual perch at the bar.
"I’ll just get Daisy settled in and we’ll be back down, Dais.”
 

I had thought I’d still be in my own bedroom but Mum had other ideas, instead I found myself in one of the guest rooms, complete with girly acoutrements – apparently Gran had been around earlier. Mum snook down to retrieve my new clothing before giving me instructions on precisely what I was to change into before returning downstairs. The padded bra added to the overall illusion, skinny jeans and a cropped jumper would allow me to fit in with my peers without question.

The image in the mirror was still alien though, a teenage girl, perhaps a bit over made up but I’ve seen some of my classmates, well former classmates, wearing more. It was a bit disturbing that in less than a day, Johnny had vanished and Daisy had arrived. And all because of some unproven ancient superstition.
 

Usually I just help out collecting glasses and clearing tables but tonight I was ‘promoted’ to waitress too. We only serve ‘bar snacks’ on a Saturday, sandwiches essentially, the only hot food being chips in various guises. Our chef, Alex doesn’t work Saturday or Wednesday hence the limited menu prepared by Mum, Aunt Claire.

The result of this additional duty was that I had to interact with people instead of just the occasional query as to remove a glass, or not. Nope, Daisy wasn’t going to get away that lightly, by kicking out time I’d ‘met’ most of the regulars and no one had batted an eye. By kicking out time the day was fast catching up with me and my new ‘ballet’ flats were becoming less than comfortable.

"You look done in Dais,” Jake opined as I deposited the last few glasses at the wash station.
"Been a long day,” I allowed.
"Sunday tomorrow, bit of a lie in,” Jake suggested.
"Church at ten,” Mum mentioned from behind me.
"Church? we never go to church.” I complained which wasn’t strictly true, Mum goes and the rest of us do ‘occasions’ but tomorrow isn’t one.
"Yes church young lady, its expected that the May Queen attends at least semi regularly.”

I rolled my eyes much to Jakes amusement.

"But I haven’t got anything to wear to church.”
"Don’t worry about that, I’m sure we can find something, now scoot and take off that makeup, I don’t want that all over my pillow cases.”
"Yes Aunty.”

I mumped to myself as I went up to my, that’s Daisy’s room, waitress, aerobics, church, Queeny duties, I wont have two minutes to myself! Church isn’t so bad, I mean you virtually fall out of the back door into St Swithun’s, there’s even a gate from the pub’s carpark, its less than a hundred metres away. No, its the getting up and ready, on a Sunday and its bound to take Daisy a lot longer than Johnny’s bed to door in five minutes.

Even getting ready for bed was more complicated, I now had to remove my makeup, I can’t believe I’m saying that, I’m sure tomboy Daisy didn’t wear makeup but the reinvented Daisy has to wear the stuff. Mum had given me the one oh one on removal earlier so once I had my new Hello Kitty PJ’s on, toilet used and teeth brushed I returned to Daisy central where I retrieved the removal kit from the bag of cosmetic stuff and spent best part of ten minutes, removing, cleansing and cussing.

And this is gonna be every day for the foreseeable future, deep joy!
 

"Dais, time to get up.” Aunt Claire advised at what felt like stupid o’clock next morning. "Come down in your PJ’s, we’ll find you something to wear after breakfast.”

Oh joy, something to wear. I peeled myself out of bed, hit the bathroom then padded downstairs. Sundays are generally a bit of a free for all breakfast wise, as long as someone is up before Alex arrives about ten to get the Sunday meat going all is good. But it looked like that, for me at least, is all about to change.

"Sleep well?”
"Ish, my ears were itching like anything,” I advised.
"Hmm, they do look a bit red, we’ll get some Savlon on after breakfast, why did you let her do them three times?”

I sat myself at the table where a bowl of muesli and a glass of fruit juice sat waiting.

"I didn’t intend getting any,” I noted, "That Jemma was rattling away, most of the time I had no idea what she was talking about. She said something about ears and noses, I thought she was talking about hair removal. Anyway she said something like ‘one or two’ and I just said three.”
Mum almost giggled, "Really Dais, you need to pay a bit more attention. What’s done is done and for what it’s worth they do look quite cute on you and whilst I know some lads wear earrings, three in each ear is such a girl thing.”
"Do I really have to go to church?”
"Yes you do, eat your breakfast and we’ll go sort you out something to wear.”
"Yes Aunty.”
"And I think your Gran wants to take you shopping after lunch, maybe Lincoln, so shake a leg kiddo.”
 
© Maddy Bell 04.08.2025

May Queen Book 1 by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2024 Madeline Bell One day your life is just, well life, the next has Daisy in it!

 

Two hours later I collapsed onto the sofa in the family room. Whilst nominally C of E, religion just isn’t my thing so to sit through an hour of hymns, prayers and readings isn’t on my to do list. I wondered why St Swithun’s was so full but that was answered by the Rector’s ten minute eulogy mourning Amanda, I couldn’t help myself but to join in with the general round of snuffling and tears.

Afterwards we then had to introduce Daisy to anyone and everyone not in the Red Lion last night. How many more times will I need to repeat the whys and wherefores of my presence, Johnny’s absence and my impending coronation? Who knew it could be so exhausting.

It didn’t help that Mum’s ‘find you something to wear’ turned out to be one of her summer dresses. It was at least quite demure, reaching below my knees but I still felt quite exposed as it swirled about in the breeze. Then of course I had to wear the matching shoes, strappy kitten heels apparently but even that low heel had me feeling very unsteady.

The finishing touches, some bits of Mum’s jewellery, a fixing of my too bright hair and some Sunday appropriate makeup (i’m not doing this every day, you’ll be learning to do your own!) completed the picture. And now, after all that, I get told to put something on to go shopping, and not jeans! Is this what I signed up for?

"Come on Dais,” Aunt Clair chivvied, "Get yourself changed, your Gran will be here soon.”
"Okay, but what am I ‘sposed to wear?”
She sighed deeply before answering, "You’ll probably be trying stuff on so keep it simple, you’ve got that denim skirt and one of those t shirts?”
"Skirt?”
"It won’t kill you, you’ve survived that dress this morning.”
"But, but...”
"No buts, now scoot.”

I was never going to win the ‘argument’ so I heaved myself free of the sofa and headed for my room.

"And hang that dress up,” Aunt Claire called after me.
 
The skirt had been a bit of a sop to Aunt Claire, I’d nixed at least three others as we trawled Retford but she was adamant I would be getting at least one such garment. Its not like I’d actually have to wear it, I reasoned, so when she asked, ‘pink or blue’, I replied blue and a scrap of denim joined the pile. But now I was gonna have to wear the damned thing.

‘Okay Dais, you can do it.’ I extricated myself from the sundress – once I remembered the side zip, grabbed the first top on the pile in the dresser’s top draw which, turns out was a pale pink thing with cap sleeves, oh well, a shirt’s a shirt. I found the skirt in the next drawer with the assorted leggings, shorts and single pair of trousers.

In my head it was quite a demure, knee length garment despite being, well, a skirt. In reality it was short with a capital S, I held it against me and it ended far too far above my knees, not even halfway down my thighs. I can’t wear this, well, clearly I can wear it but seriously, out in public?

Do I put something else on but Mum was adamant about the skirt.

"Dais,” Jake called up, "Its on the table.”

Damn, I’ll have to put it on, when she sees it she’ll make me put something else on, I can at least argue my corner. I quickly tugged it into place, the back to front button fly had me confused for a moment, there certainly was a lot of exposed smooth skin hanging out of the bottom. The t shirt, of course, got snagged on ‘my’ bra but at least that covered everything you’d hope.

My hopes of a reprieve were however, short lived. When I reached the family kitchen, I was greeted by ‘that’s better, you’ll fit right in Dais’ from Mum and nothing more than a ‘pass your plate' from Dad. Looks like I’m wearing this denim pelmet to Lincoln then.
 

My parents, aka Aunt Claire and Uncle Dave, always try to make Sunday lunch a family affair, the Sunday staff are in, Alex and his lacky Gordon look after the food side of things, we get to enjoy whatever roast is on this weeks menu. This week it was weird, usually my plate, like Jake and Dad’s will be loaded, Mum having a smaller portion but today I got the same as she. Not only that but Aunt Claire admonished me to eat ‘more ladylike’, isn’t this all going a bit far?

On the other hand, I did get out of taking part in the clean up and I was even almost ready when Gran arrived to take me ‘shopping’. What we are shopping for or even why, I’ve no idea but I’ve learnt in the past not to question these things. On the plus side I wouldn’t be joining the table staff, well at least until we get back from Lincoln.

"Come on Dais, your Gran’s waiting,” my ‘Aunt’ chivvied.
"I can’t find my wallet or my phone.”
"All in here,” she waved a small black member of her burgeoning handbag collection, I swear she gets another one every week.
"Um, thanks,” I allowed accepting said receptacle.
"Go, you know what she’s like if she’s kept waiting.”
"See you later then.”

I climbed into Gran’s car, literally, she has one of those huge new Range Rover’s, goodness knows why, her and Gramps have a bungalow on Eakring Road, the nearest this behemoth gets to offroad is a trip to the car boot at Carburton once a month.

"Ready?” she asked even as I pulled the seat belt into place.
"I guess, where are we going?”
"Lincoln, didn’t your mother tell you?”
"It’s what she said but to be honest I’ve been struggling to keep up.”

With a growl of tyres on gravel we departed the car park, yeah, Gran drives like a WRC driver, fast and furious.

She looked across the car as we waited to join the main road, "They certainly did a number on you at the salon.”
"You could say that,” I agreed, "Mum gave them carte blanche and they took her at her word.”
"Not sure I approve of all the holes but I guess you need to fit in with your peers.”
"Only to take my exams and if I’m doing that at Wellow House I don’t even know anyone there.”
"The May Queen can’t hide away, you’ll have to interact with folk around the village for starters.”
"I guess so,” I allowed, "So um, what are we shopping for? Mum, Aunty Claire dragged me round most of Retford yesterday buying stuff.”
"That was just some basics to get you started, every girl needs her own stuff, nick nacks and things she just likes, it’ll look a bit weird to the other youngsters if you don’t have anything.”
"Can’t I just say I left it all in Devon?”
"Daisy luv, that’ll work about as long as it takes for you to say it, Johnny must have stuff right?”
"I suppose.”
"And if he was going away for a while he’d take some of them along?”
"Maybe,” I admitted.
"Well girls always take loads of stuff when they go away.”
"Dad’s always complaining about how much Mum takes on holiday.”
"And you, young lady, have arrived in Wellow with just the clothes you were stood in so today we’re going to start to put that right.”
"I haven’t got much to spend, I’ve been saving for the trip to Spain.”
"Don’t go worrying yourself about that, its about time your Gran treated her great niece a bit.”

By now we were on Tuxford Road, once we clear Kirton Gran will have her foot hard on the floor. I must admit, knowing the road and Gran’s driving, I rechecked my safety belt.
 
Its only about twenty miles as the crow flies from Wellow to Lincoln, only slightly less than Sheffield but the road route is a good five if not ten miles less on quieter, straighter roads. With Gran’s driving we were soon at Tuxford, we’d barely been going fifteen minutes when we joined the A57. Through Dunham and over the toll bridge and we were into Lincolnshire.

We don’t often go further than Mansfield or Worksop but of the three cities that Wellow sits pretty equidistance from, Lincoln is the smallest and most pleasant. We picked up a bit more traffic when we reached the Fossdyke but it cleared once we crossed Saxilby bridge and ten minutes later we were negotiating the traffic to reach a carpark. It was only as we were sat waiting at a pedestrian crossing that my brain suddenly jerked into gear.

There was a group of girls, four or five, obviously together waiting to cross, one of them stood out and, well my midteen libido went into overdrive, she really was a knockout, taller than her friends and slimmer. It was definitely Johnny fixated on this veritable goddess as she flicked her long straight blonde hair over a shoulder, much the same way Amanda used to. I might be considered a bit of a country bumpkin at school, living out in the sticks but I knows what I likes and she was it.

I watched as they crossed in front of us, did she look our way? Did she see me looking back?

"Dais?”

I let out a sigh, just my luck to find the girl of my dreams twenty miles away.

"Dais!” Gran repeated.

Which is when I went into meltdown. My brain suddenly made all the connections, even if she had seen me it wasn’t Johhny sat in the car, it was Daisy, Daisy with her own blonde hair, wearing her own short skirt over her own shaved legs. To the outside world I’m just another teenage girl, a fact, even if only a temporary status, my brain hadn’t caught up to but now it has.

 
I say meltdown, it wasn’t a descent into a blubbering mess in the footwell or anything so dramatic, no it was a diatribe of accusations against Mum, Gran, the Coven, the school, life in general and, and… Gran left me to it, concentrating instead on parking the car before turning to me and gathering me into a hug.

"There, there Daisy, what’s brought all this on?”

I managed to reduce tears to more of an ongoing snuffle but coherant words wouldn’t come, instead I snuggled closer into Grans embrace. I’m not sure how long we sat there, probably less than fifteen minutes, but I gradually calmed down and stopped sniffling.

"Feeling better?” Gran asked.
"A bit,” I allowed.
"If I didn’t know better I’d think our May Queen was starting her period,” Gran joked.

Even I could see the absurdity of that, which in turn had me giving a bit of a chuckle in reply.

"What’s brought all this on then?”
"I well, I saw those girls and one looked a bit like Amanda and I was thinking about, well boy girl stuff.”
"It’s what teenagers do,” Gran put in.
"I guess but then it hit me, Johnny might’ve had a chance but I’m not Johnny now, I guess it hit me all at once that for now I’m a girl just like her.”
"That doesn’t mean you can’t like other girls you know, just because you are a girl doesn’t mean you have to like boys.”
"You mean like lesbians?”
"You don’t have to be lesbian to prefer female company and I wasn’t suggesting that you, Daisy you, is anything other than a normal teen with raging hormones.”
"Did you?”
"Like girls? Well I certainly had a few close female friends, I still do but they’ve never been more than that.”
"Not even once?” I probed as only a teen can and will.
"Never occurred to me back then and now, well I still fancy your Grandad rotten, just don’t tell him,” she chuckled.
"I won’t.”
"So you feeling up to some retail therapy?”
"Maybe a little.”
"That’s better Dais, now come on, lets get you cleaned up, you look like a panda, then we’ll get a drink before we do anything else okay?”
"Yeah,” I concurred.

 
© Maddy Bell 04.08.2025

May Queen Book 1 by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2024 Madeline Bell One day your life is just, well life, the next has Daisy in it!

 
My face was sorted, Gran’s cavernous handbag seemingly containing enough cosmetic type stuff to stock a reasonable sized chemist. Then it was off to one of the many coffee shops at the top of Steep Hill, a short walk from the parking below the castle walls. I must admit that I was more than a bit self conscious, tugging the hem of the, my skirt, did nothing to lengthen it and after a smirking rebuke from Gran, I gave that up.

Of course, it being a warm day I was far from the only wearer of a short skirt although there were plenty of equally or in some cases, more exposing shorts abroad too. Pretty much any female under thirty seemed to be out to flash as much leg at the big yellow globe as possible. Once I’d got over the initial embarrassment of how I appeared it was actually a bit of a non event and, well, a bit liberating having a bit of breeze around bits usually insulated by layers of trouser and boxers.

I received a bit of discrete etiquette from Gran, how to sit to avoid giving a show, what to do with my bag, take smaller bites, use the cup handle, little things but, I realised, stuff that girls are obviously taught or learn that boys don’t need to know. But Gran was determined to buy me some ‘stuff’ so we set off down the hill to Lincoln’s bustling shopping area. Most of the shops are located along the High Street, about half a miles worth offering pretty much all the major chains and a few more ‘boutique’ options.

It’s not a place I’ve been often, Gran however seemed to know where everything was and who had some specific ideas of where Daisy should be shopping. Blue Banana looked interesting but no, I was whipped past to take in the delights of the Waterside Centre and the markets just over the river. Gran at least knew she was a bit out of touch of teen fashion, unlike Mum, Aunt Claire, so after failing to find anything in about six stores we found a seat to regroup.

"It was simpler when I was your age,” Gran noted, "There were loads of small trendy shops everywhere.”
"I’m sure there still are some.”
"Not like there used to be, you sure about that dress in H&M Dais?”

To be fair, as dresses go it wasn’t that bad, and of those I’ve had to try on its the one I dislike least. Not that I want to wear a dress of course but if I did I suppose it would be a contender.

"We could just go home?” I suggested hopefully.
"Nope, we’ve come to get you something nice to wear, I’m not giving up that easily.”
"How about I go look on my own, if I can’t find anything we’ll go back to H&M.”
"You’ll be alright on your own?”

Would I? For the last hour or so I’ve been trailing around Lincoln without issue, well after my initial hemline disquiet. It’s not like I’m a little kid is it?

"I’ll have my phone, if I find something I’ll call and you can come and see.”
"Hmm,” she looked thoughtful, "How about this, I give you some cash then we meet up in say,” she checked her watch, "An hour back here, dress or no dress?”
"I guess that’d work,” well it’ll be easier to not find something anyhow.
She pulled out her purse and proceeded to pull out several bank notes, "Fifty pounds Daisy, find something you like, that you’ll wear, only proviso is not jeans, something nice. You can spend it all but it has to be for Daisy, deal?”
"Deal,” I agreed as she passed me the bank notes.
"Put those safe, you could get yourself something a bit more Daisy than that scraggy wallet whilst you’re about it.”
"Yes Gran.”
"Okay, four thirty back here.”
 

I had a mind to go back up the hill to that Blue Banana place but instead I thought I’d take a gander around the back of the markets. I watched Gran heading towards Marks & Sparks then took myself down the side of the Corn Market to the street behind. The shops were a mix of small businesses selling everything from hardware to sports trophies, not all were even open on a Sunday and some looked like their closure was terminal.

The shops ran out near the inner ring road so I turned back for a look the other way, towards the river. I’m not sure quite what caught my eye, certainly the window display was, erm, interesting, a variety of ‘edgy’ clothing taking centre stage, framed by bags, shoes, jewellery and, well more stuff. Well it was worth a look right, I could at least tell Gran I’d been in.

As Johnny I would never have dreamt of going into such a place, as Daisy it was still a bit, well, nerve-wracking. The shop was narrow but stretched back a fair way from the street and no space was left unfilled. I wandered through, past racks of clothing, shelves of footwear and other stuff of which I had no idea of its purpose.

"Looking for anything in particular?”

I nearly jumped out of my skin, in fact I did jump and landed up tangled in a rack of, what turned out to be dresses.

"Sorree,” the cause of my extreme reaction offered as she came to my rescue.

To be honest I was in such a state of shock that I was free of my entanglement long before my brain could come up with any sort of reply.

"Are you alright?” she fussed as I rearranged my clothing to something resembling order.
"I think so.”
"I didn’t mean to surprise you like that, Esme by the way.”
"Daisy,” i offered in return, "I wasn’t exactly paying much attention to things, no harm done.”
"If you’re sure? So you looking for anything in particular?”
"Sort of, my Gran’s given me money to buy a dress, she reckons I should get one for ‘occasions’.
"That sounds a bit ominous.”
"Tell me about it, they’ve already signed me up to be May Queen which is bad enough.”
"May Queen?”
"Yeah, its a big deal in Wellow, the village I come from, my friend Mand was supposed to get the job but she was killed in a car crash last week.”
"Sorry about your friend.”
"Thanks,” I allowed, my eyes welling up a bit at the telling.
"And you’re the understudy.”
"Something like that,” I agreed.
"So you got any idea what style of dress you want?” Esme queried.
"None whatsoever, I don’t do dresses,” I told her, not a lie, I don’t do skirts either but I’m here wearing one.
"Not even for school dances?”
"Nope.”
She took a deep breath, "Stand over there and turn round so I can see what we’ve got to work with.”
"Erm, okay.”

I did as instructed, feeling like a right prawn and half expecting to be called out as a lad.

"Hmm, not much on top but slim legs.”
"Is that good?”
"The legs yes, the boobs, we just avoid anything that needs too much flesh but we can work with it.”
"I don’t want to put you to any trouble,” in fact I’d as soon leave right now.
"Its no problem Dais, you mind if I call you Dais?”
“’sokay,” I allowed.
"Like I was saying,” Esme went on, "Its been a quiet afternoon, I’d rather be sorting you out with a frock than sit twiddling my thumbs until closing time. Do you know your sizes?”
"Not really, eight or ten? I think the one in H&M was just labelled small.”
"Let me get my tape, have a measure up, we’ll have a better idea then.”
 

"What do you reckon?” Esme asked, stepping back so I could see myself in the mirror.

She obviously had an eye for this stuff, over the last thirty minutes I’d been zipped, buttoned and laced into half a dozen dresses that suited my ‘small frame’. Bearing in mind my experience and lack of desire to own any of them, ‘we’d’ narrowed the choice to a yellow polka dot affair with a knee length full skirt and the shorter, more fitted affair in white I’d just been laced into whose ruffled top hinted at boobs I didn’t have.

I twisted about, curious to see the fit despite myself.

"I think I prefer this one.”
"It does suit you Dais, you’ll need heels of course but it looks a winner to me.”

It did look ’cute’, if that girl I saw earlier was wearing it, I’d go as far as ‘hot’, me? Well I suppose given the circumstances looking ‘cute’ is a sort of win. At forty five pounds, reduced from eighty, it was a bargain I guess, two of my try on’s had been dismissed on price, how can a dress cost so much?

I blew the hair off my forehead and made a decision.

"Okay, lets do it.”

Esme grinned, I don’t know whether she gets commission or anything but she seemed genuinely pleased to have made a sale. Remembering Gran’s admonishment to get a more ‘Daisy’ wallet or purse, I added a very pink thing adorned with embroidered daisies from the sale bin to my haul, it tipped the total just over Gran’s fifty pounds but after what has already been spent on Daisy, it’d be churlish to not contribute the couple of quid shortfall from my own funds.
 
"You found something,” Gran noted when I reached our rendezvous.
"Er yeah,” I confirmed, "You bought something too?”
"I got you that dress from H&M just in case. So what did you get?”

I pulled ‘my’ new frock from the box that Esme had carefully packed it in and held it up.

"Esme says it needs heels but it’s a good fit and sort of covers up my erm, deficit up top.”
"Esme?”
"The girl in Pink Soda where I got it,” I explained, "She was a great help finding something.”
"Well I’m impressed Dais,” she checked her watch, "I reckon we’ve just got time for shoe shopping before everywhere shuts then we’ll get a drink before we get you home.”
"Shoes?”
"No time like the present.”
"Don’t we need to return the dress to H&M?”
"You don’t like it?”
"Well kinda, I guess.”
"So why do we need to take it back? Now come on, time’s a wasting!”

The shoes actually went quite quickly, we already knew the colour and Gran thought ten centimetres was quite high enough for someone my age. I tried on several pairs before we both agreed on a Mary Jane style with a two centimetre platform and a chunky heel – not dissimilar from what some of the girls wore to school except for colour and heel height. Another forty quid into the Daisy pot.
 

We walked back up Steep Hill before I was directed into the Magna Carta for our drink where I was directed to utilise the ladies to put on my knew dress and shoes. It was pointless to argue, well I got as far as ‘really?’ but I knew I couldn’t win so shrugged and set off to do as I was bid. Without a ‘dresser’ it took a little longer to put on and adjust but I returned to the lounge in under fifteen minutes feeling even more like all eyes were on me than earlier.

Of course, Gran had ordered us a ‘snacking platter’ to share, think a ploughmans lunch cut into tiny pieces, and white wine spritzers. My parents are licencees, hell I live in a pub so its not like I haven’t had alcohol before but Gran ordering it for me, in a pub, takes things up a peg.

"Are you sure this is okay?” I whispered across the table.
"Who’s to know? Dressed like that you don’t look fifteen any more, I’d say anywhere up to twenty.”
"Twenty?”
"Okay, nineteen,” she grinned.
"Everyone’s looking at me.”
"They are looking at a very pretty girl wearing a very pretty dress, not something you see so much these days.”
"There are lots of pretty girls,” I told her.
"But when did you last see one in a nice frock?”

She had me there and she knew it.
 
© Maddy Bell 04.08.2025

May Queen Book 1 by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2024 Madeline Bell One day your life is just, well life, the next has Daisy in it!

 
It may have been the spritzer, well the second one at any rate, but by the time we returned to the late afternoon (is five o’clock afternoon or evening?) sunshine, my heart had stopped yammering and I was feeling more comfortable. It was more than a bit weird walking in my new footwear although Gran assures me it was a lot easier with the chunky heels than if we’d gone for a more ‘elegant’ style. There were fewer people around now that the shops were shut, fewer people to see me clomping like a newborn foal back to the Range Rover.

Of course, getting into the behemoth was another thing, the skirt and trainers had been pretty simple but the dress and ‘heels’ were another matter. I needed some help from Gran adjusting the fitted skirt bit enough for me to hoist myself up, the shoes actually helping a bit with the extra few centimetres boosting me up a little. Maybe I should’ve gone for the looser fit of the yellow polka dots.

"You okay Dais?” Gran enquired as we crossed the ring road and joined the A57.
"I guess so, on a scale of one to ten, maybe seven, eight?”
"Well that’s better than earlier,” she opined.
"Yeah,” I allowed, "Things have just moved so quickly, I’ve gone from Johnny to Daisy in what? Just over a day. I look different, I’m certainly dressed a lot different.”
"You’re doing very well, if things had been different…”
"If things had been different,” I interrupted, "Amanda would still be here and none of this would’ve been necessary.”
"But she isn’t Dais, we can’t change that however much we’d want it.”
"I know Gran but I really liked her, you know? I thought that maybe…”
Gran reached over with her left hand and gave my leg a squeeze, "I know Dais, think of it this way, by doing all this you’re kind of honouring her memory.”
"I s’pose.”

She squeezed my leg again before returning her attention more fully to controlling the car.
 

"Well don’t we look nice,” Mum, Aunt Claire opined when I followed Gran into the Lion thirty minutes later.
"Thought she should have something a bit smarter in her wardrobe, that sister of yours has a lot to answer for Dave.”
"Never said a word,” Dad, Uncle Dave supplied.
"Hope you didn’t spend too much Mum,” Aunt Claire queried.
"I can afford it,” Gran waved the question off.
Mum turned to me, still clutching my bags, "I hope you’ve said thank you.”
"Thanks Gran, its been a nice day, I’ve really enjoyed it.”
"You’re welcome luv, now I need to get home to your Dad Claire, see what mischief he’s got up to this afternoon.”

Mum gave a chuckle, Gramps is famous for his DIY skills, not always in a positive way.

"We’ll see you tomorrow mum.”

There was an exchange of cheek kissing and Gran was gone.

"I suggest you young lady go change, we don’t want to get beer on that new frock eh?”
"Yes Aunty.”
"But keep the shoes, you need the practice.”
"Yes Aunty,” I repeated with a sigh.

In retrospect, some of this was probably for the benefit of the customers in the bar but even so, for an aunt, Mum was acting very parental.
 

"Dais,” my brother hissed as I returned from the kitchen an hour or so later, "How you doin’?”
"It’d be better without these,” I waggled a handful of bright red talons at him.
"Guess they’re not exactly work friendly,” he grinned back.
"I’ll live,” I allowed.
"Dais love,” Mum’s voice boomed from the lounge bar, "Can you come round pet.”
I rolled my eyes at Jake, "Duty calls.”
"Good luck.”

"There you are,” Aunt Claire needlessly pointed out when I reached where she was sat with another woman, "This is Angela, from the Commitee, she’s sorting out your exams for us.”

Of course I know Angela Pinckney as Johnny and know she teaches at Wellow House.

"Er hi,” I managed.
"Nice to meet you Daisy, this must be quite a change to Devon.”
"Devon?”
"Where you live?”

Of course, my cover story, Angela knows the truth but pubs have ears so more play acting.

"Er yeah, quite different.”
"So I’ve been talking with my headmaster and your aunt and given how close to your exams we are we obviously don’t want you missing out with your revision. So instead of you trying to do it here at your Aunt’s we’ve agreed that you come to Wellow House where you’ll be with girls your own age who are doing similar subjects.”

This wasn’t what I signed up for.

"But, but…”
"Doesn’t that sound better than being stuck here every day with me and your cousin, you only get one shot at these exams after all.”
"Er yeah, I mean a lot better, erm thanks Angela.”
"Its the least we can do in the circumstances Daisy.”
"Does she need any uniform?” Mum enquired.
"As long as she’s clean and tidy, no, but no jeans or leggings please.”
"I’m sure we can find something appropriate eh Dais?”
"I guess,” I allowed noting that that ruled out most of what we bought in Retford yesterday.
"The seniors have prep Monday mornings so if you come around to the office around ten and see Mrs Jarvis, she’ll get you all sorted out so you can join the first class after lunch, okay?”
"Thanks again Ang,” Mum offered her co conspirator.
"All in a good cause, can’t have our Queen missing out on her education can we.”

So much for home revision and keeping a low-ish profile!
 

"Mum, how could you?” I pouted some time later, having been despatched to ‘get some beauty sleep’.
"It’s Aunt Claire young lady and I think it was very thoughtful of Angela to arrange it.”
"But, but, but it’s a girls school,” I exclaimed.
"There are boys there too.”
"And, and…”
"You are a girl Dais, its not like its forever, your exams are in what, three weeks?”
"Three weeks of going to a girls school, full of girls Aunty Claire, I’m gonna be found out.”
"How, its not like you’ll be doing PE is it?”
"I guess not, but have you seen their dorky uniform?”
"I think its quite smart and anyway you don’t have to wear it.”
"But what am I gonna wear?”
"Spoken like a true princess,” Mum smirked.
"Mum, I’m serious.”
"Hmm, you do have a point, let me have a look to see what I’ve got that might work, in the meantime, make up off, bath and bed, early start in the morning.”
"Angela said ten o’clock.”
"So seven at the latest then.”
"Urgh,” I complained although in truth I’d be getting up that time if I was going to school as Johnny.
"On with you and don’t forget to moisturise.”
"Yes Aunty,” I sighed.
 

I lay in my bed, well not my bed, Daisy’s bed, but as I’m Daisy I suppose it is my bed even though its not my bed. With all that’s happened in the last two days my head was all over the place, I mean, I know it was me who agreed to this whole charade, I just didn’t think I’d end up, pierced, plucked and painted on day one and effectively living twenty four seven as a girl for the foreseeable. And no one seems to be questioning whether I am a girl or not.

I know Johnny me is hardly big and manly but I’m not ‘that wimpy kid’ so how does that work? That said, after Debbie and Jemma had finished with me, I didn’t recognise me so what hope anyone else? I guess its like Dad would say, If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and looks like a duck, it probably is a duck.

Well I’m not sure about the walking but I guess my voice is a bit high, I’m probably the last in my year to get the whole voice drop, zits and facial hair. And I guess even I can’t deny that with my hair, piercings and wearing a frock I look far more like a Daisy than a Jonathon. Using that logic, I guess I just need to roll with things.

This Wellow House business though, talk about a curveball. Can I convince a bunch of actual girls that I’m actually a girl? I mean, what do girls talk about? I know Angela was trying to be helpful setting it up but if it goes wrong at all it could blow up big style. I guess I need to make sure it doesn’t.
 

"I wish they hadn’t made these extensions so long,” Aunt Claire griped as she worked on turning my red talons into something more school friendly.
"It wasn’t my idea,” I pointed out, "You should try being on this end of ‘em.”
"Been there, done that kiddo, I doubt there’s a teenage girl out there who hasn’t at least toyed with the idea of long nails. And to be fair,” she continued, "They do look good.”
"Well I’d prefer it if they weren’t on my hands, can’t you just take them off?”
"If only it were that simple Dais, you need special solvents and stuff which I don’t have, they are bonded to your own nails.”
"Can you at least trim them down a bit?”
"Possibly but we don’t have time this morning.”

I let out a long sigh, maybe no one will notice, it’s not like I’ll be an actual pupil after all. Aunt Claire deftly applied a coat of pale pink to my denuded talons, she did have a drier thing, like a mini version of the one at the salon but it did the job. I was already dressed – Aunt Claire’s wardrobe supplying a blue tartan skirt which I thought was a bit short but she thought was ideal, a short sleeved white blouse and a pair of tan tights, the ‘ballet flats’ we got in Pettits on Saturday completed my ensemble.
 

It’s not far, I mean it's literally a few hundred metres from the Red Lion to Wellow House but Uncle Dave insisted on driving me there, depositing me front and centre a couple of minutes before the specified ten o’oclock.

"Have a good day Dais, you want picking up?”
"Think I can walk,” I suggested.
"Well if you change your mind, give us a call okay.”
"Whatever.”
"Well go on, don’t want to be late on your first day.”

I carefully swung my legs out, at least Dad’s Mercedes is a bit easier than Gran’s behemoth to manage when wearing a skirt, a short skirt in particular.

"Don’t forget your bag.”

I gave him a pained look as he handed me out the oversize handbag Mum had selected from her collection to be my school bag.

"Thanks.”

 
© Maddy Bell 04.08.2025

May Queen Book 1 by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2024 Madeline Bell One day your life is just, well life, the next has Daisy in it!

 
I’m not sure what I was expecting but once inside the main building, the former Wellow House itself, it was less Hogwarts and more, well, ordinary. Okay so there was a big wooden staircase and a bunch of trophy cabinets which, unlike the Dukeries Academy versions, actually contained some pots. There was even a direction board, the school office apparently occupying a room off of the foyer.

I knocked on the door, unsure of the etiquette, nervously shuffling my feet.

"Come in,” a woman’s voice encouraged.

I took a deep breath, here goes nothing.

"Can I help you?” the room’s sole occupant enquired.
"I um, I’m supposed to report to Mrs Jarvis?”
She looked over her glasses, "And you are?”
"Daisy Miller Miss?”
"You either are or not.”
"Am Miss.”
"Ah yes, Miz Pinckney’s girl.”
"Yes Miss.” I confirmed.
"Well don’t stand there like a lemon girl, come sit and we can get the formalities out of the way and get you assimilated as a Wellow girl eh.”

Oh joy…
 

My ‘assimilation’, took almost forty five minutes, mostly getting me ‘into the system’ which was completed with the production of an ID card attached to a lanyard.

"Don’t lose it,” Mrs Jarvis admonished, "You’ll need it to access all the scholastic areas including the day pupils entrance.”
"Okay, I’ll try not to.”
"Don’t just try Daisy Miller, wait here and I’ll get someone to show you around, the rest of your year are on a study period, you’ll join them after lunch.”
"Yes Miss.”

She left the office, leaving me alone and, I have to say, a little bewildered. On Friday I left Dukeries Academy as Johnny Baker, now, today I’m enrolled as Daisy Miller, a student at Wellow House Prep school. And all of this to appease some village folklore from stupid ago.

The door opened but instead of Mrs Jarvis, a dark haired girl, at a guess, from the sixth form, bounced in.

"You must be Daisy, Arabella but everyone calls me Bella.”
"Er, Dais,” I offered in reply.
"Grab your stuff and I’ll give you the tuppenny tour of this fine establishment.”

Well here goes nothing.
 

"So what heinous crime did you commit to end up at Welly House?” Bella enquired as she led me through what felt like a maze of corridors.
"Crime?”
"Well you must’ve done something to get shipped in here this close to the end of the year.”

I guess it’s a valid question, one for which The Coven hadn’t given me a believable excuse for, think Dais but don’t make it too complicated.

"Well I’ve been home schooled,” I started.
"Lucky you.”
"Anyway, my cousin Johnny was having a bad time after his friend died in an accident so our parents decided we should swap places so I’ve come up to Wellow, he’s gone down to Devon.”
"Where in Devon. Mel comes from Exmouth.”

Where indeed, I think we went on holiday when I, that is Johnny, was about six.

"Just on the edge of Exmoor, its like a smallholding?”
"Sounds cool.”
"What about you, where are you from?”
"Acle, not far from Norwich, so if you’re home schooling why are you here?”
"GCSE’s, my Aunt, Johnny’s mum thought a more formal environment would be better than revising in the pub, she knows Miss Pinckney? It was all a bit last minute, I only arrived on Saturday.”
"Ah, Pinkers.”
"She seems quite nice.”
Bella paused before offering a response, "I guess she’s okay, bit of a wallflower. You said Pub?”
"The Red Lion, opposite the Maypole? My Aunt and Uncle own it.”
"Ah, so that’s why you aren’t boarding, I think we’ve only got like five or six Day girls, there’s none in Year Eleven tho.”
"What year are you?”
"Lower sixth which is how I landed this plum job.”
"Sorry,” I offered.
"Don’t be, you’ve got me out of French Lit, Descart specifically, dry as Gordons.”

When it comes down to it, a school is a school, classrooms, sports facilities, toilets, the main difference with Wellow House over Dukeries was the lack of cloakrooms and the ratio of girls to boys. I hadn’t really thought about it before, I guess there have always been similar numbers of each throughout my school career but here, well its more like about eighty / twenty in favour of my new gender.

I did my best to remember the layout, where everything is, the do’s and dont’s – all pretty standard stuff.

"And here,” Bella swept open one half of a double door, "Is the refectory! Food central, its not exactly home cooked but I’ve had worse.”

At the Dukeries, the school hall is where school dinners are supplied, a noisy self service set up. The food isn’t bad per se but sandwiches and the local chippy feed more of the school than the kitchen. Wellow House, was the difference between a greasy spoon and a proper restaurant, from what I could already smell, the food was going to be good, the décor was pleasant and I’m pretty sure you won’t need to shout to have a conversation. And of course there wasn’t a ‘food operative’ waiting at a till to relieve you of lunch tokens.

The refectory had only just started serving, we were ahead of the crowd at least but behind what Bella informed me, were the bulk of my fellow year elevens. The food on offer was, Mum would say, traditional, cream of something soup, braised beef, something which could have been veggie burgers, an assortment of veg, a salad bar and a selection of cold desserts, think jelly, yoghurt, fruit salad. I was very tempted to go for the beef but my guide headed straight to the salad stuff so I followed suit.
 

Once we’d eaten, Bella took me to meet my peers.

"Hi girls and you Morton,” she started, I’m guessing Morton was the lone lad at the table, "This is Daisy who’ll be joining you guys until the end of term. She’s not boarding, she’s staying with family in the village. Be nice eh?”
"We always are Bel,” someone piped up from along the table.
"I’ll leave you with these reprobates then Dais, good luck!”
"Er thanks.”

My erstwhile guide departed for parts unknown leaving me to the tender mercies of Year Eleven.

"Like your hair,” someone opined.
"Er thanks,” I allowed feeling something of a lemon stood at the end of the table.
"That bag real?” a befreckled red head asked.
"Real?”
"Hermes, bit over the top for a book bag,”
"It’s my aunt’s,” I proposed.
"Don’t mind Donna,” her neighbour suggested, "Jess by the way.”

Names were given, connecting them to faces, well apart from Donna and Morton might take a few days but all too soon I joined the groups exodus to my first class at Wellow House, Biology.
 

At the Dukeries the school day finishes at three forty five but for Wellow House, four thirty is the cessation of hostilities. The afternoon hadn’t been too bad, of course I’d had to recount my reason for being there and I suffered a little ‘new girl’ hazing but as far as I could tell, no one doubted my persona. Well I did catch Morton watching me a couple of times and I got a few questioning looks from other pupils when we moved to the language lab.

But I’d survived, I may have even learnt stuff. My class mates seemed mostly friendly, not that I was aiming to make any kind of lasting relationships. That said, I felt a slight pang of jealousy when they all headed to their accommodation, chatting and laughing, leaving me to depart alone. Yep I’d survived a day as Daisy Miller flying solo but I don’t think I’ve ever felt quite so alone.
 

"Ah there you are,” Aunt Claire announced when I slipped into the bar, intending to escape upstairs. "I thought you’d be home earlier.”
"Here I am,” I allowed with a sigh, "Classes don’t finish until four thirty.”
"And?”
"Well what?”
"How was it?”
"Okay I guess.”
"No problems?”
"Nope.”
"So what’s it like being a Wellow House girl?”

Apart from the girl bit, having to wear a skirt and everyone thinking you are a bit of a yokel, oh nothing.

"School’s school,” I shrugged.
"If you say so, anyway, there’s a plate in the fridge then get yourself ready, its aerobics at six.”
"Really? Do I have to?”
"I don’t see you doing any other exercise so yes you do.”
"Won’t everyone see that I’m not erm, exactly the right build?”
"Women come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.”

Yeah but I’ve got, erm, a little extra.”

"I’ve put you some stuff out to wear.”

Looks like my goose is cooked.
 

My ‘plate’ turned out to be more salad, at this rate I’ll fade away to nothing. On the plus side I could at least load the plate with pickles and stuff, somehow a slice of pork pie found its way on as well.

"You working tonight Dais?” my brother enquired as he passed through to start his own evening shift.
"Maybe later, I’m being dragged off to Aerobics first.”
"Sooner you than me.”
"What’s that supposed to mean?”
"Legend has it that those sessions are brutal.”
"Which legend is that, Charlie?”
"What if it is? Anyhow it was Denise, she went once, swore she’d never go again, said it was like boot camp.”
My shoulders slumped further, "Great.”
"Leave you to it then, g’luck.”
"I’ll need it.”
He was at the door before he turned to offer a parting shot, "By the way, looking hot in that uniform Dais.”
"Really?” I fired to the already empty doorway.
 

True to her word, Mum, Aunt Claire had pulled out some of the sports gear we bought Daisy in Retford. Socks, trainers, pink leggings, a flowery crop top cum sports bra and more pink in the form of an oversize Adidas® sweatshirt, very, erm, Barbie®. I stripped down to my knickers which had done the job of containment fine under a fairly loose skirt but tight leggings?

And so I spent best bit of fifteen minutes trying various options to hide Johnny Junior a bit better and with minimum discomfort. It was never going to be simple, it was either too uncomfortable or everything broke loose as soon as I did anything remotely active. It was more by accident than intent that my gonads slipped up inside, with them out of the way, the rest worked a treat, by the time I had the tights on the illusion was pretty good.

I had hoped the sweatshirt would cover things up a bit too, however it barely extended past my top and the neck was so wide it hung off a shoulder whatever I did. A look in the mirror confirmed my worst fear, I looked far too convincingly like a gym bunny.

"You ready Daisy?” Aunt Claire called from below.
"Coming,” I returned.

Since I’d last seen her she’d changed into her own gear, bike shorts and a long, loose T shirt – maybe more appropriate for someone her age? Not that I’d suggest that to her face.

"Come on then, bring those towels and water bottles will you, I’ll get the car turned ‘round.”

At least I haven’t got to walk the streets in this getup.

 
© Maddy Bell 04.08.2025

May Queen Book 1 by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2024 Madeline Bell One day your life is just, well life, the next has Daisy in it!

 

I can’t disagree with the fair Denise, the session was brutal. Well okay, not SAS brutal but for someone whose exercise regime consisted largely of standing around a cricket pitch, the non stop, high tempo session was indeed, exhausting. Most of those taking part were of the female persuasion and most I knew at least by sight but no one questioned Claire’s niece from Devon joining them. The first twenty minutes seemed like eternity, the second felt like forever, but finally it was over.

I must admit that I was bushed, I just about managed to stay sat upright as I mopped my brow and sipped the last of my water. Aunt Claire was clearly in much better shape than me, she seemed to have hardly broken into a sweat. I was vaguely aware of the chatter around me as mats were rolled, footwear exchanged and so on, only jerking back into the here and now when Aunt Claire returned.

"Here, get this down you,” she suggested passing me a large paper cup.
"What is it?” I asked sniffing the contents a bit dubiously.
"A smoothie, there’s all sorts in it to help with recovery and boost your energy, Janice makes it by the bucket for Mondays.”

I sniffed at it again before taking a sip. Whatever I was expecting, the muddy looking contents tasted pretty good if a little, well, slimy. I couldn’t pick out anything in particular but there were hints of banana, rhubarb, root beer? Well something with that same sort of antiseptic overtone at any rate. And Mum was right, it really was quite refreshing and felt quite revitalised by the time I’d finished my cupful of murky elixir.

And so an ‘energy’ smoothy was added to my morning regime, I’d never noticed but Mum has apparently been drinking them for years. Can’t do any harm, some extra energy never goes amiss.
 

The following morning Aunt Claire decreed that I start sorting myself out, at least with the little bit of makeup I was allowed to wear for school, essentially a bit of mascara and some lip gloss. Clothing wise, well whilst I was hard at work revising on Monday, some suspiciously Wellow House like skirts had been added to my wardrobe alongside several assorted white blouses to match. On the plus side I wouldn’t stand out quite as much but I also felt like I was being stitched up somewhat.

And so I started to get into a bit of a routine, much like Johnny going to The Dukeries Academy without the bus journeys but with makeup and skirts. I’ll even go so far as to say I was enjoying being a pupil at Wellow House, most of those in my year were friendly enough and whilst I’ll never really be part of their shared experience, I at least felt included. The teachers seemed to have more invested in our education, the classes smaller and disruption pretty much non existent.

That was until Friday rolled around.
 

What happened on Friday I hear you ask. Two things, no three really, maybe. Whilst Mrs Jarvis had given me a timetable on Monday, I must admit that I hadn’t bothered to look at it beyond the very basic what subject which day, after all, most of my classmates were doing the same subjects so any changes of venue only required me to tag along. Which is how I managed to miss two very important issues.

The first was that Friday afternoon was Fifth year ‘games’, regardless of the upcoming exam season.

"You not brought any games kit Daisy?” Maggie Brown queried as we queued for lunch.
My mind was focussed on the pork cutlet and asparagus rather than casual conversation. "Eh?”
"Games, PE?”
"What about it?”
"You’ll be giving blondes a bad name,” Julia suggested from behind me, "We’ve got PE straight after lunch.”
"Didn’t you do games in Devon Dais?” Maggie queried.
"Er, not really.”
"You must’ve done something,” Julia pressed.
"Cricket?” then after a moment added, "I went to my aunt’s aerobic class on Monday, does that count.
"Ooo, Miss Simmonds is gonna love you,” Julia noted with a smirk.
 

The lunch, as I’d become accustomed this week, was excellent but it was spoilt a little by the news that despite reassurances from Mum when I took on this job, I will be expected to take part in the afternoons activities. The rest of the year had slunk off to get changed after eating which left me the only one still in ‘uniform’ when I found my way to the sports hall.

"And who do we have here? More importantly, why aren’t you in your games kit?” a woman I presumed to be Miss Simmonds barked at me.
"Erm Daisy Miller Miss, I didn’t know we’d have games still in the run up to the exams.”
"She only started this week Miss,” Jess added on my behalf.

Miss Simmonds did not look amused.

"Well Erm Daisy Miller, at Wellow House PT is always part of your education, exams or no. I suppose you are lacking any sort of suitable clothing?”
"Yes Miss, I could sit and revise?”
"Are you sick, or injured Daisy Miller?”
"No Miss.”
"Well in that case, you will join the rest of the fifth form for this afternoons activities. Lets see, Jessica De Vere, take our blonde fledgling to the kit store, find her some suitable clothing to wear, and don’t be all day, the rest of you out to the old pavilion.”

A key fob was passed over and my fate was sealed.
 
So much for no games whilst I’m being Daisy. The aerobics is bad enough but this is like ten times worse, the chances of being found out in the next few hours have risen dramatically even with Little Johnny carefully tucked in my knickers.

"Come on Dais, she’s okay really but she doesn’t like anyone taking the Michael,” Jess told me, leading the way towards, I presume, the kit store.
"I really didn’t expect to need sports gear,” I mumped.

Of course, Mr Johnson and his staff at The Dukeries were just as passionate about our participation in Phys Ed. but I had hoped to have some reprieve whilst I’m Daisy. The Kit Store, when we arrived it was already open, one of the lads I recognised as being in the Upper Sixth was pulling out what I recognised as fairly standard school issue cricket gear.

"What are you two up to?”
"Miss Simmonds sent us to find Daisy here some kit,” Jess explained.
"You’re the new girl right?”
"Er yeah, I mean yes.”
"On with you then, make sure you lock up when you’re done.”
"We will,” Jess confirmed, jiggling Miss Simmonds keys.

I have to admit, my eyes did linger a little as he gathered his bags of kit up, no fat on those buns!

"Earth to Daisy,” Jess mentioned waving a hand in front of my face.
"Eh?”
"I know he’s well fit but like Upper Sixth Dais and word is that he’s got a girlfriend already, back in the Home Counties.”
"I wasn’t…” I blustered. Well I was but I’m not that way inclined, or am I, is Daisy?
"Come on, lets get you togged up.”

The Wellow House spare clothing supply was in somewhat better order and condition than at my previous school, it didn’t take too long to locate a full set of kit including a pair of trainers. The good news was that as it was April and cricket season, the skirt and polo shirt covered almost as much as my uniform. Certainly, having survived Monday’s aerobics, I should manage an afternoons cricket dressed somewhat more demurely.

When the pair of us reached the ‘old’ pavillion, the other girls were already doing stretches – something I did at least know about. In fact, although the session was longer than a typical Wellownians training session, we followed a similar format, stretching, a few laps of the field then we split into two groups, one in the nets, the other doing fielding exercises. A swap about and finishing with a one side game.

As Johnny, playing men's youth, I am, was, pretty mediocre but good enough to get a game in the local league matches. As Daisy, well my skills haven’t miraculously improved but I had better technique and more accurate bowling which didn’t go unnoticed.

"Well done Miller,” Miss Simmonds called out when I bowled three for nought.

Of course the next ball I was taken for six. I guess the difference this afternoon was that the girls were essentially playing for fun, even at my lowly level in the men's game, most players take it very seriously, even in training. The net result was that I actually enjoyed myself and felt quite exhilarated when we packed up for the day. Of course I got volunteered, with Debbie to return the kit to the store where of course James Barclay was doing likewise – he looked even more buff after an afternoon on the sports field.
 

So that was the first thing, the second thing was sort of connected, Saturday morning classes, seriously? Yep, from nine until twelve every Saturday, the boarders had to do it, ergo the few day attendees had to too. Not that I exactly had anything planned but really?

But in terms of timeline, the third ‘thing’ was on Friday evening, It had vaguely been hinted at the previous Friday but ditz that I am, I hadn’t assimilated the information. For the next three Fridays taking us up to May Day, the youth of the village, from age eight upwards, would be practising the reels for the big day. As Queen in waiting I would escape most of the skipping about but I still needed to learn my part for the grand conclusion – joy.

"You look flushed,” Aunt Claire suggested when I got home from Wellow House.
"Been playing cricket.”
"At school?”

Well duh!

"Friday afternoon is fifth and sixth form PE.”
"Oops,” she allowed.
"It was okay, I had to borrow some kit, I’ll need some of my own for next week.”
"Like what?”
"Just a skirt and polo, I’ve got the rest.”
"I’ll check with Angela when we see her later.”
"Later?”
"Really Daisy, you’d forget your head if it wasn’t screwed on, yes later, you’ve got dance practice and I’ve got the committee.”
"Dance practice?”
"For your big day?” Aunt Claire hinted.
"I didn’t think I did any of that.”
"Mostly you don’t but the Queen does lead the final reel.”
"Oh joy,” I sighed.

 
© Maddy Bell 04.08.2025

May Queen Book 1 by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2024 Madeline Bell One day your life is just, well life, the next has Daisy in it!

 
Of course, being a child of Wellow, I had done this stuff before, it’s not compulsory of course but the younger kids seem to enjoy it and whilst the boys generally find a reason not to once they reach secondary school, most of the girls stick with it until they reach ‘Queen’ age. So yeah, I’ve been a girl for barely a week and Johnny last took part when he was eleven.

Of course, being the eldest ‘girl’ meant I was roped into helping with the younger ‘dancers’ who were, lets say, enthusiastic if not skilled. Then of course there was the inevitable meeting with some of my younger ex schoolmates. Johnny was often the butt of the Markham twins, Laura & Jessica but Daisy, well there was a vibe that I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

"You look a lot like Johnny,” Laura had opined as we sat on the edge of the stage as instructions were given to the youngsters.

Had they seen past my disguise?

"We are cousins,” I pointed out.

"So where do you go to school?” Jess enquired.
"Wellow House,” I answered without word of a lie.
"We thought you’d be going to Dukeries like the rest of us peasants,” her sister stated.
"Who said I’m a peasant?” I taunted.
"Don’t get your knickers in a twist.”
"We were just saying.”
"Mum says you’re gonna be Manda’s replacement,” Jess continued.
"That’s the girl who died right?”
"She was well cool,” Laura told me, "Johnny had a bit of a thing for her but she was playing hard to get.”
"Oh?”
"Yeah, she quite fancied him too,” Jess stated.
"So you got a boyfriend?”
"Not at the moment,” well I haven’t, its no lie.
"There’s s’posed to be some right hunks at Wellow.”
"Might be,” I allowed.
"I bet she’s fighting them off,” Laura suggested.
"Hardly,” I riposted, "We’re revising for our GCSE’s, even if I was interested we don’t have time.”
"Me thinks she protests too much,” Jess gibed.

I was saved from further interrogation by Imelda Forest, the leader of the village choreography department.

"Daisy luv, can you give me a hand.”
"Sure,” I agreed, quickly slipping from my perch and hurrying to the waiting ‘pole’ dancers.
 

"Well that went well,” Aunt Claire told me as we jounced away from the village hall down the lane.
"It did?”
"Everything is going like clockwork for the big day.”
"Except for the stand in May Queen.”
"Replacement maybe, not stand in Dais, you will be the Queen, one hundred percent,” Aunt Claire stated firmly.
"It still seems wrong.”
"It might be less than ideal but its not wrong kiddo, so how was the dancing?”
"Okay I guess, the twins were giving me the third degree, do you think they suspect something?”
"They’re just curious that’s all, I mean, Johnny disappears and his pretty cousin turns up, I’d be surprised if they weren’t asking questions.”
"If you say so.”
"Imelda says you were a great help with the little uns, like you knew the steps already.”
"They aren’t exactly difficult,” I pointed out.
"Even so, she was impressed with your patience.”
 
We were nearly back home when Mum dropped the next bombshell.

"Next Wednesday.”
"What about it?”
"It’s Amanda’s funeral, do you want to go?”

Oh boy. Of course, in the back of my mind I knew there would be a funeral, I just hadn’t thought about the when. Johnny would definitely want to go but Daisy never even met Manda, I mean are there protocols about going to a ‘strangers’ funeral?

Mum broke into my thoughts as we pulled into the car park, "I think you should, most of the village will be there and no doubt a lot from the school too.”
"What about school, Wellow House that is?”
"I’m sure it won’t be a problem under the circumstances.”
"I haven’t got anything to wear.”
"Spoken like a true woman,” Aunt Claire informed me, "I thought we could go to Worksop in the morning.”
"Can’t, I’ve got school until twelve,” I pointed out.
"I forgot about that, how about I pick you up from school and we can go direct from there?”
"I guess,” I allowed, "Looks like a busy night,” I noted looking at the full car park.
 

And indeed the Red Lion was busier than it usually is on a Friday which is generally busy enough. Apparently there’s a wedding over in Eakring tomorrow, some of the guests are staying at The Maypole but they’d been advised to eat at the Lion as we have a better menu.

The Maypole, it has to be said, despite the name is run by outsiders who’ve never got involved in village life. Not only that but these days it’s more hotel than pub with prices to match, they get business from Wellow House parents and ‘functions’ but most villagers come to the Lion. It’s not exactly a war between the two hostelries, more like an uneasy truce.

Anyhow, the extra meals for the Maypole guests, the Coven’s usual after meeting wine and dine and a significant birthday of a chap on the new estate meant it was all hands on deck. I can’t serve behind the bar of course but I can serve tables which is how I spent the next three hours. Of course, Johnny used to do it too but it was quite different doing it as Daisy, for starters, everyone wanted to talk and secondly, everyone wanted to talk!
 

I have to say, I was certainly glad of my smoothie next morning, I was well tired from the night before, whoever dreamt up Saturday morning school should be shot! Somehow I got myself out the door on time, I have got a lot quicker at getting ready but it still takes at least twice as long as Johnny would’ve done.

Some of that time, it has to be said, is just me staring at the girl in the mirror. I know its Johnny looking back but I’ll admit that even for me, its hard to see my former self. My lips have settled down from the initial swelling of the plumping and I’ve become used to the brightness of my hair, my more delicate eyebrows, the glint of jewellery in nose and ears, even the length of my nails. I guess if you had Daisy and Johnny alongside each other you’d say we were related, you wouldn’t, I don’t think, clock us as the same person.
 

"Hard night Dais?” Maggie enquired as I tried to disguise a Queen sized yawn as we waited for Mr Fletcher outside of the Biology lab.
"Could say that, the pub was rammed last night, it was all hands to the pumps.”
"You pull pints?” Jess queried.
"Course not, its just an expression, I was serving tables.”
"Oh the glamour,” Debbie smirked.
I shrugged, "It’s a family business, everyone has to muck in.”
"At least its not mucking out,” Sarah Jane noted, "Debs family own stables.”
"What if we do?”
"Just saying,” Sarah Jane smirked.
"So who’s going to Manny this afternoon?” Jess enquired, "Dais?”
"Not today, I’m going to a funeral on Wednesday so my aunt is taking me to Worksop to get something to wear.”
"That’s a bit of a downer,” Maggie stated.
"Tell me about it,” I agreed with a surreptitious rub of an itchy chest.
"You want to get some E45 on them Dais,” Jess mentioned.
"Eh?”
"Itchy boobs, E45 works wonders, that or Sudocrem.”
"Er right,” I allowed as I felt myself colour up.

The conversation was ended by the arrival of our tutor.

"Come on people,” Mr Fletcher chivvied, "Lots to cover, not much time, you okay Miller?”
"Er yes sir, just a bit erm warm.”
"Well let me know if you need to go out for a bit, now page forty five, structure of cells.”

What was all that about.
 

Mum, Aunt Claire, was waiting for me when I let myself out of Castle Wellow, seriously, the place has more security than Ranby prison!

She was chuckling when I got into the car.

"What’s so funny?”
"Oh nothing,” she told me with a grin.
"Try me,” I persisted.
"Well seeing you coming out of there in your school uniform.”
"What about it? And its not school uniform.”
"Close as.”
"Hmmph!” So much for the no uniform promise.
"Well you look so comfortable in it.”
"Its not like I got much choice is it?”
"Well it was never intended, when Angela suggested you coming here.”
"I guess,” I allowed as I pulled the seatbelt into place.

"Have we got any C forty five cream?” I enquired as we took the short cut down Sparken Hill to Worksop town centre.
"E forty five,” Aunt Claire corrected, "What do you need that for?”
"My chest was a bit itchy this morning, I think its these damn bras, Jess said it worked for her.”
"Not got any but we can pop into Boots® and get some but I think I need to take a look when we get back too.”
"Fine,” I allowed, "So we got to get something black for the funeral I guess.”
"No, Amanda’s parents want it to be a celebration so respectful but not dour.”
"Wouldn’t the dress I got in Lincoln do?”
"A bit too frivolous I think.”
"If you say so, you’re buying.”
"I guess you could always go in your school uniform?”
"I’ll pass on that thanks.”
"Well its a fall back if we don’t find anything this afternoon.”

If Retford is an out and out market town, Worksop is the next level up. There used to be loads of big coal mines surrounding the town, Manton, Shireoaks, Carlton and so on, but it was a local centre well before that with a priory and castle. Today, with the mines long gone, the main industry seems to be distribution and producing oiks.

Don’t get me wrong, its not a bad place but it does have a bit of a rep for trouble on Saturday nights, being town of choice for partying if Mansfield is too genteel for you. But on a Saturday afternoon its full of shoppers, the choice somewhat wider than Retford and more spread out.

We found a chemist before any sort of clothing emporium, Superdrug rather than Boots, I hope this E stuff works, the urge to give my chest a good scratch was strong.

"Can we eat first?”
"Eat?” Aunt Claire queried back.
"I’ve not had anything since seven o’clock, that’s over four hours ago.”
"Lets take a look in Boyes first, they might have something.”

And pigs might fly, Boyes are to department stores what greasy spoons are to fine cuisine! Don’t get me wrong, if you want cheap and cheerful homewares they are a good starting point but clothing, well not fashion icons.

"Whatever,” I allowed, my enthusiasm for this expedition sagging even further.
 
© Maddy Bell 04.08.2025

May Queen Book 1 by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2024 Madeline Bell One day your life is just, well life, the next has Daisy in it!

 
"I’m sure those women were talking about me,” I told my aunt as we headed for Gateford Road, home I was informed, to several boutiques that may have what we want. "I’m sure they’ve seen through all this.”
"Don’t be so daft Dais, even your own parents can’t see anything but girl. I think its more likely they were intrigued to see a teen girl in school uniform on a Saturday.”
"Maybe, but its not really school uniform is it?”
"What do the other girls at Wellow House wear?”
"White shirt and skirt,” I replied.
"Blouse not shirt,” she corrected, "And what are you wearing now?”
"White blouse and skirt,” I admitted.
"The same skirt that your friends wear?”
"I guess.”
"So you are wearing the school uniform then.”
I did an eye roll, "If you say so.”
 
We’d eaten at The Waterfront, a gastro pub by the canal, the women in question, a group of twenty somethings done up like dogs dinners in what they no doubt considered to be designer chic. If you ask me they looked more like high end hookers, especially with their thick local accents. Still, they’re not doing me any harm, I don’t think.

Much like Gran last week in Lincoln, Aunt Claire’s idea of suitable was a bit different to my idea. First it was stuff that would look cute on a five year old, then when I complained about that, it was a dress that I could see Gran wearing. Not that I’m exactly a fashion guru but come on Mum, get real. Of course it didn’t have to be a dress and in shop three, Attitude, I spotted something a bit more demure and adult enough whilst still being a potential wear after the funeral.

It was a calf length skirt in cream cotton with a pattern of tiny pink and blue flowers, with some lace tiering and a sewn in underskirt. The sort of matching top was actually closer to white with darker red and purple flowers, sheer like the overskirt but without a liner. Short sleeves, ruched neckline and arm holes, it all sort of hung together nicely, well I thought so.

"I have to say Dais, that’s quite an adult choice.”
"I am nearly sixteen you know.”
"I’ve got some costume jewellery that’ll work, you sure about this?”
"Well I’d rather it was jeans but in the circumstances…”

We had nothing else to get in town, so once Mum had paid we made our way back to the car for the journey home.
 

"Lets have a look at that chest of yours,” Aunt Claire instructed me once we were back at the Lion.
"It’s just an itch, its not like I need to wear a bra is it?”
"You are a girl, girls wear bras, ergo you need to wear one.”

Well you can’t fault the logic except I’m not a girl and I don’t have anything to need a bra for, I’ve been wearing one, slightly padded, to give the illusion of needing one. And as girls go, I’m not the only one friendly with Captain Morgan, he of the sunken chest. Yep, ‘my’ bra is really just another prop in the illusion of Daisy Miller.

We adjourned to my room where I quickly got down to bra and knickers, Johnny would’ve balked at this level of undress around his mother but Daisy, well we’re all girls together right?

"Pop your bra off then Dais.”
“’kay,” I agreed reaching behind to release the hook and eye fastening.
"You’re quite good at that.”
"Necessity,” I suggested, slipping my arms free of the tangle of straps.

"They do look a bit puffy,” she agreed after feeling around my chest, "Do they hurt at all, apart from the itching that is?”
"Not really, a bit of a sort of ache maybe?”
"Well I can’t see any rubbing from your bra, use the E forty five but let me know if it gets any worse.”
"Yes Mum.”
"Then get yourself dressed, Dad wants to open the outside tables this evening so everything will need a wipe down.”

Oh goody, more running about like a blue bummed wotsit.
 

There was to be no repeat of last Sunday’s trip with Gran, apparently Daisy has enough clothing for now and my presence, well Daisy’s, is required as waitress and table clearer after once again attending St Swithun’s for, it has to be said, a less well attended service than last week. And of course that meant I had to wear my ‘best’ dress for the occasion, yes I know I picked out, doesn’t mean I had to like wearing out it in public.

"Is this gonna be every week now?” I enquired of Aunt Claire as we made our way back to Chez Johnson.
"Well it is kind of expected, at least until the solstice.”
"Solstice?”
"Longest day? Twenty first of June?”
"That’s two months away,” I groaned.
"Its the custom,” Aunt Claire continued.
"Is that it then?”
"Let’s get one hurdle sorted at a time, lets get back and changed.”

Mum’s avoidance of directly answering my question did not bode well.

"Which reminds me Dais, you need to pop round to see Alice Porter this afternoon sometime, get your coronation gown sorted out.”
"Coronation gown?”
"You don’t have to repeat everything, yes, coronation gown, you know, for the big day?”

I cast my mind back to my previous attendance at the May Day festivities, I’m sure the Queen just wears like a plain white shift thing. Surely that’s like a one size fits all thing?

"I thought I get to wear like a plain white dress thing?”
"Well it is white but its far from plain Dais, Alice will explain later.”
"Okay,” I agreed with a sigh.
 

The roast of the week at the Red Lion was venison, not my favourite meat, I find it a bit rich for my tastes but if I wanted a proper dinner it was Hobson’s. I looked at Dad and Jake’s loaded plates with a lingering envy, my own plate a duplicate of Mum, Aunt Claire’s smaller portion. If it had been lamb I would’ve been more upset but roast Bambi, well maybe it was as well.

No immediate escape this week, by the time we finished eating the pub was already attracting the Sunday lunch brigade, no rest for the wicked or Daisy Miller. My role as serving wench isn’t super hard of course, Johnny had done exactly the same job, no the difference is more subtle. My alter ego could get away with being a bit surly, no one expects a teenage lad to be all smiles but Daisy, well the customers and seemingly my parents expectations are somewhat different and a couple of hours of being miss congeniality are quite wearing.

"Dais,” Aunt Claire called out, "When you’ve done that.”

‘That’ was clearing the table in the big alcove, the recently departed patrons, a family group of eight, two parents, three grandparents, two young kids and a baby, had left crockery armageddon, cutlery and food on the floor and as much debris on the table as the plates. I did the clean up as quickly as I could, the carpet will need a bit more attention but at least I got most of the peas and potato cleared up.

"You wanted me?”
"Quite a mess huh?”
"Yeah, the carpet will need George on it later,” I offered and in case you’re wondering, George is a wet and dry cousin to the Henry hoovers. "So what do you want me for?”
"We’re a bit quieter now, do you want to go around to see Alice, it shouldn’t take long then you’ll be back for the evening crowd.”

I didn’t actually want to go and see Alice but at least I could relax a bit, drop the fixed smile at least.

"Okay,” I allowed.
"You know where she lives?”
"Up near Jordan Castle?”
"Foliat House, top side of the castle, you okay going on your own?”
"I’ve been up to the Park enough times,” I scoffed.
"But Daisy hasn’t,” she pointed out.
"Its less than a mile away.”
"I can get Jake to drive you up.”
"No need, I can ride up.”
"Well use my bike then, it’s a bit more ladylike than Johnny’s thing.”

I sighed deeply, I like Johnny’s bike, its a Specialised Dirt Jumper, its got disc brakes and Manitou jump forks, its well hard. Mum’s bike is some Liv thing with a drop frame, not in the same league. I suppose it is a bit more appropriate for Daisy to ride tho', especially in a skirt.

"Okay,” I allowed.
"I’ll call Alice to let her know you are on the way and ring me when you get there please.”
"Yes Aunty.”
"I’m serious Daisy, you might be a young woman now but you are a young woman now.”
"Okay, I get it.”
"Off with you then.”

I collected ‘my’ back pack cum handbag, added my purse and phone then dragged Mum’s bike out of the garage that the family bikes shared with empty beer casks, furniture and all the other rubbish a pub accumulates. I wobbled across to the road, its quite different to ride compared to my Dirt Jumper, then cautiously set off. The main road was quite busy for a Sunday afternoon but it was only a couple of hundred metres to Castle Lane and the climb up to the Castle.

 
© Maddy Bell 04.08.2025

May Queen Book 1 by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2024 Madeline Bell One day your life is just, well life, the next has Daisy in it!

 
As castles go, Jordan Castle is a bit of a non event. It was never one of big stone things rather it was more like a manor house with some defences around it, today its just some lumps in a field. Johnny’s Specialised only has one sprocket at the back but I found myself grateful for the multiple gears on Mum’s bike as I toiled up the lane.

It’s a private road officially, as a result any traffic is usually agricultural or from one of the houses but we locals often use it to access Wellow Park woods. I turned onto the short drive into Foliat House but ended up getting off and pushing as the bike didn’t like the deep gravel. My steed propped by the door, I rang the bell.
 

"Ah Daisy, your aunt said you were on your way, come on through to the conservatory.”

Alice Porter is, fully proportioned, okay, a large woman, not fat just big, Mr Porter on the other hand, who I could see out in the garden, is of a smaller, compact build.

"Sit yourself down luv, you want a drink?”
"I’m, er, fine thanks.”
"In that case, lets get down to business eh? I’ll pull the drapes, prying eyes eh, strip to your undies and we can get started.”

I’m no prude, lets face it, ten years of communal changing rooms at school and the cricket club tend to break down any inhibitions you might have started with. However, that was Johnny and this request was to Daisy. Oh I know what you’re thinking, ‘you used the changing rooms last week when you were dress shopping’, well yes I did but they weren’t communal and I wasn’t showing what I do and don’t have to all and sundry.

"Undies?”
"Well I can’t measure you over your clothes girl,” she retorted.
"But, but…”
"Daisy luv, you don’t have anything I’ve not seen before.”
"Er right.”
She pulled the curtains to, "Chop chop then.”

Well I had tucked Little Johnny away carefully before I rode out here and my modest bust is a product of enhancing lingerie so what was I worried about? It still didn’t feel right to me but hey ho, I did sign up to all this so get over it Dais. With a sigh I pulled my t shirt off then undid my skirt and stepped out of it, I had clothes on but boy did I feel exposed.

Alice Porter slowly walked around me, uhming, aahing and occasionally even tutting as she went.

"Lets get you measured then you can get yourself dressed again okay?”
"Um, okay.”

And so that’s what happened. There was more tutting and sighing from Mrs P as I was measured pretty much anywhere you can measure.

"Right, all done.”
"So?”
"Well its not as bad as I feared, you aren’t too much different from poor Amanda, well apart from the obvious, I think with a bit of padding we can adapt the gown I started for her. Hmm, maybe some sort of girdle might help give you a bit more shape.”

I started to redress.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa young lady.”
"I thought we were finished?”
"Measuring yes but as you are within a gnats of the gown, I think we need to try that and see what it looks like on, its one thing to have the numbers, quite another to look at things in the flesh so to speak. Wait here and I’ll fetch it down.”
"Er, okay.”

And she was off, leaving me stood in my underwear. Being a boy, I never paid much, well any attention to what the May Queen actually wore for the proceedings beyond it being white. And what did she mean by girdle? Isn’t that some sort of belt?

When she returned it was with what looked like a couple of bed sheets draped over her arm.

"Right young lady, lets let the fox see the rabbit, arms up.”
 

The ‘gown’ was indeed white, however it was decorated at the hem, sleeves and neckline with colourful embroidery, small flowers from what I could see. The sleeves and skirt were both wide, the bodice, stiffer and more fitted. Mrs P fussed about, tugging and occasionally making notes.

"Well, the good news is that there isn’t much actual alteration needs doing, I’ll see what I can get girdle wise which will help, the biggest job will be giving you a bit more bust.”
"Bigger boobs?”
"I know its not exactly PC these days but the gown will look better if you have a bit more up top.”
"A padded bra?”
"There are other ways, leave it with me Daisy, we’ll do another fitting next weekend?”
"Er sure.”
"Lets get you out of that then you can get dressed and back to whatever you young un’s get up to these days.”
"Serving tables,” I sighed.
"Claire’s got you trained well,” she suggested as she helped me disrobe.
"Slave labour more like.”
"Oh it can’t be that bad.”
"The work isn’t bad, its the customers that are the problem.”
"They can’t be that bad.”
"Well mostly not,” I allowed pulling my skirt back into place, "But we had a family in earlier who were so entitled, demanding this and that, then they left everything like a bomb had gone off.”
"That bad?”
"Worse.”
 

I set off back home, glad to have that experience over but now fretting over an enhanced bosom and improved shape actually meant. The dress itself didn’t seem too bad, not too much of me will be on display, maybe it won’t be so bad. I coasted back down the hill and was back at the Red Lion in under ten minutes.
 

"How’d it go?” Aunt Claire enquired when she spotted me hanging my bag in the hall, "You weren’t gone long.”
I checked the time on my phone, "Over an hour, it been busy?”
"Not really, so, how was it?”
"Okay I guess, apparently I’m pretty much the same size as Amanda so we can use that dress quite easily.”
"That’s good.”
"S’pose, just need a bit of padding up top and some girdle thing to give me ‘more shape’.”
"Oh the joys of womanhood,” Mum chuckled, "Talking of which, how is your chest today?”
"The E forty five seems to be working.”
"I was talking to Becca earlier, she was in with that Caleb lad from over Laxton way, she’s going to drop off some cortisone cream that she used to use, stopped things before they got sore.”
"The E stuff does that,” I mentioned.
"No it doesn’t, it treats the symptoms, this cortisone stuff stops you breaking out in hives to start with.”
"Whatever, do you need me this evening? I really should do some revising, we’ve got a pop quiz in geography tomorrow.”
"We should be able to cope kiddo, I’ve done some sandwiches for supper and we’ll have that left over minestrone soup Alex did on Wednesday, if you can warm it up about eight?”
"Sure.”
"I’d best get back to the bar, your father will wonder where I’ve got to.”
 

My second week at Wellow House started all too soon. Much like last week, the fifth form were starting the day with a study period in the library, a ‘gift’ made possible by there being no art classes until the exams start. At my old school this arrangement would’ve meant anarchy but I doubt my new classmates even considered skipping off or mucking about.

No, instead everyone had work and text books piled around and whilst not sat in silence, conversation was muted and mostly actually pertinent to our revision.

"You get a frock on Saturday Dais?” Jess asked as we headed outside at morning recess.
"No, we got a top and skirt.”
"You don’t sound too enthused.”
I gave a shrug, "What is there to say, sort of Boho, long cream skirt and a sort of flouncy top to match.”
"Thought it was for a funeral?” Jess posited.
"It is, apparently no one is to wear black, the parents want it to be a celebration of life rather than a depressing, sad occasion.”
"An interesting take on things.”
"How was Mansfield?”
"About as exciting as usual.”
"So you get to do anything else at the weekends?”
"There’s clubs and stuff, some of the girls have their ponies here so they go riding.”
"What about you?”
"Not my thing.”
"What is your thing?”
"Film club.”
"Watching them?”
"Sometimes but we make some too.”
"Really?”
"We’ve been making a sort of Nordic Noir thriller since New Year, well supposed to be.”
"Supposed to be?”
"Yeah, our leading lady left school a couple of weeks ago, her Pa was recalled home to Australia.”
"Bummer,” I allowed, "And you can’t get anyone else?”
"No one wants to commit, if we don’t get someone this week we’ll probably have to scrap everything, our leading man is in the upper sixth so he’s off to Cambridge in September.”
"I’d help if I could,” I let out without thinking, "Be a shame to waste all that work.”
"Yeah,” Jess lamented, "Hey maybe you can!”"You doing anything after school Dais?” Jess enquired as we all gathered for the first class of the afternoon, biology.
"Aerobics at the village Hall,” I told her.
"Really?”
"Aunt Claire insists and as she’s Loco Parentis what she say’s goes.”
"That sucks.”
"Yep,” I agreed, "So what’s happening after classes?”
"Film club, I spoke to some of the others and they’re keen to meet you.”
"Meet me? Why?”
"So you can save Repton dumb ass.”
"Who or what is Repton?”
"I told you this morning, the thriller we’ve been making, you said you’d help. What about tomorrow night?”

I was in a quandry, if I make more excuses I’ll look like a right, as Jess puts it, dumb ass, heck, I don’t even know what they, she, want me to do. It couldn’t hurt could it? Its not like I’ve a burning desire to sit in the bar, sipping lemonade listening to Dickie Smart and Jethro Fletcher winding each other up again.

"Nothing doing as far as I know.”
"Great,” Jess enthused, "You’re a life saver!”

At which point she gave me a quick hug.

 
© Maddy Bell 04.08.2025

May Queen Book 1 by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2024 Madeline Bell One day your life is just, well life, the next has Daisy in it!

 
I still felt a right twit in my aerobics kit, I might be fairly comfortable being Daisy at school, even wearing a skirt and stuff every day but the fit and brevity of this stuff takes things to another level. You remember last week’s pink theme? Well apparently its bad form to wear the same stuff two weeks on the trot, so this week my top was baby blue, teamed with navy blue bike shorts which I think was an improvement over exercise Barbie®.

On the plus side, I didn’t find it quite as bad as last week. That doesn’t mean it was any easier but I did at least have some idea of what I was supposed to be doing.

"You okay Dais?” Aunt Claire asked as I made short work of my second smoothie of the day, "School okay?”
"Could be worse I suppose.”

Yeah, if the uniform skirts were short and pink and everyone had to have pigtails.

"It must be better than sat in your room on your own?”

I shrugged, no argument there.

"I guess so, so um, tomorrow is it alright if I hang with Jess after school?”
"Who is Jess?”
"Er Jessica De Vere, she’s in my form?”
"And what will you and Miss De Vere be doing after school?”
"She’s in this film club thing, she invited me to go along? It’s at the school.”
"I think we can cope without you for one evening, will you need Dad’s taxi?”
"Dunno to be honest.”
"What about food?”
"I can probably survive,” I pointed out.
"Just don’t make it too late, remember it’s the funeral on Wednesday, I’ll need some help beforehand getting ready for the wake.”

Great, more slave labour.

"I’m sure it won’t go on that long and in any case, they have a ten o’clock curfew.”
 

Becca had been as good as her word, dropping the cortisone cream off on Monday with instructions to use it before bed and when I got up. I was still feeling a bit sore so I added a dollop of E forty five before I set off for another day at Wellow House. On Mum, Aunt Claire’s advice, my bag was bolstered with a packet of crisps and an apple, to tide me over until supper.

"Great!” Jess beamed when I confirmed my evening presence as we waited for ‘Pinky’ to arrive for our first class of the day, "The others were pretty stoked that you’re onboard.”
"If I can help whilst I’m here.”
"Save the day more like Dais,” she enthused.

Yep, Daisy Miller saves the day – again.
 

After school activities for Johnny had never really been a practical option. Not because he didn’t want to join the railway club or the chess club or the history club, but when you live a couple of miles away and your parents run a pub, well its difficult. He had actually joined the history club but he’d missed far more meetings than he’d attended purely on logistics.

Of course, if you are a boarder at a Prep School there are no such issues, if you are a day girl living ten minutes walk away there are no issues either. But there were still logistics.

"So erm, how does it work this evening, do we go straight from Maths to the meeting?” I enquired as we chilled after lunch, quiche, chips and salad – sort of healthyish.
"Why ever would we do that, we’d miss dinner,” Jess advised.
"I’ve brought a bag of crisps.”
"Whatever for?”
"Tea, dinner, whatever you want to call it?”
"Dur, you on a diet or something, it’s pork chops tonight.”
"I’m not a boarder remember.”
"So? You’re still a pupil and you’re gonna be here for school activity and anyway, there’s always enough for visitors.”

I couldn’t help feeling that Jess’s take on the school catering was a bit rose tinted, I’m sure things are controlled just as tightly as at The Red Lion.

"Anyway,” Jess went on, "After dinner we get changed, then we go to the club room.”
"Changed?”
"Well you don’t think we live in uniform all the time do you?”

I’d never given it any thought.

"Course not, I just didn’t think to bring anything.”
"Next time!”
 

"Still here Daisy?” Miss Pinckney queried when she spotted me waiting for Jess to finish washing up for dinner.
"Um yes Miss, Film club?”
She raised a brow, "Really?”
"I’ve been sort of railroaded by Jessica,” I admitted.
"Okay.”
"It’s alright isn’t it? And Jess said I can eat dinner here too, I know that wasn’t part of the arrangement and I’ll understand if its not,” I rushed out.
"It’s fine Daisy, its counted as a school activity, I, we just hadn’t expected you to get involved with extra curricular activities that’s all.”
"Neither had I, I didn’t mean to.”
"You’re not going to be here very long, I think its great that you are embracing the whole experience. How are your studies coming along?”
"Er okay I think Miss, its certainly better than ‘home schooling’. Erm thanks for arranging this.”
"My pleasure, can’t have our May Queen missing out on her education can we?”
"Er no Miss.”
"Looks like your friends are just coming, I’ll leave you to it, enjoy the film club Daisy.”
"Thanks Miss.”

"What did Pinky want?” Jess asked, looping her arm through mine and steering me towards the refectory.
"Just checking on how I’m settling in, she arranged for me to come here.”
"Teachers pet eh?”
"Hardly, she’s a friend of my Aunt’s.”
"Friends in high places, come on or we’ll end up sat with the lower school!”
 

It felt a bit weird joining my classmates to eat for a second time on the same day, its not often I even do that at home! Not only that but unlike lunchtime when there were several options to choose from, the evening meal was, as the French would put it, ‘Menu Fix’. Not that I’m complaining, it was still better than left over whatever at the Lion, the usual Baker family evening repast.

What was even weirder, well for me at least, was seeing Jess and the others in ‘civvies’ after over a week of strict adherence to the school uniform code. Whilst what I was wearing wasn’t strictly The Wellow House uniform, when Jess let us into the film club’s headquarters, a small room in the attic of the old stables, I was the only 'girl’ wearing a skirt.

"Hey everyone,” Jess greeted the occupants, "This is Daisy, saviour of Repton!”
"Hi again Dais,” James of the nice arse greeted, leading a round of hi’s, waves and other greetings.
"Erm hi,” I allowed in return.

Beyond the aforementioned Mr Barclay, the other occupants, eight in all, were mostly members of the sixth form, I didn’t know names but I did recognise them from Friday’s shared PE session. The other two were a spotty fourth year lad and, of all people, Morton McLachlan.

"So,” one of the sixth form girls started, "Jess says you’ll step in for Cindy so we can finish filming before James leaves?”

Talk about on the spot.

"I um, guess so.” I replied, "What is it Cindy was doing?”
"Je-ess,” someone else started, "Didn’t you explain?”
It was my ‘friend’s’ turn to be on the spot, "Er not as such.”
"Honestly,” the first girl sighed, "Cindy was our leading lady Dais, you still up for it? You certainly look the part.”
"We’ll have to reshoot a few scenes,” Morton opined.
"Not that many,” James suggested, "Most of what’s in the can is first person.”
"And we barely got started on the voice overs,” spotty put in.
"So you want me to act?” I squeezed out.
"Thought I said,” the girl apparently in charge confirmed.
"I’ve erm, never done any.”

Well unless you count the last week or so.

"We don’t need Julia Roberts, its supposed to be quite rustic. So?”

All eyes were on me, do I want to do this? Can I do this? Should I do this? I cast about the small assemblage, a dozen eager faces awaiting my answer. Oh what the hell, it can’t be worse than ‘volunteering’ to be May Queen – look where that’s got me.

"Okay, count me in.”
"Yes!” Jess screeched before pulling me into a bone crushing hug and planting a kiss in the general vicinity of my face.
"Now that’s settled, ‘our’ leader started, "Let’s sort out what we need to do filming wise, Daisy and James don’t have that many scenes together so lets concentrate on those, can you get a copy of the script for Daisy Chris.”

And so I was now not just recruited to the film club but I’m also the leading actress in Repton, a noir thriller set a few miles up the road in the village of the same name.

 
Rather than Dad’s taxi, it was actually Josh who covered the Daisy shuttle, the enthusiastic film company only finishing up when Miss Simmonds poked her head around the door at nine thirty.

"You okay mate?”
"I guess.”
"Mum said you were going to some film club, what did you watch?”
"Its not that sort of club,” I advised, "They’re actually making a film.”
"Okay, so what do they need you for, bit late in the year for a recruitment drive.”
"One of their actors sort of left them in the lurch, they needed a sub.”
"Really? You couldn’t remember your lines for the church nativity,” my brother scoffed.
"At least I had lines,” I shot back.
"So go on then, what are you, second onlooker in scene five?”
"Hmmph! I’m Martha Jones, the main character.”
"You are the leading lady?” he scoffed.
"What’s so funny about that?”
"Don’t get me wrong but you’ve only been Daisy a week, haven’t they got a real girl that could do it?”
"They think me, Daisy Miller, is a real girl.”
"So I’m guessing there’s a leading man or is it all girls?”
"There is, James Barclay from the upper sixth.”
He snorted again, "Best not tell Mum & Dad that bit, they’ll have you confined to the house.”
"You think?”
"Just kidding Dais, just kidding.”

 
© Maddy Bell 04.08.2025

May Queen Book 1 by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2024 Madeline Bell One day your life is just, well life, the next has Daisy in it!

 
Wednesday arrived slightly damp but the forecast was for dry and bright later in the day. The funeral was set for twelve thirty, which sort of mucked up the whole day but Mum said it was so people from the Dukeries Academy could attend during lunch break, I guess that makes some sense. To be honest I hadn’t really thought about who would be at St Swithuns today, her family of course, people from the village, friends like Johnny I guess, I just hadn’t thought about the school community.

My, well Johnny’s, departure from the Academy had been sudden, I don’t know exactly who will be coming but won’t they find it strange that Johnny isn’t there? Well I know he will be but not really, instead his cousin, with her too bright hair, pouty lips and more than passing resemblance will be in attendance. Some of the teachers and indeed pupils have known Johnny for five years, will they not recognise Daisy as being Johnny in disguise?

I mentioned my fears as I helped Aunt Claire with the catering arrangements, plating up and tabling the buffet that Alex was preparing.

"You think you’ll be recognised?”
"It’s a possibility,” I replied.
"Well I sincerely doubt it.”
"But what if they do?” I persisted.

She stopped wrapping cutlery for a moment and took a long look at me.

"Well all I can see is my niece Daisy Miller who has a familial resemblance to my son Johnny but if it worries you so much, well we’ll just have to make sure there’s no doubt.”
"How do we do that?”
"We make you into Daisy Miller version two.”
"How?”
"We make you look more like your mother.”
"But isn’t that the problem?”
"Not me kiddo, Daisy’s mother.”
"And how do we manage that?”
"Oh there’s a couple of tricks I know, lets get this finished then we’ll go get ready okay?”
"I guess.”
 

Well I must admit, I know it was only makeup but Daisy mark two did look even less like Johnny by the time Aunt Claire was finished. The basics were, of course, still the same, the hair, the lips, the nails, the piercings but one of Mum’s bras suitably stuffed gave me a definite chest and careful shading made my nose look thinner, my cheekbones higher and jawline softer. Anyone who knows Daisy won’t be fooled of course but anyone who doesn’t, well I couldn’t see me any more so how will they?
 

In my almost sixteen years, I’ve never been involved with death so intimately before. That doesn’t mean I haven’t known people who have died but they’ve not been friends or family. The result of that is I’ve never been to a funeral, I don’t really know how it all works beyond what I’ve seen on the telly.

When the Baker family arrived at the church, there were already quite a few folk stood about, a few clearly hadn’t got the note about dress code, the menfolk mostly still wearing shirts and ties just lacking jackets. Conversation was muted, the atmosphere, I thought, suitably sombre. The rents exchanged a few greetings, I on the other hand found myself holding my brothers hand.

I spotted Mrs Porter and a couple of other Dukeries staff arrive shortly before a girl in a wheelchair, Gemma Sjkorkowich I realised, with I guess her parents. There were a few more of my ex classmates, easily identified by their school uniforms, I guess they’ll be returning to their classes afterwards. And then the small funeral courtege arrived, the flower laden hearse pulling up ahead of two limousines containing family members.

I got a bit distracted by the arrival of my younger cousins who had clearly been crying, a state I was doing my best to control myself. It was only the general shifting of the crowd, and the lack of conversation which alerted me to the coffin being born through the church yard. As it passed, people fell in behind following the family and casket into the church.
 

You neither need nor I think, want me to go through the service or internment, at one point it seemed like most of those attending were dabbing at tears. I suppose you could say it went well, if that can be said about a funeral. She was buried towards the edge of the church yard, and then it was over.

Well not quite, with the wake being at my home there was no quick escape from the sadness of the day. Apart from Gem, the other Academy attendees had left without coming into the pub, having come in one of the school minibuses. It was after three before the last mourners departed, I’d held it all in pretty well but now, well I fled to my room and let my emotions free.

Nothing had been said about Manda’s imminent coronation during the service, but lets face it, I, that is Daisy wouldn’t be here without it. As I lay on my bed gently sobbing, I vowed to be the best May Queen ever in her memory.

© Maddy Bell 04.08.2025