Maude Ch. 01

Just then the shop door opened and I looked round to see another middle-aged lady enter the shop.

"Oh hello, Doris," said Maude, "I'll be with you in a minute if you'd like to look around."

"What do you mean, donation?" I asked, then wished I hadn't.

"Well, you gave me a donation just now, didn't you?" said Maude, smiling knowingly at me.

"I'm just ringing it through the till so you make the donation to the charity too."

I took out £30 and passed it to her.

"Thank you so much, and for such a generous donation." she lowered her voice a little: "Would you like to book in next week as one of my regular donors?" she looked through a diary, "I could take you at 3.15 on Wednesday afternoon if that was convenient."

My mind was reeling, but I agreed, not knowing what a regular donor was, but somehow longing to find out.