Chapter DAISY

Daisy didn't understand what was happening.

All around her staff member spoke in hushed tones, but no one would tell her what was happening.

She knew only that it had to do with Thomas.

Daisy liked Thomas. She shouldn't, really, because he was often hard and unkind.

But Daisy still thought Thomas was dashing…a romantic creature.

She wished she knew him better.

And she wished she knew what was happening.

It frustrated her, really, how no one seemed to take her seriously. Young, doe-eyed Daisy. Daisy wouldn't understand. Daisy was silly. Daisy was naïve. Sometimes Daisy hated the way they treated her.

Sometimes Daisy wanted to do something drastic. Or, say something smart- something that would show them. Show them all that she wasn't dim or innocent like they all believed. The trouble was, she didn't know what to say.

Daisy eventually found out what had happened with Thomas.

She got one of the maids to fill her in. The maid hadn't been told, either, but she'd overheard.

With Daisy's incessant pestering, the maid finally promised Daisy she'd tell her that night.

Daisy wondered all day.

Finally, come night, Daisy waited anxiously. The housemaid came in and sat down across from Daisy. She was twisting a napkin in her hands and looking like she might be sick.

"Go on, then," Daisy said, anxious to stop being the only one out of the loop.

"Well, y'see-" The girl bit her lip. "Thomas has done somethin'- somethin' to be turned out with no reference. The police might be called-"

Daisy's eyes widened. She hadn't thought it would be anything that big.

"What's he done?" She said.

"He...he kissed...someone."

Now Daisy felt put out. "Oh. Who'd he kiss?"

"...Jimmy."

Daisy stared at her.

"Y'mean like, like, on the cheek, like ya might kiss your brother-"

The housemaid shook her head slowly, waiting for Daisy to pick up.

"But I don't understand, why would he want to kiss Jimmy? Was it dark, and he thought-"

"Daisy, some men- Oh, Daisy, don't let anyone know I've told you this, please. Some men have got...somethin'...somethin' wrong with them, that they..."

The maid broke off, looking as if she wished she'd never agreed to be the one to let Daisy into the loop.

"What'd ya mean?" Daisy frowned. "What could be wrong with a man that would make him do that?"

"Oh, ugh, Daisy, it's...it's somethin' wrong inside his brain-"

"But he's smart-"

"Yes, he is smart, Daisy. He's very smart. And there's nothin' else wrong with him. He's a normal healthy man in every way, there's just this one thing-"

Daisy could have started getting wrinkles from how hard her brow was creased.

"All right, Daisy, you know how...you know how you feel when you meet a handsome man you want to court? You get...you get all jittery inside, like butterflies, and...and your palms get sweaty, and your heart races, and you...you start thinkin' what would it be like if he asked you to court, or if...if he held your hand?"

Daisy nodded. She'd had those very feelings for Thomas.

The maid continued. "Well...he's- he's got somethin' wrong- somethin' mixed up, in his head. He gets those very same feelings, Daisy, only...only instead of the ladies...he gets those feelings for...for men."

Seeing the shocked look on Daisy's face, she rushed on "He can't help it, Daisy. It isn't his fault...it's like...it's like an illness..."

"But how- what kind of an illness would-"

"I don't understand it myself, Daisy, but...it's just how it is, is all. For some reason, somehow, somewhere, somethin' went wrong in his mind, and it's got him all confused about who he's supposed to get those kind of feelin's for."

She sat back, and stared at Daisy's startled expression for a moment. Then she said softly, "There's no explainin' it. But, it's very sad, isn't it?"

Daisy's mind was reeling. She'd never heard of such a thing. Her first reaction was one of confusion, followed quickly by disgust- why would a man want to kiss or cuddle and spoon with another man?

She thought she might have other feelings later, perhaps kinder feelings, once she got used to the idea.

But, just for right now, while the idea was so new to her, and so startling, she couldn't help feeling a bit sick at the idea.

But it did clear up a mystery.

This must have been what Mrs. Patmore was trying to warn her about, when she'd said Thomas was a troubled soul and she didn't want Daisy to moon over him.

What other kinds of strange new worlds were there, waiting to be uncovered?

Goodness.

No wonder people never told her anything.