Lilac and white contrast like day and night.

Standing in the garden waiting for the visitor to arrive Anne fiddled with her sleeves. She had a habit of pulling them down over her hands. She had never liked her hands, that stupid extra finger, no use nor ornament.

She watched the bees buzzing round the lilac and she wondered at how they never tired or grew slack in their travails. Bending down she picked a good size bunch of the lilac and a couple of roses and made them into a posey by wrapping them in her handkerchief. She took a ribbon from her elaborate dress and bound it neatly around the posey.

Anne looked at her handy work and smiled. Yes she thought an innocent gift for a visiting King.

Approaching the centre of the garden Anne suddenly shivered as a cloud momentarily blocked the sun. The lilac transformed…