The wizard's reevenge 8/11

Jennifer Jane was definitely not enjoying her latest experience at all. She had a very sore left ear. This world may have been up to date in time but she was finding it very Victorian in its attitudes. She'd found a rather nice looking cafe called the Grand Tea House and gone in to try and sell her chocolate swiss rolls.
A very smart gentleman dressed in a frock coat and bow tie, had insisted on escorting her to a table, before asking her if she would like to see the full menu, or was she just favouring the establishment by taking the afternoon tea. She tried to explain that she wanted to sell some rather unusual cakes. The man had got most upset and grabbing her by the ear had marched her out into the street.

"Tradesmen's boys at the back entrance," he'd said, "don't you ever dare come in through the front door again."

So there she was out in the street with another lesson learned. She certainly wasn't going to 'favour that establishment' with her wares. 'Crumbs,' she thought to herself, 'I'm even beginning to think in period. Now I know how Sir George must feel when he visits our world.'

She picked up her suitcase and walked further along the street until she found a likely looking teashop. This time she was careful to go round to the back before asking if anyone would be interested in buying some unusual confectionery. A pleasant looking lady sampled one of the rolls from her case.

"Very nice my boy, most unusual. I would suppose we could sell these at six pence apiece. How much is the baker asking for a dozen."

"Four shillings", she said hopefully.

"I'll run to three shillings for the first dozen, then if they sell well maybe I'll go to three and six. Please give your master the message and then return if he's agreeable."

Jennifer Jane went out into the street and quickly counted the rolls in her case. She twiddled her fingers until the number was made up to one hundred and forty four. Another lesson remembered, things were counted in dozens instead of tens. After waiting for a quarter of an hour she went back to the rear of the shop.

"He says you can have a case full for thirty five shillings. There's a gross in the case!"

The woman did a quick calculation in her head. Jennifer Jane was offering the rolls at slightly less than the three shillings a dozen she'd been offered. It only took a few seconds for her to make up her mind to accept the bargain.

She hurried out to the front of the shop and a cash register bell sounded as she removed the money from the till. Jennifer Jane opened her case and stacked the rolls neatly on a table. She took the money while the woman counted carefully to make sure that there really were twelve dozen.

Jennifer Jane hurried out of the shop and refilled her suitcase as soon as she felt she was unobserved. Then she went in search of two more shops that she felt would like to buy her cakes. She chose two that were in separate streets and soon had a total of five guineas in gold. This was sufficient for her immediate needs, so she found her way back to the pawnbroker and retrieved her wristwatch.

"That must be a record for a redemption, however did you make the money so quickly?"

"Selling cakes," she replied, "I needed the case to carry them in. I think I can find you one if you like."

She opened the suitcase and hiding her movements behind the lid, produced one more roll with a well practised flick of her fingers.

"Have a sample on the house," she said and left the pawnbroker eating his roll and watching her thoughtfully as she left the shop.

It didn't take too long to find a place to stay for the night and at long last she was able to relax. Tomorrow she would be able to go out and take a bit more stock of her surroundings.