Inquisitor 1879 Help Please

[quinol]

23a flowers representing old man's blood? Lord, no (13) --m------ss--

15a fruit pastries folded over for starters(7) --s----

17a recoil begun by mother birds?(8)-m----e-

there may be letters missing from clue or added to solution

[cashier]

Anybody?

[Neveracrossword]

23 Looks like Almondblossom...

15 Could be Rosehip, fruit - Pies,pastries, reversed, maybe O for over, or maybe just the other letters all spare?

[quinol]

23a must be almondblossom sudden revelation, but perhaps none of you do this puzzle

[ProfessorMaisie]

Both right - 'm' and 's' missing from wordplay for the first - anag ''old man's bloo[d]'' minus 'd' for 'lord' (Latin). 'r' and 's' missing for the next - 'o' ''for starters'' followed by 'pies' reversed.

17a AMNI(o)TES - 'o' unclued 'begun' = SET IN + MA reversed.

[ProfessorMaisie]

...sorry, that's 'r' and 'h' missing from the second.

[quinol]

many thanks profmaisie and nac, just 2 crossers left

31a sources of torment most acutely short wor--

26d too hasty demoting second lords --rahs

[newmodarmy]

Torahs?

[ProfessorMaisie]

31a - WOR[m]S ('most acutely' = WORS(t) is the wordplay.

26d - [om]RAHS ('too hasty' = RA[S]H - 'promote Second').

[ProfessorMaisie]

...sorry, 'demote' Second.

[quinol]

many thanks, prof maisie with your help I've struggled to the end with the occasional l---t b--b moment