room.
“Well done, Mark,” Ellie said.
“This is brilliant!” Mark directed the truck around a leather chair as the revved-up vehicle made a louder humming sound.
“Make it go up the wall, Markie.” Julia was on her feet, watching the new toy do its stuff for the small audience.
“It doesn’t go up walls. Just on floors. Don’t get too close, Ju-Ju. Step back.”
Ellie motioned for me to come closer to where they gathered around the tree. “If you dare,” she said with a smile.
I slid onto the end of the sofa and took in the full view of the tree. Julia came over and sat beside me, showing me her new
dolly and chattering about all the doll’s special features, including its pony. She hopped off the couch, went for the unwrapped
pony under the tree, and showed me how the doll could fit on the pony. Then Julia galloped around the room with her new toy.
Ellie shuffled the wrapping paper into a mound. Edward looked over at me and said, “Did you sleep well, Miranda?”
“Yes, very well, thank you.”
“Glad to hear it. I understand you’ll be joining us for church this morning.”
“Yes. I hope what I’m wearing is okay for church. My luggage is still in London.”
“What you’re wearing will be fine,” Ellie said. “You might need a warmer coat. I have several you’re welcome to choose from
to borrow.”
“Thanks. I do need a warmer coat.”
Edward seemed to be studying me. “If you don’t mind, may I ask you a personal question, Miranda?”
“Certainly.”
“How is it that you came to visit Carlton Heath? Our little town isn’t exactly one of the usual tourist sites.”
My heart beat faster. This was the opening I needed. I just hadn’t prepared what to say. “1, urn, I came here because—”
“Didn’t Katharine say you were going to meet someone?” Ellie inserted. “Or did she say you were trying to find someone?”
“Yes,” I said plainly. “I was trying to find someone.”
“And how did that turn out?” Ellie asked.
This was it. This was the moment to tell Ellie and Edward who I was and why I was here. I drew in a deep breath and sat up
straight.
Chapter Sixteen
B efore a full sentence could tumble off my lips, everyone turned to the front window, where the driveway was visible. Up to
the front of the house came a large farm horse wreathed in a harness of loud jingle bells and saddled with a big red sack
of wrapped gifts. Holding the reins was a merry rounded fellow with a long, flowing snowy white beard and a long robe.
“Father Christmas!” Julia shouted, leaving her doll and pony and rushing to the front window. “It’s Father Christmas!”
Mark stopped pushing the buttons on the remote control and hurried to the window. Edward and Ellie exchanged surprised glances.
I stood for a better view, and for the blink of a moment, I almost believed.
“Father Christmas! Father Christmas!” Julia beat her flat palm against the front window.
“Come on, Ju-Ju.” Mark was already sprinting toward the door.
Ellie and Edward followed, and I was right behind. We stepped into the crisp air. Pillowed snowdrifts lined the rounded drive.
As Father Christmas strode toward the children, he hitched up his robe to reveal argyle socks that I knew had to belong to
Andrew.
“Happy Christmas, one and all!” Father Christmas’s booming voice caused a layer of peaceful snow to quiver off a nearby tree
branch and sift its way to the ground.
Bright-eyed and full of glee, Julia gave a little hop that landed her in the snow in her yellow ducky slippers. “Hallo, Father
Christmas! It’s me, Julia!”
Father Christmas came close and cupped her chin in his gloved hand. “And so it is!”
“We already got our presents,” she proclaimed. “We’ve opened them. I already ate the Lion Bar. They’re my favorite. Did you
come back because you have more presents for us?”
“Indeed I do.”
If Mark recognized Andrew, he was to be commended for keeping
“Well done, Mark,” Ellie said.
“This is brilliant!” Mark directed the truck around a leather chair as the revved-up vehicle made a louder humming sound.
“Make it go up the wall, Markie.” Julia was on her feet, watching the new toy do its stuff for the small audience.
“It doesn’t go up walls. Just on floors. Don’t get too close, Ju-Ju. Step back.”
Ellie motioned for me to come closer to where they gathered around the tree. “If you dare,” she said with a smile.
I slid onto the end of the sofa and took in the full view of the tree. Julia came over and sat beside me, showing me her new
dolly and chattering about all the doll’s special features, including its pony. She hopped off the couch, went for the unwrapped
pony under the tree, and showed me how the doll could fit on the pony. Then Julia galloped around the room with her new toy.
Ellie shuffled the wrapping paper into a mound. Edward looked over at me and said, “Did you sleep well, Miranda?”
“Yes, very well, thank you.”
“Glad to hear it. I understand you’ll be joining us for church this morning.”
“Yes. I hope what I’m wearing is okay for church. My luggage is still in London.”
“What you’re wearing will be fine,” Ellie said. “You might need a warmer coat. I have several you’re welcome to choose from
to borrow.”
“Thanks. I do need a warmer coat.”
Edward seemed to be studying me. “If you don’t mind, may I ask you a personal question, Miranda?”
“Certainly.”
“How is it that you came to visit Carlton Heath? Our little town isn’t exactly one of the usual tourist sites.”
My heart beat faster. This was the opening I needed. I just hadn’t prepared what to say. “1, urn, I came here because—”
“Didn’t Katharine say you were going to meet someone?” Ellie inserted. “Or did she say you were trying to find someone?”
“Yes,” I said plainly. “I was trying to find someone.”
“And how did that turn out?” Ellie asked.
This was it. This was the moment to tell Ellie and Edward who I was and why I was here. I drew in a deep breath and sat up
straight.
Chapter Sixteen
B efore a full sentence could tumble off my lips, everyone turned to the front window, where the driveway was visible. Up to
the front of the house came a large farm horse wreathed in a harness of loud jingle bells and saddled with a big red sack
of wrapped gifts. Holding the reins was a merry rounded fellow with a long, flowing snowy white beard and a long robe.
“Father Christmas!” Julia shouted, leaving her doll and pony and rushing to the front window. “It’s Father Christmas!”
Mark stopped pushing the buttons on the remote control and hurried to the window. Edward and Ellie exchanged surprised glances.
I stood for a better view, and for the blink of a moment, I almost believed.
“Father Christmas! Father Christmas!” Julia beat her flat palm against the front window.
“Come on, Ju-Ju.” Mark was already sprinting toward the door.
Ellie and Edward followed, and I was right behind. We stepped into the crisp air. Pillowed snowdrifts lined the rounded drive.
As Father Christmas strode toward the children, he hitched up his robe to reveal argyle socks that I knew had to belong to
Andrew.
“Happy Christmas, one and all!” Father Christmas’s booming voice caused a layer of peaceful snow to quiver off a nearby tree
branch and sift its way to the ground.
Bright-eyed and full of glee, Julia gave a little hop that landed her in the snow in her yellow ducky slippers. “Hallo, Father
Christmas! It’s me, Julia!”
Father Christmas came close and cupped her chin in his gloved hand. “And so it is!”
“We already got our presents,” she proclaimed. “We’ve opened them. I already ate the Lion Bar. They’re my favorite. Did you
come back because you have more presents for us?”
“Indeed I do.”
If Mark recognized Andrew, he was to be commended for keeping
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