a straight face and playing along for the sake of his sister.
However, it seemed that Mark may have been convinced that the larger-than-life man who stood before him
was
Father Christmas.
“I understand you have been a most helpful chap this year,” Andrew said, doing a fair job of masking his Scottish accent.
Mark nodded.
“That’s very good. Very good indeed. I happen to have a special gift here for a young man such as yourself. Young Mark, this
present is for you.” He reached into the red sack tied to the saddle of the old horse and handed Mark a long box that was
wrapped in gold foil and tied with a big red bow.
“And for you, young Julia… ” He hesitated, and she shivered with excitement, giving two little hops. “Ah, yes, here it is.
A gift for a special young lady who has also been a good helper to her mother this year.”
“Thank you, Father Christmas!” Julia took from him a box also wrapped in gold with a red ribbon.
“I have another gift here for the master of the house and his lovely wife.”
“That’s my mum and dad! Mummy, you get a present, too!”
The smiles on Edward and Ellie’s faces as they received the gold box were more than pleasant expressions. Both of them seemed
touched by what Andrew was doing for their children. The couple slipped their arms around each other, and Ellie rested her
head on Edward’s shoulder.
I wondered if, by this grand performance, Andrew was picking up the Father Christmas gap that had been left when Sir James
passed away. Whatever the reason, Andrew’s magical appearance was a gift to all of them.
“I have one more present here. Let me see. Who is this for? Oh, yes. Miranda.” His rolling brogue peeked through when he said
my name. I think that one slip unveiled to Mark the identity of Father Christmas, if he hadn’t figured it out before. Mark
was a good big brother, though, and kept the discovery to himself.
Andrew, or rather, Father Christmas, handed me a small gold box with a red ribbon. I thanked him politely and played along
by adding a bit of a curtsey. Julia followed my cue and gave a curtsey as well, jiggling with joy.
“Happy Christmas to you, one and all!”
“Happy Christmas to you, Father Christmas!” Julia could barely contain herself as Andrew mounted the stout horse and urged
it to trot away.
“Thank you, Father Christmas!” Mark called out as theendearing man and his horse etched a trail in the snow down the long driveway. “Come back next year!”
“And bring me a pony!” Julia called out.
Edward and Ellie laughed.
“May I open my present now?” Julia wiggled like a jitterbug. “Please, Mummy?”
“Of course, but wouldn’t you like to go inside first?”
“Yes, my feet are cold!”
We all agreed, stomped our feet, and returned to the comfy drawing room by the fire where we sat with our gifts on our laps.
Julia and Mark didn’t need to be invited twice to open their gifts. Julia unwrapped a little girl’s tea set and gave a squeal
of delight. She immediately went to work, placing the cups and saucers on one of the end tables.
Mark pulled from his opened box a bow-and-arrow set, complete with a quiver and its long strap to position over his shoulder.
His excitement was uncontainable.
Ellie and Edward exchanged glances that said, “We’re going to have a talk with Andrew about this later.”
“May I try it out now?” Mark asked. The strap was in place, the three arrows were in the quiver, and his feet were heading
out of the room.
“Go in front of the house,” Ellie said, “so we can watch you.”
“And aim away from the house,” Edward added.
Mark gave his parents a gleeful smirk over his shoulder, as if they should know he was mature enough to aim the arrows in
the right direction without their having to tell him.
“What did Father Christmas bring you?” Julia moved towardme, eyeing the only unopened gift left in the room. Ellie had opened the box of candy
However, it seemed that Mark may have been convinced that the larger-than-life man who stood before him
was
Father Christmas.
“I understand you have been a most helpful chap this year,” Andrew said, doing a fair job of masking his Scottish accent.
Mark nodded.
“That’s very good. Very good indeed. I happen to have a special gift here for a young man such as yourself. Young Mark, this
present is for you.” He reached into the red sack tied to the saddle of the old horse and handed Mark a long box that was
wrapped in gold foil and tied with a big red bow.
“And for you, young Julia… ” He hesitated, and she shivered with excitement, giving two little hops. “Ah, yes, here it is.
A gift for a special young lady who has also been a good helper to her mother this year.”
“Thank you, Father Christmas!” Julia took from him a box also wrapped in gold with a red ribbon.
“I have another gift here for the master of the house and his lovely wife.”
“That’s my mum and dad! Mummy, you get a present, too!”
The smiles on Edward and Ellie’s faces as they received the gold box were more than pleasant expressions. Both of them seemed
touched by what Andrew was doing for their children. The couple slipped their arms around each other, and Ellie rested her
head on Edward’s shoulder.
I wondered if, by this grand performance, Andrew was picking up the Father Christmas gap that had been left when Sir James
passed away. Whatever the reason, Andrew’s magical appearance was a gift to all of them.
“I have one more present here. Let me see. Who is this for? Oh, yes. Miranda.” His rolling brogue peeked through when he said
my name. I think that one slip unveiled to Mark the identity of Father Christmas, if he hadn’t figured it out before. Mark
was a good big brother, though, and kept the discovery to himself.
Andrew, or rather, Father Christmas, handed me a small gold box with a red ribbon. I thanked him politely and played along
by adding a bit of a curtsey. Julia followed my cue and gave a curtsey as well, jiggling with joy.
“Happy Christmas to you, one and all!”
“Happy Christmas to you, Father Christmas!” Julia could barely contain herself as Andrew mounted the stout horse and urged
it to trot away.
“Thank you, Father Christmas!” Mark called out as theendearing man and his horse etched a trail in the snow down the long driveway. “Come back next year!”
“And bring me a pony!” Julia called out.
Edward and Ellie laughed.
“May I open my present now?” Julia wiggled like a jitterbug. “Please, Mummy?”
“Of course, but wouldn’t you like to go inside first?”
“Yes, my feet are cold!”
We all agreed, stomped our feet, and returned to the comfy drawing room by the fire where we sat with our gifts on our laps.
Julia and Mark didn’t need to be invited twice to open their gifts. Julia unwrapped a little girl’s tea set and gave a squeal
of delight. She immediately went to work, placing the cups and saucers on one of the end tables.
Mark pulled from his opened box a bow-and-arrow set, complete with a quiver and its long strap to position over his shoulder.
His excitement was uncontainable.
Ellie and Edward exchanged glances that said, “We’re going to have a talk with Andrew about this later.”
“May I try it out now?” Mark asked. The strap was in place, the three arrows were in the quiver, and his feet were heading
out of the room.
“Go in front of the house,” Ellie said, “so we can watch you.”
“And aim away from the house,” Edward added.
Mark gave his parents a gleeful smirk over his shoulder, as if they should know he was mature enough to aim the arrows in
the right direction without their having to tell him.
“What did Father Christmas bring you?” Julia moved towardme, eyeing the only unopened gift left in the room. Ellie had opened the box of candy
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