The Mandie Collection by Lois Gladys Leppard

everyone tried to ask Hilda questions, but she only smiled and did not answer.
    Joe spoke softly to Mandie so no one else could hear. “Well, I suppose we can go ahead and decorate with the holly and mistletoe this afternoon,” he said.
    Mandie took a long drink of water from the glass by her plate. “If we can hurry and get that done, then we can look some more for my presents,” she whispered back.
    â€œLook where?” Joe asked quietly. “We’ve looked the whole house over.”
    They continued talking in whispers because they didn’t want anyone to know that they had missed the presents. But Mandie noticed that Hilda was watching them closely, and she wondered if the girl could read lips.
    â€œWe’re being eavesdropped on,” Mandie said softly, glancing at Hilda.
    Joe nodded and fell silent.
    Mr. Bond looked out the tall French windows at the high snowdrifts outside. “That snow just keeps on out there,” he said. “I don’t believe I’ve ever seen it snow this much for so long without letting up for a while.”
    â€œMe neither,” Jake Burns agreed.
    â€œI do wish it’d clear up enough for Elizabeth and the others to get home,” Mrs. Taft remarked. “At the rate it’s going, they may not be able to make it home in time for Christmas Day.”
    Mandie dropped her fork onto her plate. “Mother not here for Christmas?” she exclaimed. “She’s got to get here for Christmas!”
    â€œI’m sure she’ll do her best to get back by then, but you might as well be prepared in case she doesn’t,” Grandmother Taft warned. “Don’tget your hopes up too much. That weather is bad out there, and it could be a lot worse over at Tellico, where they are.”
    As Mandie thought about Christmas without her mother, she couldn’t eat another bite. “Celia Hamilton and her mother are supposed to come in time for News Year’s Day,” Mandie reminded her grandmother. “Do you think they might not make it either?”
    â€œI just don’t know,” Mrs. Taft said. “They’ll be coming by train. Your mother and the others went in the rig.”
    â€œAt least there’s one I can always count on,” Mandie said. “Uncle Ned will be here no matter what kind of weather we have.”
    Joe sat forward. “You said he didn’t tell you what day, though,” he said.
    â€œNo, but that’s all right. He’ll be here sooner or later,” Mandie replied. “He promised my father he would watch over me, and he always does.” Her voice trembled.
    Grandmother Taft took a sip of coffee. “If you young people are finished, you may be excused,” she said.
    Mandie and Joe hurried out to the back porch, which was partially enclosed. Hilda trailed along behind them, stopping in the doorway. There were piles of holly with bright red berries and bunches of mistletoe. Some were covered with a little snow where it had blown in.
    â€œBrr! It’s cold out here!” Mandie exclaimed, shivering in the cold air.
    Joe gathered up some of the limbs. “We should have put on our coats,” he agreed.
    â€œMove back, Hilda,” Mandie said, grabbing an armload of branches. “We’re going to bring this inside.”
    Hilda stepped aside as Mandie and Joe carried the greenery into the hallway and divided it up, taking some of it into the parlor. Without saying a word Hilda watched and tried to help. They made wreaths out of some of it and hung them in the windows. And they placed a huge wreath on the outside of the front door.
    As Hilda played with the berries from the holly, she kept saying, “Red, green, red, green.”
    Mandie stopped working a moment. “Hilda, why do you keep saying that?”
    â€œDo you know what happened to all the presents wrapped in red paper that were under the Christmas tree?” Joe asked.
    Hilda grinned