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father someday.
    Thomas turned back to those gathered before him. ―I know
    this means a lot of work for everybody. There‘s very little time.‖
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    Simcox took a step forward. ―Might I say something, Your
    Lordship?‖
    ―Certainly, Simcox.‖
    ―I think I can speak for all here when I say we are
    delighted to hear this news. And we will be happy to do
    whatever you deem necessary, sir. Just give the orders.‖
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    Chapter 7

    ANDREW insisted on bringing Susan with them on their
    evergreen-gathering adventure. This delayed things a short
    time, while Katie bundled the little girl into layers of coats,
    scarves, boots and mittens, but Thomas didn‘t complain. They
    also brought two of the houseboys with them—a pair of
    teenaged twins named Hew and Duncan.
    The boys did much of the work, truthfully, leading a small,
    pony-pulled cart along a riding path in the woods and climbing
    trees to cut down spruce and pine boughs. Andrew and
    Thomas did try to do some of the climbing themselves, but
    Duncan chided them for it. ―Begging your pardon, Your
    Lordships, but we can hardly have two fine gentlemen like
    yourselves gettin‘ sticky sap all over your good clothes, now can
    we?‖
    ―Really, Duncan,‖ Andrew protested, ―We don‘t mind. And
    we don‘t want you to do all the hard work yourselves.‖
    ―Never you mind, sir. We enjoy it.‖
    Andrew looked to Thomas for help, but the man merely
    smiled and shook his head. Apparently, things were done a
    certain way at Barrington Hall, and there was no help for it.
    Some of the other servants had been sent out to chop
    down large trees for the entrance hall and the ballroom, and
    the forest was alive this morning with the sound of cheerful
    voices calling out to one another.
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    Susan was excited by the expedition, but she was still
    confused. ―Why are we bringing trees inside?‖ she asked,
    ―Won‘t they make an awful mess?‖
    ―One can hope,‖ Thomas said under his breath, a
    mischievous smile illuminating his handsome face.
    Andrew glanced away, fearing that he might betray his
    affections. Instead, he said to Susan, ―We bring evergreen
    boughs inside at Christmas, because they are beautiful and
    they smell fresh and wonderful.‖
    Susan still looked skeptical, and Thomas asked
    incredulously, ―Is that all?‖
    Andrew laughed. ―Well, it‘s a very ancient tradition. I
    suppose there might be some other reason for it, but I‘m not
    certain what it is.‖
    ―Mum says it‘s a symbol of the baby Jesus,‖ Hew
    commented.
    Thomas raised an eyebrow at the boy. ―Is it? How so?‖
    Hew shrugged. ―Can‘t rightly say as I know.‖
    ―Truthfully, sir,‖ Duncan said, ―Our mum thinks
    everything‘s a symbol of the baby Jesus. ‗Specially at this time
    of year.‖
    Thomas laughed and shook his head, scooping Susan off
    the ground in the same motion to lift her over the small, frozen
    brook that cut across the path. ―I think Andrew‘s answer shall
    have to stand, for now. Perhaps Katie will have a better one
    when we get back to the hall.
    ―I‘ve almost forgotten,‖ he added, putting the little girl
    down on the other side of the brook, ―We have one very special
    tree to find—the Yule log.‖
    ―What‘s a Yule log?‖
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    Once again, Thomas looked to Andrew, so the blond
    replied, ―It‘s the biggest fallen log we can find, Susan. It needs
    to be tremendous, so it will burn in the fireplace for the entire
    celebration.‖
    ―Why is it called a Yule log?‖
    ―Well, because we also call Christmas ‗Yule‘—please don‘t
    ask me why.‖
    Thomas and the brothers laughed at him, but Susan just
    looked up at him with those serious eyes. He was beginning to
    fear that the child never laughed.
    Susan did seem to enjoy the game of Find-the-Yule-Log,
    pointing out every fallen log