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