The Christmas of Adventure

©2015 June E.

Philip, Dinah, Jack and Lucy-Ann are excited at the prospect of spending their first Christmas together, but by Christmas Eve all their plans lie in ruins. Things get even worse when a severe snowstorm brings the country to a standstill and leaves Bill snowbound, hundreds of miles away. Forced to fend for themselves in Bill's remote moorland cottage, rumours abound of a strange and terrifying creature lurking in the woods nearby... and with a ruthless thief on the loose, striking at night and stealing birds from the local Sanctuary, the scene is set for a frightening and perilous adventure. Can they stop the thief before it's too late? Or will Kiki be the robber's next victim?

Chapter 13: 'Fair broke his heart, it did, when those birds were taken.'

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The next day dawned bright and clear, with no hint of further snow in the air, and not a breath of wind. All four children slept late, and the morning was well advanced and when they finally crept downstairs, tousle-headed and heavy-eyed.

Over a breakfast of bacon and eggs, the children discussed how to spend the day. No one mentioned Dinah's outburst of the previous night, when she had declared that she would return to the woods; they were rather hoping she had changed her mind.

'The telephone still isn't working, I've checked,' said Philip.

'Don't forget to blow your nose!' squawked Kiki, in between nibbling on some sunflower seeds and ruffling Jack's red hair with her beak.

'I've blown my nose and washed behind my ears, thank you Kiki!' laughed Philip.

Just as Lucy-Ann was pouring out a second cup of tea she suddenly stopped dead.

'There's something we've forgotten,' she said. 'Mrs Grouch is due to come today to clean the house and bring fresh bread and milk.'

'What time is she due to arrive?' asked Philip. 'Oh bother, how could we have forgotten!'

'Why does it matter?' asked Jack.

'Because, you fathead, she will see that Bill's not here and start asking awkward questions – that's why it matters. It would be far better if made ourselves scarce until she's gone.'

The children finished their breakfast quickly, said a hasty goodbye to Kiki, put on their coats and boots and hurried out of the house. They walked up the lane, no one really having much idea where to go or what to do.

'I say,' said Philip suddenly. 'Mrs Grouch will realise that Bill isn't back when she sees that his bed hasn't been slept in.'

Lucy-Ann grinned mischievously.

'No, she won't... because I ran into his room and ruffled his bed just before we came out!'

'Well done, Lucy-Ann!' laughed Jack. 'I didn't know you could be so sneaky!'

Lucy-Ann beamed.

The children followed the lane towards Moorland Village; it was cold, but the sun was shining and it was a lovely winter's day. Snow still lay thick on the ground, and over the hedges they could see fields so clean and smooth that they looked like freshly washed white sheets. They passed a cluster of white-washed cottages, each with wood smoke streaming from their chimneys. An old lady opened her front door, threw out some scraps of bread and put out a dish of water for the birds.

'Most people forget to put out water for the birds,' said Jack, smiling at the old lady approvingly. 'But when the temperature is below freezing, the water on the bird table freezes too.'

Soon the children came to the village; it was a small but pretty place with a straggle of cottages on either side of the road, a post office, a tiny tea shop and a church.

'That tea room looks so pretty!' said Lucy-Ann, as they passed by. 'Betty's – what a nice, friendly name.'

Betty's tea shop was small, but clean and neat; it had five little wooden tables, each with a fresh white cloth, red and white checked curtains, and a heavenly smell of fresh baking coming from its open front door.

'I've got some money,' said Jack, still wanting to make amends for his behaviour of the previous day. 'I'll treat us all to a drink and a snack.'

The four hurried inside and chose a table by the fire. A plump lady with curly grey hair, twinkling blue eyes and a bright red, flour-dusted apron bustled out of the kitchen to greet them.

'Welcome to Betty's! Now do sit down and warm yourselves, it's mighty cold outside today. Then menu is on the black board over there. Everything is homemade. I make the best hot chocolate there is, everyone says so. And I've just put a batch of scones in the oven.'

She spoke with such warmth and friendliness that Lucy-Ann suddenly missed Aunt Allie enormously, and had to choke back a tear. She pretended she was studying the menu board intently and bit her lip until the tear subsided.

Ten minutes later, the four children were sipping steaming mugs of hot chocolate and munching on fresh baked scones.

'Oh, these are delicious!' said Philip appreciatively, putting a big dollop of jam and whipped cream onto a piece of warm scone.

'I'm so glad you like them,' said Betty, standing by their table and beaming. 'I do love it when people appreciate my baking. Now if you children care to pop in tomorrow morning, I'll be making ginger cake with lemon icing – I think you'll like it.'

'Oooh, my mouth is watering at the thought of it,' mumbled Dinah, taking a big bite of scone. 'Bill never told us there was such a lovely tea shop in the village.'

Betty's eyes lit up at the mention of Bill's name.

'Oh, so you're friends of Bill's, are you? Well that's good to know. Any friend of Bill's is welcome here. He's done me a good turn many a time. He's good chap, is Bill.'

Betty turned and called out, 'Harry! Harry! Come and meet some friends of Bill's.'

Out from the back of the shop popped a curious-looking man, obviously Betty's husband. He had on a grubby countrymen's outdoor coat which seemed to have about ten pockets, thick leather gloves that came above his wrists, and a green hat pulled tightly onto his balding head. In his gloved hands he was carrying thin strips of brown leather, some of which had tassled ends.

Jack's eyes opened wide.

'Excuse me sir,' he said. 'But are those jesses?'

Harry smiled broadly.

'I can see as you're a lad as knows a thing or two,' he said. 'Yes, quite right – these are mews jesses.'

Philip, Dinah and Lucy-Ann looked mystified. It was as if Jack and Harry were speaking in their own private language. Harry saw the puzzled expressions on the faces of the three children.

'I own the Moorland Bird Sanctuary,' he said, by way of explanation. The children still looked blankly at him, so he continued.

'A jess is a thin strip of leather which is fastened to the leg of a bird of prey to stop it flying off; mews jesses keep the bird attached to its perch in the aviary. When a bird is taken out to fly, the mews jess is swapped for a flying jess. Flying jesses are smaller and lighter, so they don't hinder the bird in flight.'

Jack's rapt expression said it all – he was in his element! He was mad about birds, and now he had met someone who was equally mad about them – and who spent his life with them, just as Jack hoped to do.

Betty turned to Harry and said with a smile, 'He could talk about birds from morning till night, couldn't you, Harry? Now mind don't you go into my clean kitchen with your dirty working clothes. Be off with you, out from under my feet.'

Jack's face fell. The last thing he wanted was for Harry to rush off. Not when he had a million questions to ask him. But Harry was both quick witted and kind. He noticed Jack's expression and said, 'Now then. I can see you are a well brought up young man, who knows a thing or two about birds. How would you like to come to see the sanctuary? We're closed to the public this week, but I go there every day to see to the birds.'

'He'd have his meals there if I let him!' chuckled Betty. 'By 'eck he does love them birds.'

'Yes please, sir,' said Jack politely, hardly believing his good luck. 'And may my sister and friends come too?'

Harry surveyed the group of children.

'I'm very careful who I let in, especially lately. I've had some birds taken,' he said sadly.

'Fair broke his heart, it did, when those birds were taken,' said Betty gently, giving Harry's arm a squeeze. 'But Harry, these children are friends of Bill's – and any friends of Bill's can be trusted.'

Harry thought for a moment and then said, 'Bill is the finest fellow I know. If he trusts you, so will I. You are all welcome to come along to the sanctuary.'

'Oh, thank you so much,' said Philip, Dinah and Lucy-Ann with relief. For a moment they had feared they would be left behind!

As the children hurried out with Harry, Betty said wistfully, 'I always said that Bill should find himself a wife and have some children – a fine husband and father he'd make... you mark my words.'

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