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Please, no, Alex thought despairingly If there was anything as bad as Christmas it was someone as an enthusiast about it

‘Evergreens’ the confounded chit began ‘Cutting them and’

Alex glowered

Chapter Three

‘And it is so cold, but that is part of the fun, everyone wrapped up and the snow crunching underfoot, and that gorgeous smell of pines’ Tess closed her eyes, the better to recall it Melish Christo abroad There hadn’t been e each year

She had never asked why they kept ranted, as children do Now, from an adult perspective, she realised they had probably been keeping one step ahead of recognition and scandal and that hy they’d left the country—the Continent was cheaper and there would be less gossip

But ere happy, she thought, recalling snowball fights at Christmas and unconditional love all the year round When she opened her eyes again Alex Teh he had bitten a wasp Grumpy man

She pressed on, ignoring hi up, unstoppable ‘And planning what presents you can give your friends and finding theifts There’s all the fun of hiding the the other person’s face when they try to guess what’s in the parcel’

Mr Rivers was sh his eyes were still sad Tess smiled back ‘And all the food to prepare And church on Christ too excited to sleep afterwards and yet, somehow, you do’

Lord Weybourn, Alex, looked as though he was in pain now What was the matter with the man?

‘Have you done your Christ already, Miss Ellery?’ Mr Rivers asked ‘You seem to be someone ould plan ahead’