Page 26 of Snowdrops and Winterberry
“This here’s from me.” Mr. Simpkin handed him a present.
Adam untied the twine bow. He peeled back the bit of paper wrapped around the oddly shaped item. Inside was a horse carved from a very dark wood. Its legs were in a running position. He’d never had a wooden horse that didn’t look like it was standing about being bored. This horse looked exciting and strong.
“Thank you,” he said.
“My pleasure, Your Grace.” Mr. Simpkin had to call him that, but he made it sound more like a name than a title, like it wassomething he said because he was a friend.
“And, my wee Adam, this is from me.” Nurse Robbie gave him a handkerchief, one that was very white, so it must have been very new.
Adam unfolded it. One corner was embroidered with a letterK, with loops and extra bits to make it fancy.
“TheKis for Kielder,” she explained.
That made a lot of sense. The opposite corner of the handkerchief had an embroidered thistle.
“The thistle because of your song?” he asked. “The one you sing to me?”
Nurse Robbie nodded. “I sewed it for you these last few nights after you’d gone to sleep.”
“My father always had a handkerchief.”
Lord Jonquil nodded with approval. “Gentlemen always carry them.”
“That’s one of the rules?” Adam asked.
“It is. And Nurse Robbie has made certain you have one that suits you.”
Adam looked to his beloved nurse once more. “Thank you, Nurse Robbie.”
“Of course, my wee boy.”
Lord Jonquil stood, something he always did with a bounce. He never did seem able to sit still for very long. “We should play a game.”
“I like games,” Adam said, still leaning against Lady Jonquil with her arms holding him soft and gentle.
“I know which one,” she said. “Masked tag.”
“I’m devilishly fond of masked tag.” Lord Jonquil spoke excitedly. Whatever game this new one was, it must be quite enjoyable. “What do you say, Adam? Would you like to play masked tag?”
“I don’t know what that is,” he admitted withoutembarrassment. He was too excited to be embarrassed.
“You might know it by another name,” Lady Jonquil said. “I’ve heard it called many different things. One of the people playing has a piece of cloth tied over his or her eyes so he or she cannot see. The others stand nearby, calling out to the one who is searching for them but all the while attempting to avoid being caught. If someone is caught and the one doing the catching can identify that person, they switch places.”
Adam thought he understood, but he was a little confused. “Is this a fun game?”
Lord and Lady Jonquil looked confused.
“Have you never played it?” she asked.
Adam shook his head. “My father didn’t play very many games with me. I’m not sure he understood about games. There weren’t any other children at the castle. My mother wasn’t—”
His voice broke off the way it sometimes did when he talked about her. He didn’t know if she would have played with him if she’d ever been at home. He wasn’t certain she liked spending time with him.
Of all people, Mr. Simpkin saved Adam from his sudden dip into embarrassment.
“I’ll be the first to do the seeking,” he stood. “I was quite good at this game when I was a young boy.”
Arrangements were made quickly for Mr. Simpkin’s eyes to be covered with the black sash Adam had been given. While that was being accomplished, Adam had a chance to regain his footing. He didn’t always grow emotional when talking about his mother, but he had just done so. Perhaps it was because he was finally having the Christmas he’d missed. He remembered the loneliness of being in that cold boardinghouse with no other boys around, eating alone—even the matron who ran it hadn’t joined him—listening to the silence all around him and wishing he’d been having Christmas with his mother.
