Lady Penelope always adored Christmas - or the more appropriately named 'Festive' Season. And so, throughout the years, she managed to compile her very own special Advent Calendar. This was filled with memories and things that gave her a smile and influenced her in some small way. But to her, this was of an even greater significance.
Naturally, as she grew up, this list changed constantly. But there were some things that stayed the same.
The first on the list, on the 1st of December … were baubles.
She remembered accompanying her father - and Parker for that matter - to London, to the switching on of the lights. Obviously, her father insisted that they stay inside the car … for safety reasons. So it wasn't quite as magical as she'd expected. But still, there was at least one consolation.
Parker piped up and told 'is Lordship, that he would "take M'lady h'into the department store, h'as long h'as she kept a tight 'old of 'is 'and", Lord Creighton Ward couldn't argue with that and reluctantly allowed his precious daughter out of his sight.
True to his word, Parker was akin to a shadow, their hands firmly clasped tightly as he led her through milling crowds. There was a queue for the department store Santa, but Penny wasn't too bothered about all that nonsense. She was too entranced by the sparkling baubles on the store's own Christmas trees.
When Parker asked if any of them were for sale, and the assistant bluntly said no, there was almost another Global Conflict, there and then in the middle of the store. Penny's face turned beetroot red, her bottom lip pooched out and tears welled in her eyes.
It just took the summoning of the store manager … and a name drop or two. And, well, what do you know? A few minutes later, Penny and Parker left the store, she was clutching a carefully wrapped store bauble. A beaming smile on her face.
Of course, it never matched anything from their own personal festive decorations. But she kept it all the same. Each year, it is carefully unwrapped from the tissue paper, and is pride of place in the hallway.
Just for the day, mind you. She didn't want it to get broken.
And then it would be re-wrapped and put away until next 1 st of December.