"Papa must the trees really come down tomorrow?" Sybil looked forlornly at the family Christmas tree in the library.
"Yes my dear." Robert looked impatiently at his youngest daughter. "You know we always take them down in the first week in January."
Sybil moved her eyes from the tree to her father. "But Papa they're just so beautiful. Can't they stay up just a little longer?"
Robert shook his head but before he could say anything Sybil pleaded "maybe we could just leave this one up?" She looked hopefully at her father.
Instead of answering her, Robert reached out his arms beckoning his seven year old daughter to come to him. When she did, he scooped her up and sat her on his lap. As he did so he realized how big she was getting and a pang of regret crossed his mind as he thought that how quickly the time had passed since she was a baby.
"Didn't you have a wonderful holiday season?" he asked her.
Sybil shook her head up and down. "Oh yes Papa."
"And what was your favorite thing?"
Sybil scrunched up her face as she thought about all that had happened in the last couple of weeks. There had just been so much going on like the decorating party, the tenants party where she got to play with some of the tenant's children, the visit of her friends Imogen and Clara, and of course the New Year's Eve ball which she and Imogen secretly watched from the balcony. But probably her favorite was Christmas Day itself not just because of all the gifts Father Christmas had brought but that she spent the day with her family including the rare event of eating both luncheon and dinner with them.
"It was all just so much fun" Sybil finally replied.
xxxxx
Since her father wouldn't relent and let the Christmas trees stay up for a bit longer, Sybil decided to spend one last night enjoying them.
"Edith" Sybil quietly murmured as she tugged on her sister's arm. "Mrs. Gorden's asleep."
"Are you sure?" a groggy Edith asked.
"Can't you hear her snoring?" came Sybil's reply and indeed the faint sounds of the nanny's gentle snoring could be heard through the partially open doorway that separated her sleeping room from the nursery proper.
Edith sat up in her warm and comfy bed not sure if she wanted to join her sister on this midnight adventure. Looking over at Sybil's bed she frowned as she spotted a sleeping form lying under the covers . "Who's in your bed?"
Sybil sighed deeply as if her sister was completely daft. "No one silly. It's just to make Mrs. Gorden think I'm still sleeping if she should wake up and decide to check on us."
After making such a form in her bed, Edith and Sybil quietly opened the bedroom door and tiptoed out into the corridor. No one else slept in this corridor so Sybil was sure there was no possibility of any one seeing them at least until they got to the grand staircase.
The girls peered through the openings in the balcony railings to make sure no one was about before descending the stairway. It seemed eerily quiet in the Grand Hall which was dimly lit by a lone lamp. Sybil paused in front of the darken Christmas tree and for a moment wanted to turn on its lights one last time but fearing this would catch someone's attention she decided to head to the library.
"I never realized how dark it is in here" Edith exclaimed as the two girls stood just inside the library's doorway.
Shutting the door behind them Sybil commanded "Stand here Edith while I'll get the lights."
Edith watched in amazement as Sybil easily made her way to the far side of the room to turn on the lamp on their father's desk.
"Just how do you know your way around here in the dark?" a puzzled Edith asked.
Sybil waved her hand in the air as she blithely replied "oh that's not really important now Edith."
Walking towards the unlit Christmas tree, she continued "what's important is lighting this tree." A moment later the room was bathed in the glow of the colorful lights.
Sybil clapped her hands in delight. "It's still so beautiful."
As Edith sat down on one of the red sofas, Sybil said "not there silly. Let's lay down in front of the tree so we can really enjoy it."
"But the floor is …" Edith began to whine.
"Here!" Sybil exclaimed as she brought out some pillows and blankets she had hidden earlier in the room.
"However did you-"
"Really Edith if you're going to take these adventures you need to do some thinking and planning" responded Sybil.
Settling down in front of the tree, snuggled in the blankets, the two sisters quietly laid there, each lost in their own thoughts. Edith remembered the excitement of Christmas morning and seeing all the presents under the tree.
"I think there's something fishy about the story of Father Christmas" Sybil finally broke the silence. "I've looked and looked and thought about it and I just don't think he can come down the chimney" she paused "especially with all those presents."
Edith impulsively laughed before realizing that her sister was quite serious. She couldn't quite remember how she had found out the truth about Father Christmas … probably it was Mary that told her … but she remembered feeling rather let down.
"I think he has to come in the through the door" Sybil continued "and he must have a cart of some kind otherwise it would take him so many trips to carry everything in."
Edith didn't want to be the one to tell Sybil the truth. "I think maybe you should ask Mama or Papa."
That seemed to satisfy Sybil for a few minutes.
"You know what would make this evening better is if we had some hot chocolate" Sybil announced.
Edith murmured in agreement. "That does sound nice but I'm sure the cook has retired to her bed and we certainly can't go wake her up."
"Do you think we could make some?"
"I don't have the slightest idea how to make it" Edith replied.
"Well it must just be heating up some milk and some chocolate" Sybil stated. "But I wonder what kind of chocolate?"
"I'm not sure we could find it the kitchen." Edith was now a bit worried that Sybil might want them to actually go down to the kitchen and try to make some.
Sybil stood up and had taken a few steps when Edith, quite alarmed, rose up and said "Sybil I don't think we should-"
"I'm not going to the kitchen Edith. I just remembered Papa has drinks over here" she pointed to the cart that sat in the corner of the library.
"But Sybil … those aren't drinks for us … they're …"
Sybil was looking at the array of bottles sitting on the cart. "Papa always says it nice to sit in front of the fire and have a brandy so just think how nice it would be to sit in front of the Christmas tree and have one." She picked up a bottle. "Do you know what brandy is?"
Edith, who was now standing next to Sybil, shook her head as she looked at the various bottles. Seeing the bottle Sybil was holding she said "it's not that dark."
Edith looked among the various bottles before spotting one that had the word "brandy" on the label. Holding the bottle in her hand she turned to look at Sybil. "I'm not sure we should drink this."
"Oh Papa won't notice if a little bit is missing."
"No Sybil I mean … I think it's something that only grownups drink."
"But didn't that Christmas pudding have brandy in it?"
"But that's different … that's…" Edith shrugged for she wasn't really sure what the difference was.
Sybil had found two glasses stored on the bottom shelf of the cart. "It's probably not as good as hot chocolate would be but it will have to do."
The sisters took their places back on the floor in front of the tree, wrapped in their blankets, each holding a glass of brandy.
"Should we make a toast?" Edith asked. "I mean that's what one does for special occasions."
"I don't think there's any bread in here" replied Sybil "and doesn't that have to be cooked?"
"Not that kind of toast silly" Edith stated. "A toast is when you say something before you drink and then everyone touches their glasses."
"Well okay" Sybil grudgingly replied. "What do you want to say?"
Edith closed her eyes as she tried to remember any toast she had heard Papa say. "I can't remember-"
"Let's just say … until next year."
Sybil smiled. "Okay … until next year" and she clinked her glass with Edith's.
It was Sybil's plan that they be back in their rooms before anyone woke up but somehow the girls had fallen fast asleep and it wasn't until one of the housemaids came in to light the fireplace were they found.