Thomas was tired of listening to the mindless chatter of his coworkers so without a word he left the room deciding on spending his short bit of free time in the fresh air. Without any purpose in mind he found himself on the long gravel drive heading towards the village. He had covered half the distance towards the village when he spotted ahead of him a young child scurrying down the drive.
With his natural curiosity raised, Thomas quickened his pace. His long strides were no match for the much smaller child and he quickly closed the gap between them discovering, much to his surprise, it was Miss Sybbie. He couldn't imagine what the child was doing out here by herself.
"Miss Sybbie" he called out as he drew alongside the little girl.
When she turned to look at him he saw the alarm etched across her face.
"Oh Thomas you won't tell will you?" Her words came out in a rush.
He looked at the innocent face tilted up towards him, the look in her big blue eyes matching the pleading in her voice.
"Well" he paused not sure what to say. He knelt down on one knee to make himself closer to her level. "Where are you hurrying off to?"
She looked around as if worried someone might overhear her although there was no one in sight. "I'm off to the sweet shop."
Then she moved her head a bit closer to him and whispered "Tomorrow is Daddy's birthday."
"Oh" Thomas nodded his head in understanding.
"I made him a drawing that he can put on his office wall but he already has so many of those."
"I'm sure he loves those drawings and you really can't have enough drawings."
"Do you really think so Thomas?"
"I'm sure he loves all of them Miss Sybbie. I know I would."
"But I want to get him a surprise. Every week Donk gives me a few coins for my piggy bank but this week I didn't put all the coins in my bank." She gave him a big grin and then, taking him off guard, began scurrying down the gravel path.
Pulling himself upright, he rushed after her. "So why the hurry?"
She took a deep breath but didn't stop walking. "I have to get back before Mrs. Phillips notices I'm gone."
Thomas chuckled to himself. "Ah … so how did you manage to escape your nanny."
Sybbie stopped walking and stared up at Thomas. "She often falls asleep after lunch and so I waited" she shrugged her little shoulders "and then I …" She didn't finish her sentence before taking off once again.
"I really don't have long before she'll wake up."
Thinking it was best to watch after her he asked "Well do you mind if I go with you?"
"Of course not Thomas" then grinning at him "I'd love the company." This caused him to laugh. He marveled at how she could say things sounding in tone so much like her Aunt Mary but somehow not come across as so uppity or condescending.
"So do you have drawings on your wall Thomas?"
"I'm afraid not."
"But why not?"
"Well I don't have a thoughtful daughter like you."
"Why not?"
"That's just the way it is."
"But …" Whatever Sybbie was going to say remained silent as they arrived at the sweet shop.
Thomas wasn't sure he had ever been in the small shop before. Most of the space was taken up by a glass counter that ran the width of the shop. The three shelves behind the glass contained a variety of chocolates and other sweets as well as a small selection of biscuits. The woman behind the counter was obviously familiar with the little girl because she warmly greeted her. "Hello Miss Branson."
Sybbie smiled as she replied "Hello Mrs. Bantry."
Mrs. Bantry's raised her brow as she then looked at Thomas. "And where's your father today?" she asked Sybbie.
"It's a surprise for Daddy" Sybbie gaily replied. "I'm buying him some sweets for his birthday."
"Ah" Mrs. Bantry smiled. "We have the caramel creams today which I think is one of his favorites.
"Oh yes!" Sybbie replied. She leaned her head against the glass to look closely at the plate of caramel creams. Then noticing the plate of chocolate covered peanuts next them she clapped her hands in glee.
It was then that Thomas noticed the small bag tied around Sybbie's right wrist. Sybbie reached into the bag and pulled out some coins. Lifting her hand with the coins towards Mrs. Bantry she asked "How many can I get with this? Some of the caramel and some of the chocolate peanuts."
Mrs. Bantry had a soft spot for both the little girl and her father who probably came into the shop at least once a week. She filled a small bag with the two kinds of sweets. "What if I tie a nice blue ribbon around the bag so that it looks like a present?"
Sybbie enthusiastically bobbed her head up and down. "That would be wonderful."
"Oh it looks beautiful" Sybbie exclaimed when Mrs. Bantry handed her the bag.
Proudly carrying her bag of sweets Sybbie practically skipped back towards the Abbey. "I think Daddy will be so surprised Thomas."
She looked up at him. "Daddy says it's nice to get surprises."
"Yes I think so too" Thomas replied wistfully. He looked down at the little girl who with her ready smile and curious mind always brought a ray of sunshine into his often bleak world. He might be resentful of the way her father was now an accepted member of the family and enjoying all that entailed but at times he envied him for having this little girl.
xxxxxx
Thomas was sitting at the long table in the servants hall reading the newspaper when he heard the patter of footsteps. He knew before looking up from his newpaper the footsteps belonged to Miss Sybbie.
When he did look up the little girl was standing beside him with her hands behind her back.
"You look rather mysterious today Miss Sybbie" Thomas grinned. "Planning on running away while nanny naps?"
Sybbie shook her head. Then grinning she said "I'm delivering a surprise.
Thomas quirked his eyebrow "Oh?"
Her grin broadening Sybbie moved her hand from behind her back and thrust a piece of paper at Thomas.
He looked at the drawing of two figures, one a man wearing black, one a little girl in a pink dress. They were standing in a field with boldly colored flowers on one side of them and in the upper corner part of a large house.
She leaned in towards him and whispered "It's you and me yesterday on the way to the sweet shop."