Author's note: Thank you for the reviews! I really appreciate them!

Eight reindeer humping

'Oh, God, not again,' Mary groaned as she and Tom drove into their office car park on the Downton estate after dropping the kids off at school. 'What is wrong with people? Look! That is just depraved. What if children see it?'

Tom shook his head as he pulled into his parking space and shut down the engine. He stared at the festive display on the grass outside their office, trying to suppress a grin.

Earlier that month, Mary had got one of the estate groundsmen to set up what she considered to be a tasteful display with Santa in his sleigh being pulled by eight reindeer, red-nosed Rudolph at the front, the remaining seven beside and behind him.

However, on several occasions since the display had appeared, they'd arrived at work to find the reindeer had been rearranged into less festive and more X-rated positions. And this morning, yet again, four of the reindeer had mounted the reindeer in front of them.

'Why? Why would someone keep doing this?' Mary griped as she got out of the car, slamming the door behind her.

'Because it's funny?' Tom offered, closing his door more gently.

She glared at him. 'Funny? Only if you're a childish imbecile!'

'That's a bit harsh,' Thomas called from the front door of the office, a steaming mug already in his hand. 'What's not funny about Santa's reindeer humping? Rudolph definitely looks like he's enjoying it to me.'

'He certainly looks... surprised,' Tom put in.

'See? I rest my case,' Mary said, unamused and stone-faced, striding towards Thomas. 'You'd better not have drunk all the coffee.'

'Just poured you one, milady,' Thomas said, his deferential nod belied by the cheeky grin on his face.

'Thank you. When you've finished that, you and Tom can go and decouple the reindeer,' she ordered, stalking past him, the coffee calling to her.

Tom followed behind her, looking enquiringly at Thomas. 'Did you pour one for me, too?'

'Course, I did. Then, did you hear? We've got to go split up the amorous reindeer.'

Tom sighed. 'Bloody kids.'

'Might not be kids.'

'Who else is it going to be?'

'Some wag in the village, maybe,' Thomas offered, shooting an amused look at the humping reindeer.

'Damn, I left my briefcase in the office. I've got some work that I need to do tonight, so I'm just going to pop and get it,' Tom said, standing and shoving his phone in his back pocket. 'Will you be all right seeing to the kids by yourself until I get back? I won't be too long.'

'Yeah, of course,' Mary nodded, picking up a magazine and settling back onto the sofa as neither of the kids moved, both engrossed in their as Tom was disappearing out of the door, she looked up. 'Tom!'

He stuck his head back around the door. 'What?'

'Check if the reindeer are, well, you know, respectable.'

'What about the reindeer?' Sybbie asked, looking up, her interest piqued.

'Nothing.'

'But you said Daddy had to check them.'

Mary gave an irritated sigh, knowing that Sybbie wouldn't leave this alone. 'Somebody keeps moving them.'

'Moving them how?'

'Just… moving them from where they should be.'

'Maybe they are moving by themselves,' George piped up.

'They can't move by themselves,' Mary said, shaking her head.

'Maybe they can. They're magic, aren't they? Santa's reindeer can fly and normal reindeer can't,' George pointed out.

'Neither can wicker reindeer.'

'But – ' George began.

'No, George, somebody is moving them; they are not moving by themselves,' Mary said, firmly.

'I'll check,' Tom said quickly, pouring oil on troubled waters.

'Thank you,' Mary said.

'Drive carefully, Daddy,' Sybbie called, waving at her father.

'I will, poppet,' Tom said and beat a retreat.

Nearing the office, Tom was surprised to see a car already in the car park, the headlights on, illuminating the festive display, two figures working busily in the pool of light. They froze as he pulled up.

Tom got out of the car and started to laugh. 'Oh, I should have known.'

'Mary's not with you, is she?' Thomas asked, sounding more panicked than he would ever admit to anyone.

'No, she's at home with the kids,' Tom said, walking over. 'Evening, Richard.'

Thomas's boyfriend nodded sheepishly back. 'I just want to say that this was not my idea. It was all his.'

'Throw me under the bus much?' Thomas squawked indignantly, glaring at his other half.

'Well, it was!'

'So, you are the childish imbecile behind all this then?' Tom teased. 'You know it's driving her nuts, don't you?'

'That's part of what makes it so funny,' Thomas admitted, grinning at his boss. 'That's why we keep coming back and doing it. I like to see the steam coming out of her ears of a morning.'

'You're an evil man, Thomas Barrow. What are you going to do with Santa?' Tom said, laughing as Thomas pushed and pulled Santa out of the sleigh.

'Put him in a compromising position with Rudolph,' Thomas confessed.

'Oh, she's going to totally flip when she sees that,' Tom grinned, watching Thomas manoeuvre Father Christmas into a very non-PG-rated position.

'You gonna tell on us?'

Tom shook his head, picturing Mary's face in the morning. 'No. In fact, do you need a hand?'

Thomas grinned. 'Get over here, Branson. Help me make Rudolph a much happier reindeer.'