Winters' Tales

Christmas At Praed Street.

-CHRISTMAS DAY, BETWEEN THE EVENTS OF 'AT THE PLAZA MAJESTIC' AND 'MADAME JUROR'-

"Allie!"

"What, Izzy?"

"What did you do with the string?"

"Gave it to you, about half an hour ago!" I shouted, as I balanced precariously on a little wooden stool, attempting to affix one end of a string of tinsel to a little hook I had already nailed into the wall.

"Well, I can't see it, and I can't move to get it!" my sister hollered back, and I rolled my eyes, stretching just that little bit further to properly secure the tinsel.With a crack and a shattering of wood the precarious stool I stood on broke, and deposited me, and the tinsel, all over the floor. A few seconds later, there was another crash from the other room, as Isabel dropped whatever she was holding and charged in.

"Are you alright?" she asked worriedly, pulling me up. Feeling absolutely fine, if somewhat ruffled, I raised a cynical eyebrow.

"Fine" I replied. "But I thought you said you couldn't move."

Isabel pouted, knowing I'd caught her out.

"Nice to be appreciated" she grumbled.

"The string's around your wrist" I told her, not too unkindly, but we did still have a lot to do."Have you set the table?" Isabel asked grumpily, pulling the offending ball of string from her wrist and picking up the broken stool.

"That's my next job" I replied, picking up the tinsel. "Once I've got this thing up."

"What should we do with this?" my sister then said, still holding the stool as I clambered onto the sofa arm, in order to get the tinsel where it needed to be. This time, I lassoed the hook, and the tinsel stayed up perfectly.

"Hide it." I finally answered, holding onto the ceiling for balance. "Under the stairs."

"Right."

I ducked into our little dining room in order to set the table, and I heard the doorbell go a little time later.

"Izzy!" I yelled, just as Isabel yelled my name also.

I rolled my eyes, left the table setting, and went to get the door.

"Hettie!" I beamed, as I opened it. "Good to see you!"

"Allie!" Hettie beamed, and we hugged. "I've brought a few homemade desserts, and Percy and I will help out in the kitchen if you need it."

"I'm afraid we rather do" I admitted, with an embarrassed laugh, having greeted Hettie's husband, who was rather hidden behind a pile of presents and other boxes.

"Lead the way!" Hettie ordered cheerily, and I pointed her down to help Isabel in the kitchen.

"Do you want to put some of those down?" I asked Percy Broker kindly, taking half of the boxes from him.

"These are presents" the young soldier told me. "What you're holding goes mostly in the kitchen."

"Lounge is there" I directed, pointing with my foot as my hands were full. Broker followed my directions, leaning on the door to open it, and staggering through. I teetered down to the kitchen, leaving the boxes on the kitchen table and going back to the dining room, quickly finishing the table setting before meeting Isabel in the hall, taking the tray of tea from her and through to Broker in the lounge.

"Lunch won't be too long, I hope" I told him in earnest, pouring him tea. "We're a little behind schedule, but..."

I was cut off by the door again.

Smiling at Broker and leaving to open it, I greeted Fisher with a laugh and good wishes, inviting him down for tea in the lounge while Hettie and Isabel busied themselves in the kitchen.

"I...It smells divine" the little Deputy Inspector commented, sniffing as he put his gifts down with the rest of ours.

"Isabel got us a turkey on the cheap" I told him, as we sat down with Broker in the lounge.

"We've also got carrots and cabbage and lots of potatoes, and Hettie's been kind enough to bring us some sprouts" Isabel cut in, sticking her head in the door. "And if it isn't too much trouble, we could do with some more hands."

Fisher jumped up instantly, as did I. Broker downed his tea, and we all piled into the tiny kitchen. I was assigned with Fisher to chopping vegetables, but I had to leave him as the doorbell went for the third time.

"Doctor!" I greeted happily, as the old man smiled pleasantly to greet me. "I'm glad you could make it! And-oh!"

Chief Inspector Barnes beamed, taking my hand and shaking it firmly."I know I said I couldn't come" he admitted. "But plans changed, all of a sudden. Do you mind me barging in?"

"Not at all" I grinned happily. "But I'll have to tell Isabel you're here. So she can cook for one more."

"Two more" the Chief Inspector joked, with a sly wink, patting his stomach.

I raised a cynical eyebrow, letting him in.

"Do they need help in the kitchen?" Barnes then asked, as he loaded me with the gifts he carried.

"They will do" I replied, groaning a little under the weight as I led Dr. Scott into the lounge.

"I'll have to move the chairs round for one more" I muttered, dusting off my hands. "There's tea in the pot. Do you mind, Doctor?"

"Actually, I've brought a little something to go on the table" Dr. Scott mused, picking up a particular bag. "I got them off an old friend. He owes me favors. Would you like to see?"

He pulled from the bag what looked to me like a big, cardboard sweet.

I frowned.

"What are they?"

"Christmas crackers" Dr. Scott replied. "Two people each pull one end. It makes a bit of a bang, but there are things inside."

"Is there one for each of us?" I asked, as we entered the dining room and I began to shift around the chairs.

"Naturally" Dr. Scott smiled. "It should be fun."

He helped me with the chairs and the cutlery, as well as setting out his Christmas crackers at each place.

When the doorbell rang again I knew who it had to be.

"Hello" I beamed, as I opened the door, and Lieutenant Robert Newham grinned back, sweeping me into a tight hug.

"I'm glad you're home for Christmas" I told him, as he carried me into the hall, planting a kiss on my cheek.

"I'm glad I'm here for Christmas" he corrected, and we headed into the lounge, just as, it seemed, all of the cooking lot finished their jobs. It was a tight fit, but with me on Newham's lap and Fisher on the sofa arm, we all just about fitted in the tiny lounge at Praed Street.

"Something smells delicious" Newham commented. "What is it?"

"All my hard work and effort" Isabel replied dryly, and everyone laughed.

"I'm glad we could organise this" Hettie sighed happily, as the tea was passed around.

"I'm glad I could come" Barnes added.

"I...I think Isabel would have been less so if she'd already cooked the vegetables" Fisher joked, looking a little fondly at my sister, and his boss tried to push him off the sofa arm.

"Merry Christmas, everyone" Dr. Scott said, raising his teacup in a sort of toast.

"Merry Christmas" we all chorused happily. Newham squeezed my hand in his, and there was a moment of quiet.

"Can I smell burning?" Percy Broker asked suddenly.

In all my years, I had never seen my sister move so fast.