‘Hear hear!’ boomed Miss Parsley. ‘Now let’s go and have mince pies!’
As the audience started leaving, Bryony’s friends gathered round, all patting her on the back.
‘Wow,’ said Hari. ‘Respect, Bry. That was one hard case to crack.’
‘Brilliant!’ smiled Emma. ‘I knew you could do it!’
‘But I couldn’t have done it without you lot,’ said Bryony. ‘And I certainly wouldn’t have spoken up on that stage without the rest of the Super Six right beside me.’
Josh nudged her. ‘Come on, then! Time to go home and get ready for mince pies – I-I mean – carol singing!’
He grinned, and with a nod, his sister grinned back.
‘Thanks, Bryony,’ said Mr Cooper. And Meredith (and even Morgan) gave her the biggest of hugs.
Mr Thimblefold looked really grateful too, and he was smiling again!
‘Yes, thank you!’ he said. ‘And your friends too. This really means so much to me. I shall open my little shop again right after Christmas. I’ve been missing it so much.’
‘Before the 28th!’ Bryony said quickly. ‘There’s a lady who wants the train clock for her son.’
Mr Thimblefold nodded. ‘Oh, right! Well, I’ll make sure of it.’
They headed out together, but suddenly they stopped as the corridor was crammed with people. During the play the snow had really come down so they could barely get out through the door.
‘The lanes will be right blocked!’ Farmer Jenkins grumbled.
‘Oh dear!’ The postman shook his head. ‘I’m afraid that’s that for the Friendship Jars then. The roads were bad enough before, but no cars, or vans, including mine, will get anywhere now,’ he said.
‘Grrr, I’d take them in me tractor,’ puffed Farmer Jenkins. ‘ ’Cept it’s broke!’
There was a chorus of sad mutterings, then everyone fell silent. The Friendship Jars were such an important part of Christmas . . .
‘Oh, wait! Hold your horses!’ It was Miss Pigeon. ‘I’ve just had a vision!’ she cried. And as everyone gathered around to listen, out it tumbled as fast as the snow . . .
‘I sees a jar – and another – and a little pony-reindeer! And he shall save Christmas or I’s a silly sprout!’ She spun round to Miss Parsley . . .
‘Don’t you DARE.’
*
‘This is such a responsibility!’ Bryony said. ‘Are you sure you’re okay with it, hmm?’
Red blinked back, his big brown eyes twinkling.
‘Yes, of course you are!’ Bryony beamed. ‘Silly me to worry, eh? If anyone can save Christmas, Red – it’s you!’
Miss Pigeon had had a vision of a red-nosed reindeer guiding Santa’s sleigh through the snow. When Bryony had pointed out they didn’t have a red-nosed reindeer, the old lady had told her to think harder. Then Bryony realised – the red-nosed reindeer in the vision had meant: Red!
Miss Pigeon and Bryony had then planned the whole thing, and Bryony had just shared the plan with Red. The whole town were now gathering at the Market Square to have carols and mince pies. Then the Friendship Jar Procession would be led by Red so everyone would get their Friendship Jars under the tree!
As Bryony rode Red to the school to collect the jars she was wondering what his sleigh would look like. Miss Pigeon had said to leave that bit to her.
‘Nearly there!’ Bryony felt almost dizzy with excitement as they turned up Chestnut Lane. And there it was, in front of the school gates.
‘Oh, Red!’ cried Bryony. Miss P had chosen so well – for the Coopers’ little caravan made the loveliest sleigh she’d ever seen!
It had been loaded with all the Friendship Jars, and Blossom was ready to pull it. But Red was going to be Blossom’s guiding reindeer!
‘And look – there’s Santa!’ Bryony gasped. Miss Pigeon hadn’t told her this part of the plan either. But what a lovely surprise! For sitting, all ready to drive the sleigh, was Mr Thimblefold in his big red duffle coat! His long white beard was glistening with snowflakes and his eyes behind his spectacles shone bright. He was also wearing his best polar bear bow tie which looked adorable.
‘Bryony!’ called Josh. He came running up the lane. Behind him were the others riding their ponies, who were all wearing little elf hats: pink for Princess Perla, yellow for little Daffy, mint green for Tor and blue for Piggy. They looked such a picture!
‘And this is for Red!’ Josh hurried up and clipped a set of antlers into his mane.
‘I customised them for him, see?’ Josh smiled. ‘So they won’t slip over his eyes.’
‘Thanks, Josh!’ said Bryony. Then she patted Red.
‘Right! Let’s get Christmas started!’
As Red led the procession down the town’s main street, snow was falling softly, the lamps were all lit and the brass band was playing ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’!
Bryony had never felt prouder of him, guiding Blossom and Mr Thimblefold to the tree, her friends on their ponies all bringing up the rear, like happy little elves!
The Friendship Jars were then all unloaded and the mince pies passed around. As Bryony ate hers, she looked up at the sky. The moon was huge and silvery, and there was magic in the air. Then suddenly she felt a small hand patting her back.
Bryony turned. ‘Oh, Meredith!’ she said.
‘Thanks for our Friendship Jar!’ grinned Meredith.
‘Wait! How did you know it was me?’ asked Bryony as the rest of the Coopers appeared.
‘Well, the best friend we’ve had since coming has been you,’ Mrs Cooper said with a smile.
‘So we guessed!’ cried Morgan. ‘Are we right?’
Bryony nodded. ‘Very good detective work!’ she smiled.
‘And wait!’ squealed Meredith, taking a shoebox off her dad and handing it to Bryony.
‘Open it!’ cried Morgan, so carefully she took off the lid.
Bryony gasped – for snuggled under a small knitted blanket was Hector the moon gazing hare!
‘I told Dad to keep him for you,’ said Meredith, ‘the very first day I met you!’
‘It’s the longest she’s ever kept a secret!’ Mr Cooper laughed.
‘But I can’t . . . I mean . . .’ Bryony shook her head. ‘I’ve spent all the money I’d saved.’
‘No, no!’ said Mr Cooper. ‘See, this is a gift. From our family to yours.’
Bryony beamed. ‘Wow! Thank you all so much!’
Now Mum would have the most adorable gift, one that Bryony knew she would love. And Hector could tell little broken Selena how the moon looked every night, while she could report on the moonlit lawn and all the animals who plodded by!
The whole town was singing and snow was falling softly as Bryony went back to her beautiful Red being held by Grandpa near the Christmas tree. Little children were patting the special pony-reindeer who had guided Santa’s sleigh so beautifully.
‘Ah, Red,’ said Bryony quietly. ‘You’re quite the celebrity, I see!’
But Red only had eyes for Bryony now, and he gently nuzzled her shoulder.
‘Happy Christmas to you too,’ Bryony whispered back, gazing up to the stars.
With friends, and family – and Red by her side – there was no place quite like Brook Dale at Christmas . . .
Seaview Stables Adventures
The Pony With No Name
The Mystery at Stormy Point
Snowflakes, Silver and Secrets
First published in Great Britain in 2019 by Simon & Schuster UK Ltd
A CBS COMPANY
Copyright © 2019 Tracey Corderoy Ltd
This book is copyright under the Berne Convention.
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All rights reserved.
The right of Tracey Corderoy to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Design and Patents Act, 1988.
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PB ISBN 978-1-4711-7045-4
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Snowflakes, Silver and Secrets Page 14