Snowflakes, Silver and Secrets Read online

  ‘I guess whoever made those woodcarvings.’ Josh pointed. ‘See – there.’

  Over by the fir trees at the entrance of the wood was the most enormous holly bush. In front of the bush, on the icy grass, sat a collection of little wooden animals.

  ‘Oh!’ gasped Bryony. They blended in so well!

  There were fluffy-tailed squirrels, so realistic you’d think they’d just scampered from the trees. And there were rabbits and eagles and foxes and mice. There was even one big brown bear. At the bear’s feet she noticed a painted sign . . .

  Then Bryony saw him, sitting on a tree stump, peering up at the snow clouds. A little wooden moon gazing hare. He was beautiful!

  Bryony’s dad, who’d been an artist, had once made a moon gazing hare out of clay. Dad had given it to Mum on her birthday, and Mum had called her Selena.

  During the move to Brook Dale, though, Selena had got badly damaged. Bryony had been so sad for Mum, despite Mum putting on a very brave face about it.

  Bryony had tried her best to mend Selena but there had been so many bits! In the end Selena was back in one piece, though not quite the same as before. Now one of her ears was decidedly wonky, and a foot was missing a chunk. But the worst thing was Selena’s neck. It just wouldn’t go back on right. So Selena could no longer gaze up at the moon as she sat on the window ledge at night. Now she had to gaze down at the lawn instead.

  The moon gazing hare, thought Bryony, would make the perfect Christmas gift for Mum. And a wonderful new friend for Selena, too, who deserved one after everything she’d been through!

  He could sit beside her on the window ledge each night and tell her how the moon winked and shone. And she could tell him about all the little animals that crept across the moonlit lawn. One looking up, and one looking down. Together they’d have the whole world covered . . .

  Red, though, was still looking at the huge Shire horse.

  ‘Like to go and say hello?’ asked Bryony.

  ‘But, Bry – that horse could squash Red flat!’ Emma gasped.

  Emma was still nervous around unfamiliar horses, though much better – thanks to Bryony – than she used to be.

  ‘No, she looks friendly enough,’ smiled Bryony. ‘Don’t worry.’

  The huge Shire had now spotted Red too and was gazing back, calm and quiet. She had a pretty black face with a white stripe up the centre, which also went under her belly. Bryony thought she looked very steady and reliable.

  Bryony dismounted. She would lead Red over in case he got a bit twitchy. That way, she’d have better control, and it would be less threatening for the Shire too.

  ‘Brr!’ She stamped her feet. She could hardly feel them. It was getting chillier by the second. Holding Red’s reins, she walked him across, while the others hung back to wait.

  ‘Nice and steady, Red . . .’ Bryony whispered, keeping him close and making sure the Shire saw them coming.

  She stopped a little way off from the horse, whose gaze hadn’t left them.

  ‘Hello there,’ called Bryony and the Shire blinked back. Its big black ears moved forward to listen and its breathing was slow and relaxed.

  ‘I’m Bryony and this is Red,’ said Bryony. ‘Pleased to meet you.’

  She took a few steps closer with Red calmly at her side.

  ‘That’s the way,’ said Bryony. Red was so dependable and Bryony was enormously proud of him. ‘Good boy.’

  They stopped by the horse, who bent to nuzzle Red’s face, and Red replied with a whinny. Bryony knew that in the wild horses greeted each other by blowing on each other’s noses and it looked like instinctively they were doing this now.

  ‘You’re lovely,’ said Bryony, patting the horse’s wide neck. Red looked like a little foal beside the Shire!

  Bryony took two Polo mints out of her pocket. Red snaffled his off the palm of her hand, his whiskers tickly against her skin. Then the Shire horse licked the other mint up very gently.

  Bryony smiled. ‘So you like Polos too! But I wonder what your name is?’

  ‘Blossom!’ came a voice. Bryony spun around but there was nobody there. A giggle promptly followed from behind one of the trees, and out peeped a little girl. She looked about five or six – with freckles and a whirl of dark brown hair, quite as curly as Bryony’s!

  The girl skipped out and beamed up at Bryony. She was wearing a thick purple padded coat down to the knees of her jeans. On her feet were stripy wellies, and wrapped round and round her neck was a big orange scarf.

  ‘But Blossom is a silly name!’ giggled the girl. She had a lisp as her top two baby teeth were missing, which also made her smile very cheeky. ‘Because I think,’ she went on, ‘that Blossom is a cow’s name, don’t you?’

  Bryony went to answer, but the girl snatched a breath then carried on chattering away . . .

  ‘So I call her Sparkle, because that’s not a cow’s name at all!’

  ‘Oh, yes – good choice!’ Bryony quickly chipped in as the girl did a twirl on the grass. ‘Yes, she definitely looks like a Sparkle to me!’ laughed Bryony.

  The girl carried on twirling until she fell down dizzy. But jumping straight back up, she grinned.

  ‘I’m Meredith Cooper. But I wish I was called Alice – like that girl in Alice in Wonderland. Mummy’s reading me the book, and Alice is my favourite. And the White Rabbit is too. I love rabbits. And doing ballet twirls! What’s your name?’

  Before Bryony could reply, the girl started a fresh twirl.

  ‘I’m Bryony,’ smiled Bryony. ‘Bryony May. And this is Red. Oh, and those people over there are my friends. One’s even called Alice – just like the Alice in your book!’

  Meredith stopped twirling, looked across to the others, then back at Red beside Blossom.

  ‘Red’s so tiny he’d fit in a teapot,’ giggled Meredith. ‘I don’t think he’d be able to pull our caravan, do you?’

  ‘He’d certainly try!’ Bryony grinned back. ‘But I guess you’re probably right. Red jumps like a dream, though. He’s the gymkhana jumping champ! So you live in that caravan then, do you?’

  Meredith nodded back. ‘With my mum and dad and brother.’

  ‘Do you know how much that moon gazing hare costs?’ asked Bryony. ‘The one on the tree stump. He’s so sweet! I’d really love to buy him as a Christmas present for my mum.’

  ‘He’s called Hector,’ replied Meredith. ‘We’re selling him at the Market, but I don’t know how much he costs.’

  Looking back across to the lane, Meredith then whispered, ‘Don’t tell your friends, but your pony’s the cutest.’

  ‘Thanks, Meredith!’ Bryony smiled.

  Just then, a small boy came running from the woods. He had the same dark curly hair as Meredith, but was slightly taller and plumper.

  ‘Oi, Meredith!’ he panted. He looked very cross. ‘You’re not supposed to talk to strangers!’

  ‘I’m not!’ frowned Meredith, her freckly nose in the air. ‘This is Bryony – and Red!’

  Meredith turned to Bryony. ‘Me and Morgan are twins – but I’m the oldest,’ she announced.

  ‘Snap!’ beamed Bryony. ‘I’m an oldest twin too.’

  ‘Don’t mean you’re the best though,’ Morgan nodded. His big brown eyes, much lighter than his sister’s, looked determined.

  With that the caravan door opened and a lady’s head peeped out. ‘Meredith, Morgan – lunch,’ she called brightly. ‘Come, come!’

  Then she saw Bryony standing by the twins and her smile faded at once.

  ‘I told her not to talk to strangers, Mum!’ said Morgan. He looked at his sister who shuffled guiltily.

  ‘Sorry!’ gasped Bryony. ‘I-It was my fault. I came over.’ The last thing she wanted was Meredith to be in trouble because of her.

  ‘See, I was just passing,’ Bryony went on, ‘and wanted to say hello to your horse. We’re like that in Brook Dale. Not nosy! Just . . . friendly, so . . .’

  Bryony’s voice trailed off and in the corner of her
eye she saw her friends start to backtrack up the lane, probably sensing it was for the best.

  The twins’ mum had opened the caravan door and was standing at the top of the steps. Her skin was very fair and her hair dark and wavy. It was swept off her face with a flowery headscarf tied into a softly hanging bow. She was wearing a thick green jumper and an ankle-length skirt – charcoal grey, made out of heavy wool.

  ‘We just travel a lot,’ Mrs Cooper said. Her voice was soft but tinged with apprehension. ‘And people can be friendly, or . . . well . . . not so much.’

  ‘Yes,’ replied Bryony. ‘Yes, I understand.’

  Mrs Cooper nodded back with a faint smile. But while Morgan read nothing into this smile and began to head to the caravan, Meredith must have taken it to mean that her mother was now fine with Bryony – as Bryony then felt a tiny hand wriggle into hers.

  ‘Can Bryony read to me, Mum?’ asked Meredith.

  ‘Not now, sweetheart,’ Mrs Cooper replied gently. ‘It’s lunchtime.’

  Morgan squeezed in past his mum.

  ‘Tomorrow then?’ asked Meredith. ‘After the Christmas Market? Please . . . she wants to be my friend.’

  Bryony waited to see what Mrs Cooper would say. She hoped she would agree. Meredith reminded Bryony so much of herself when she’d been younger – and even now. Busy and chatty and friendly. And very determined!

  Making friends, she imagined, must be hard if you’re always travelling from place to place. When Bryony had first come to Brook Dale she’d longed for friends too . . .

  ‘She doesn’t give up, does she?’ said Mrs Cooper, and Bryony shook her head with a grin.

  ‘I, um . . . could come after the Market,’ said Bryony. ‘If it’s okay with you and my mum.’

  Mrs Cooper looked thoughtful.

  ‘Ask your mother,’ she said finally. ‘And then, well . . . we’ll see.’

  ‘Hooray!’ cheered Meredith. She gave Bryony a huge hug before running inside for her lunch.

  ‘Thanks, Mrs Cooper,’ Bryony called up. ‘And I’m sure at the Market you’ll see for yourself what a friendly place Brook Dale is!’

  Then, quickly mounting Red, she trotted off to find the others. Time to go and make that gingerbread house!

  Back at Seaview, Bryony wasted no time in giving Red a thorough brush down to remove any caked-on sand and mud.

  ‘Back in your cosy stable!’ she said and Red replied with a happy but sleepy-sounding whinny. He seemed really content living at Seaview, and why wouldn’t he be? It was busy, and friendly, with pony pals absolutely everywhere!

  Bryony felt lucky he could live here too. Stabling a pony was very expensive and when Grandpa had bought Red, although it felt like a dream, Bryony had also been a bit worried about how they’d afford to keep him.

  They were managing, though. Just about. And Bryony tried her best to help. She happily chipped in practically all of her pocket money, and was always thinking up ways to make more.

  She also fed, exercised and mucked out Red herself, which helped no end with costs. But actually she wouldn’t have had it any other way. The more time she spent with him the better!

  Finally, as part of his half livery deal, Red gave other riders lessons from time to time. Again though, Bryony was fine with this. No one could love Red as much as she did. And clearly she was his favourite too!

  ‘Smart boy!’ said Bryony when Red’s coat was soft and shiny. She popped his brushes and combs back in her carry bag. Then, topping up his hay net and water bucket, she hugged him and left him in peace to have his nap.

  Out in the yard the sky was dark grey and the clouds looked even higher than before. Bryony rubbed her hands together excitedly. ‘Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!’

  She ran all the way home, ready for lunch. Then she’d make that gingerbread house. She was really looking forward to Grandpa coming!

  ‘Hi!’ panted Bryony, rushing in through the door.

  ‘Come inside from the cold,’ called Mum. The kitchen looked so pretty, lit with lamps and fairy lights. And on every spare surface, in buckets, jugs and jars, were hand-tied posies to sell at tomorrow’s Christmas Market.

  ‘What’s for lunch?’ asked Bryony.

  ‘Parsnip soup,’ replied Mum as she stood by the Aga stirring it.

  ‘Smells ready to me,’ Josh called from the table, spoon in hand.

  Bryony hung up her fleece and scarf, washed her hands at the sink, then hurried to join her brother.

  ‘Here we are,’ said Mum, bringing over the soup and setting down the bowls between yet more festive posies.

  ‘Don’t get me wrong, I like flowers,’ said Josh. ‘But it feels like we’re eating in a jungle!’

  Bryony laughed as she dipped her bread into the soup. She blew on it and wolfed it down.

  ‘Mmm . . .’ she said. It tasted delicious. Just what she needed after that freezing-cold hack!

  ‘I wonder what Meredith and Morgan will be having?’ Bryony said to Josh.

  ‘Who?’ asked Mum.

  ‘They’re twins!’ replied Bryony. ‘Passing through Brook Dale with their mum and dad.’ And she and Josh told Mum about earlier on.

  ‘So their caravan,’ said Josh, ‘is really cool. And their parents make these brilliant wooden—’

  ‘Josh!’ shrieked Bryony. She kicked him under the table before he went and blurted out about the sculptures.

  ‘Ow!’ said Josh. ‘What did you kick me for?’

  ‘Oh, sorry,’ said Bryony. ‘I . . . jerky legs! Could you pass some bread over, please?’

  ‘Err, the bread’s right in front of you.’ Josh looked puzzled. But then the penny must have dropped, for Josh gave a big wink back.

  ‘Why are you winking, Josh?’ asked Mum.

  ‘Um – fly in my eye!’ Josh gulped.

  Mum raised her eyebrows. ‘If I didn’t know better, I’d guess you two were up to something.’

  ‘Us?’ Josh grinned.

  ‘As if!’ blushed Bryony. ‘Anyway, Mum, as Josh was saying, the twins’ caravan is really pretty. And the little girl – Meredith – she’s so sweet and chatty! I promised I’d go and see her after the Christmas Market tomorrow, if that’s okay with you?’

  ‘Um . . .’ Mum looked a little unsure.

  ‘Just to read her a quick story,’ Bryony added. ‘I think she so wants to be friends. I really liked her, and Red liked Blossom – and he’s a very good judge of character.’

  ‘Well . . . all right then,’ said Mum. ‘I’ll give you a lift across.’

  ‘Oh, thanks, Mum!’

  They finished their soup and had a clementine each, still chatting about the Coopers.

  ‘Hmm, now I come to think of it,’ said Mum. ‘I might have seen Meredith’s dad over at Brook Dale Manor this morning.’

  ‘How come?’ asked Bryony.

  ‘Collecting branches,’ Mum replied. ‘Lots came down in the storm last night and I think he might have been helping Emma’s dad to tidy up.’

  Emma’s dad was probably glad of the help too, thought Bryony. The Brooks always worked him flat out!

  ‘But how do you know it was Meredith’s dad when you’ve never seen him before?’ asked Bryony.

  ‘Good question!’ said Mum. ‘Well, I just figured that everyone knows everyone in Brook Dale. But I didn’t know the man at the Brooks’s. So when you just said the Coopers were passing through I put two and two together. He came asking Mrs Brook if he could help pick up sticks in exchange for some bundles of branches.’

  ‘It probably was him then because they do have a stove. I saw a pipe chimney on their caravan,’ said Bryony.

  ‘Plus, he’d need sticks for their campfire,’ added Josh. He turned back to Mum. ‘Great detective work!’

  ‘Yes, watch out, Ebony Swann, I say!’ laughed Bryony.

  When they’d finished their fruit, Mum brought over a tin.

  ‘Yesss!’ cried the twins. It was a special selection biscuit tin she only ever bought at Christm
as. Bryony’s eyes lit up when Mum took off the lid.

  ‘It really feels like Christmas now!’ she cried.

  She insisted that Mum had first pick, and was most relieved when she took the coffee crunch. Josh went next and, as usual, chose the jammy ring. Bryony then made a beeline for the chocolate orange wrapped in shiny foil.

  She squirrelled it across to the rocking chair by the Aga, the most snuggly spot in the cottage. On her way over, she glanced through the window. Still no snow but those clouds were big and puffy!

  ‘You don’t want snow though, do you?’ she said to Blueberry Muffin, curled up on the rocking chair.

  The fat grey cat ignored her, pretending to be asleep. He’d been hogging the best chair for weeks! Since the weather had turned frosty he’d hardly gone out, except when he’d been desperate for the loo. Then he’d stomp back in looking furiously frozen, his tail fluffed out like a toilet brush!

  ‘I think you need the loo now,’ giggled Bryony, kneeling by the chair in front of Berry. The cat’s ears gave a twitch but his eyes stayed firmly shut. Bryony sighed. He wasn’t going anywhere.

  ‘Right then,’ she said. And, deciding to be brave, she scooped him up gently, sat down on the chair and placed him back down on her lap.

  The tip of his tail twitched warningly but his claws, for the moment, didn’t appear.

  ‘There!’ said Bryony. Berry weighed a ton, but was very warm and fluffy. And as she ate her biscuit, Bryony toasted her toes by the Aga.

  ‘Have you had a good morning then, Mum?’ she asked.

  ‘Yes!’ replied Mum. ‘Very busy, you know, but I managed to finish all the Manor’s mantelpiece decorations. Tomorrow it’s the bannister, then I’m done. It was a bit hectic over there, though. The plumbers were back in fixing some drain problems, and things were a bit tense with Georgina.’

  ‘Tense?’ repeated Bryony. She sat up in her chair. ‘Was Georgina mean to you?’ she asked, remembering Georgina’s earlier comment about Mum’s cardigan.

  ‘She’d better not have been nasty.’ Josh frowned just as Grandpa came in.

  ‘Who?’

  ‘Who’s always nasty to everyone?’ tutted Josh.

  ‘Georgina Brook?’ suggested Grandpa, needing no time to think, and Bryony and Josh both nodded.