Winter Magic Read online

  “Oh dear me!” said Lady Courtney. “I had a feeling something like this was going to happen.”

  “We only got three measly stones each!” said Lily. She was absolutely fuming. “I bet this is Tink’s idea. She thought she’d have some fun with us.”

  “I knew those purses felt light when I gave them to you. But I had no idea Tink would pull such a trick on us all.”

  “Our whole Christmas is spoiled,” said Lily and she stamped her foot. “All because of Tinker Bell. It’s so unfair.”

  “Don’t talk about Tink that way,” said Silver. “She’s doing the best she can!” But Silver herself was close to tears.

  Queen Mab flew over to see what was upsetting the Fairy Bell sisters. “What is it, fairies?” she asked. “It’s not like you to be sad at Christmastime.”

  Lady Courtney told her what Tink had done. “Which is why they got twelve stones between them,” she concluded. “In fact, I think Tink has already sent the leftover stones to the poor fairies on the mainland. There was a note in the bottom of the treasure chest about it.”

  Now the Fairy Bell sisters felt really bad. They had so wanted the stones for themselves. But now Tink had sent the leftover stones to the poor fairies, who needed them so much more than they did.

  “Fairy Bells,” said Queen Mab, “Tink is asking much of you. Possibly too much. I can fetch some more gemstones from my treasure chamber. Shall I?”

  Clara looked at her sisters. All of them were so sad, especially poor Lily, who adored shopping.

  Silver spoke at last. “Can we get through this … together?” she asked. “For Tink?”

  Lily blinked her eyes. Hard. “Maybe,” she said in a small voice.

  “I think we can,” said Clara. “We only wanted to get a few small trinkets for each other to put under the tree—”

  “Which we don’t have,” added Lily.

  “Three stones is still a lot,” said Silver. “Pretty much, anyway.”

  “You can’t get much with three stones,” said Lily, “even if they are polished.”

  “Let’s go back and see what we can find,” said Clara. She wanted to be brave for her sisters, but she thought it was very hard on them, very hard indeed. “Come on, sisters. The spirit of the season isn’t really about presents, anyway, is it?”

  Lily nodded, but she wasn’t so sure.

  “Let’s sing a song to help us through,” said Rosie.

  “That’s a good idea, Rosie. I think if you start a Christmas carol, all the fairies might join in,” said Queen Mab. “It would be just the right way to end the Christmas Fair. And perhaps, to cheer up some fairy sisters who don’t deserve to be sad.”

  It wasn’t easy to sing with such heavy hearts. “What shall we sing?” asked Clara.

  “Something festive,” said Queen Mab. “I think it will cheer us all up.”

  The Fairy Bell sisters gathered close to each other and, wrapping their arms around each other, they began to sing. They faltered a little at first, finding the note, but soon their voices joined together, strong and true:

  Deck the halls with boughs of holly

  Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la.

  ’Tis the season to be jolly

  Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la.

  Spread our wings in fair apparel,

  Fa-la-la, fa-la-la, la-la-la.

  Trill the ancient island carol,

  Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la.

  By the time they had sung the first verse, they felt a bit better. The nice thing was that all the other fairies stopped their Christmas shopping and joined in on the next two verses. So, by the time they reached the last verse, there was a great chorus of voices making a joyful noise and the Fairy Bell sisters’ spirits lifted high.

  Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la.

  Everything would have gone pretty well after that, if it hadn’t been for Silver.

  Silver was following Lily down the aisles of the Christmas Fair to try to get an idea of what she’d really like for Christmas. Silver could think of a hundred things for Lily – she liked so much! – but with only three stones to use, she didn’t want to waste a single one. Maybe she’d get three pairs of lacy socks from the Cobweb sisters or a bracelet from the Gemstone sisters (if she could afford it) or …

  Just then, Silver saw Lily holding up a green-and-orange bandanna.

  “This would be perfect!” she said to Avery.

  They were both giggling.

  Does Lily really want that old bandanna for a Christmas present? Silver thought. Then she heard Lily say, “It goes with everything. Too bad I don’t have any stones left to buy it for myself.”

  That was all Silver needed. She swooped down to the table as soon as Lily turned the corner and picked up the bandanna Lily had been holding.

  “How much for this?” she asked Fern Stitch.

  Fern checked her price list. “That’s three stones,” she said. “It used to be four, but since the Fair is almost over …”

  Silver couldn’t really believe she’d have to pay her only three stones for this not-very-nice bandanna, but … “This is what Lily wants,” said Silver. “And since Lily’s the only one I’m buying a present for—”

  “The only one?” said Fern. “Why aren’t you getting presents for your other sisters? Did you have a fight? That doesn’t sound like you!”

  “Of course we didn’t have a fight. It’s just that – well, Tinker Bell kind of changed the rules this Christmas.”

  At the sound of Tink’s name, several fairies stopped to hear the news from Neverland.

  “Tink changed the rules? What do you mean? Is she hoping to get here this year?”

  “Hoping! She didn’t say hoping,” said Silver. She didn’t want the other fairies thinking that Tink would leave them hanging. “Tink says she’s coming on the morning of Christmas Eve with our tree and our decorations and all our presents.” By this time Silver was grinning wide. She remembered how fantastic Christmas would be once Tink arrived. “She’s been away so long and now she’s coming home.”

  “Oh we can’t wait to meet her!” said Fern. Many of the fairies on Sheepskerry had only heard of Tinker Bell in books. They gathered around now.

  “You can all meet her,” said Silver. “You can all come over when she arrives. We’ll have a huge surprise party for her!”

  “Silver, what are you talking about?” said Clara who had flown by to see why the crowd was forming around her little sister. “We’re not having—”

  “Oh yes we are,” said Silver. “We’re having a huge surprise party at four o’clock on Christmas Eve. You’re all invited! And Tink will be the guest of honour.”

  I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that Silver had acted a little too quickly. She got an earful from Clara about remembering to check with her sisters before she did something like that again. But Clara couldn’t be upset with Silver for long. Silver was so excited about Tink’s arrival that adding another ten or twelve fairies to the mix didn’t seem such a bad idea.

  As Rosie had said, “This is turning out to be such a topsy-turvy Christmas I won’t be surprised, no matter what happens.”

  So on the morning before Christmas, the great room at the Fairy Bell sisters’ house looked far from sad, even though there was no tree in the bay window and no wreath on the door. The presents the sisters had made for Tink and bought for each other at the Christmas Fair were wrapped in cheery paper and set out on the windowsill. Poppy came over that morning to help Silver gather holly branches to place in the rafters.

  “Tink won’t mind that,” said Poppy.

  “Tink won’t mind anything!” said Silver. “She’ll be so surprised when she gets here and finds all her fairy friends. She’ll make the party such a magical event!”

  “I’m sure it will be lovely whether Tink is here or not,” said Poppy. “You sisters have done so much already.”

  “Oh, but Tink will put the magical touches on it all,” said Silver. “Without her it’s just an ordin
ary tea party, but with her – it’s completely special.”

  Silver and Poppy cut as many holly branches as they could manage without getting too scratched by the pointy leaves. They flew back to the Fairy Bell sisters’ fairy house with some difficulty. Not only were the branches heavy in their arms, but the wind was blowing quite fiercely.

  “That wind is really kicking up again,” said Poppy. “I hope it won’t blow Tink off course.”

  “Tink is so close to Sheepskerry by now that a little wind won’t hurt,” said Silver, even as she and her best friend had to fight the gusts. “She’ll be here in lots of time for the party. You wait and see.”

  Wait and see. Silver wished she had never said those words. Because waiting and waiting and waiting and not seeing was exactly what she and Poppy did that day. It wasn’t so bad at breakfast time, as they knew Tinker Bell would not arrive in time for an early meal. But Tink had said the morning of Christmas Eve and as the clock got closer and closer to noon, Silver’s heart sank.

  “The other fairies will be coming for our Welcome Home Tink party so soon!” Silver cried as the clock struck three. “She hasn’t even arrived yet. We won’t get to see her for more than a few minutes before everybody else arrives. It’s not fair!”

  “We might not get to see her at all at this rate,” said Lily. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she just forgot—”

  “Don’t say such a thing, Lily,” said Rosie, who was almost never cross. But between all this waiting for Tinker Bell and Squeakie’s fussing and Silver’s chatter, even Rosie’s nerves were frayed.

  “Yes, please, Lily. Things are difficult enough today, now that Silver has invited a dozen fairies to a magical tea.”

  “Now it’s turned into twenty fairies and I’ll say what I want,” said Lily. “And it will probably turn out to be thirty fairies or more. All our fairy friends are bringing their fairy friends. We have about enough sandwiches and cakes for ten. Tink had better get here and get here fast.” And she flew up to her bedroom and slammed the door.

  “I’m not feeling very Christmassy,” said Silver.

  “No lolo,” said Squeak.

  “That’s about the first thing she’s said that I’ve really understood this whole week,” said Rosie. “What do you suppose is going on with her?”

  “Can you please stop talking about Squeak when I’m the one who needs love and care?” said Silver. “No one is paying attention to me!” And she flew up to her room.

  “We can’t pay attention to you and take care of Squeak and make a party for twenty—”

  “Thirty!” Silver shouted.

  “Thirty fairies at the same time!” said Clara. “Stop feeling sorry for yourself and get down here and help.”

  If you have a brother or sister or know someone who does, you’ll understand exactly what was going on at the Fairy Bell sisters’ house just then. Silver was bitterly disappointed that Tink had not yet arrived. Lily was still unhappy about not getting that skirt at the Christmas Fair. Rosie was preoccupied with Squeakie and Clara was suddenly in charge of a party she did not want to give. In short, all the Fairy Bell sisters were upset and even a little bit angry and they were pretty much taking it out on each other.

  Ding-dong! The doorbell of the fairy house rang out.

  “I’ll get it!” said Poppy, glad to have something to do.

  “If that is the Jellicoe sisters I will just about have a fit,” said Clara. “They always come early.”

  The front door opened and in flew Judy and Jilly Jellicoe. “We’re here!” cried Judy.

  “We were going to bring some jelly beans for the tea but Silver said not to bring a thing.”

  “Of course you weren’t to bring a thing,” said Clara smoothly. “We have everything just about prepared. Why don’t you take off your coats and hats while I get the party food from the kitchen.”

  “You are ready for us, aren’t you?” asked Julia. “I know we’re a little bit on the early side but I have to say it looks like—”

  “It looks like we are absolutely ready,” said Silver, flying down from her room with her eyes only slightly red. Lily and Rosie followed right behind her. When anyone else made them feel bad, the Fairy Bell Sisters always rallied around each other, which was exactly what they were doing now.

  “Welcome!” said Lily.

  “We’re so pleased to have you,” said Rosie.

  “Bo-bo!” said Squeak.

  The doorbell rang again (and again) and lots more fairies showed up.

  “Where’s Tinker Bell?”

  “Is she visiting Queen Mab?”

  “What did she bring you from Neverland?”

  “Where’s that tree with crystal branches?”

  “I heard they were emerald.”

  Clara, Rosie, Lily and Silver fended off the questions as best they could. To tell the truth, having so many fairies there, all needing another glass of blackberry punch or a new plate of pumpkin butter sandwiches, made the time pass much faster than it had all week.

  “Tink must get here soon,” said Iris Flower, checking the clock on the mantelpiece. “Christmas Eve will be over before you know it.”

  Indeed the clock was striking the hour of six o’clock, when the fairies usually would go home to be at their own fairy houses and prepare for Christmas morning. But they stayed just a little longer, in case Tink arrived at the last minute.

  But she did not.

  “We’ve waited long enough, I think,” said Satin Stitch as the last chime of seven o’clock died away. “I’m so sorry Tink didn’t manage to come to her own party.”

  “She’s coming!” said Silver fiercely. “She’s just not here yet. You would have trouble flying from Neverland in this kind of weather, too!”

  No one wanted to stay much longer after that outburst. Soon the last of the fairy guests drifted away until it was just the Fairy Bell sisters and their very best friends.

  “I’m sure she’ll be here very soon,” said Avery as she hugged Lily tight.

  “I don’t know if I even care any more,” said Lily.

  “Of course you do,” said Avery. “And she will be here.” She flew towards the door. “Faith and I will come over tomorrow morning to celebrate Christmas with you. We’ll see you and your famous sister then.”

  “I hope so,” said Lily.

  After Poppy and Silver finally said their very long goodbyes, there was nothing left but to clear up and to head to bed.

  “I don’t know if I can face these dishes,” said Clara. “I thought all this would be done by magic. I thought for once that Tink would—” Clara dropped a plate on the floor and it broke with a sharp crack.

  “Oh Clara! Don’t say it,” said Rosie and she picked up the pieces. “Don’t lose faith in Tinker Bell. She would be here if she could.”

  “Then why isn’t she?” asked Clara. “Why hasn’t she come, Rosie? Why did she have to ruin our Christmas just so she could be the star?”

  “That’s who she is Clara. And we love so much about her – we have to love that too.” Rosie put the dustpan and broom away in the cupboard. Then she hugged her sisters tight. “Let’s just leave the dishes for once and go to bed. Maybe Tink will come tomorrow, on Christmas Day.”

  “And if she doesn’t?”

  For a moment, Rosie was tempted to say that Clara was right: if Tink didn’t arrive, Christmas would be ruined. But then she thought of the way Lily was trying so hard to make do with just a few presents and how Squeakie was struggling to be understood, how Silver had been so brave when the guest of honour did not arrive at her own surprise party and of course of the way Clara held them all together.

  “If she doesn’t come,” said Rosie, “we’ll make it the best Christmas we can.”

  “You know what?” said Clara, taking off her apron. “Let’s start right now.”

  “Silver! Lily!” Clara’s voice was brimming with mischief. “Come down here right now.”

  “What is it, Clara?” asked Rosie.
/>   “You’ll see,” said Clara.

  Silver and Lily came down to the great room in their pyjamas, while Squeakie slept soundly in her cot.

  “Tink’s not here, is she?” asked Silver.

  “Nope, not yet, and let’s stop talking about when she’ll come and what she’ll bring. Let’s celebrate being here together with each other. If she arrives tomorrow it will be lovely to see her. And if she doesn’t—”

  “If she doesn’t?” said Silver, her face falling.

  “If she doesn’t,” said Clara firmly, “then we will send her our love and promise to come visit her in Neverland next year.”

  “We’d go to Neverland?” said Rosie.

  “Why not?” said Lily. “I wonder what exactly those Lost Boys are like.”

  “We’ll go together and see Tink next year and bring Christmas to her. By next year I should have just about enough magic to get us there.”

  “Maybe Queen Mab will send us in her Royal Balloon!” said Silver.

  “You’re right!” said Clara. “But why are we talking about next Christmas, when it’s practically Christmas right now? We’ve got some presents to open!”

  “Are you sure Tink won’t mind?” asked Silver.

  “I’m quite sure,” said Clara. “Tink may get distracted and not do everything quite as she hopes to, but I know for a fact she would not want Christmas to be spoiled for us.”

  “Let’s take a vote. All in favour of opening one present right now, say ‘aye’!”

  “Aye!” said Rosie, Clara and Silver.

  “Yi-yi!” said Squeak.

  “All opposed, say ‘nay’!” said Lily.

  No one said nay, but Ginger said Mew which made them all laugh.

  “Then let’s begin!” said Lily.

  They gathered their small pile of presents around them. In the light of the fire, it looked like a treasure trove.

  “Let’s go oldest to youngest this time,” said Silver. “I want to save mine for last.”