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Chapters (59)
  1. Cover
  2. ABOUT THE BOOK
  3. Dedication
  4. PREFACE
  5. CHAPTER ONE
  6. CHAPTER TWO
  7. CHAPTER THREE
  8. CHAPTER FOUR
  9. CHAPTER FIVE
  10. CHAPTER SIX
  11. CHAPTER SEVEN
  12. CHAPTER EIGHT
  13. CHAPTER NINE
  14. CHAPTER TEN
  15. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  16. CHAPTER TWELVE
  17. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  18. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  19. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  20. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  21. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  22. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  23. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  24. CHAPTER TWENTY
  25. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  26. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  34. CHAPTER THIRTY
  35. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  36. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  44. CHAPTER FORTY
  45. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  46. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  47. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  48. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
  49. CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
  50. CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
  51. CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
  52. CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
  53. CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
  54. CHAPTER FIFTY
  55. ENDING
  56. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  57. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  58. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  59. Also by Val Wood

‘As we have in Germany when I was a child,’ Karl said, and there was a trace of longing in his voice.

The tree was about four feet tall, and on the topmost stem a white ribbon was tied in a bow, bearing a label with the Boscos’ name on it. Harry put his hand over his face; he was deeply touched by the generosity of their new friends, the Boscos and now Edyta and Karl. He had taken an instant liking to him, even after only this first meeting.

They brought it inside; it would fit perfectly near the window, propped inside a bucket. They all tiptoed about, not wanting to wake the children. Ellen bit off lengths of wool and hung the presents on the branches, along with ribbons for the girls’ hair and a knitted ball for Thomas; Edyta ran upstairs and brought down coloured ribbon and shreds of white cotton and decorated the branches.

‘Oh, how lovely,’ Ellen exclaimed. ‘The children will think it magical in the morning and that Father Christmas has been. All that’s missing is an angel for ’top of the tree.’

‘Ah!’ Karl smiled. ‘Wait!’ He searched amongst the parcels he and Edyta had brought and pulled one out. He tore open the brown paper and brought out a little wooden doll, with movable legs and arms and a painted face, dressed in white cotton. ‘Have you scissors please?’

Ellen took a pair from a drawer and handed them to him, and he sat cross-legged on the floor and fashioned a tiny crown from the brown paper. They all silently watched as he carefully folded each end to fit the doll’s head, and then Harry said ‘Just a minute’ and raked amongst the children’s small box of toys and brought out a yellow crayon.

‘Perfect!’ Karl coloured in the crown, refolded it, and fitted it on the doll’s head, and standing up he placed the angel at the top of the tree, securing it with the string from the parcel.

Ellen began to weep, tears running down her face. ‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘Thank you so much.’

Harry too was almost speechless, but he managed to say hoarsely, ‘I think we should open the brandy and drink to friendship, to Hanukkah, to Christmas and whatever is to come in the future.’

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

The children were awake early, and as expected were thrilled to see a Christmas tree in the room. Sarah stretched her arms up to reach the angel on top so Harry lifted her and Mary, one in each arm, so they could see it better. Then it was Thomas’s turn.