'The wonderful Noel Streatfeild's Christmas Stories collects, for the first time, nine festive stories originally written for annuals and magazines in the 1940s and 1950s . . . As ever, Streatfeild's children always feel utterly real and relatable. A beautifully produced treat' Anna Carey, Irish Times
In this captivating collection of stories by the author of Ballet Shoes, there are auditions on stage and antics on ice, trips to the pantomime, holiday adventures, and laughter shared with family and friends. Charming, heartwarming and funny, this collection will bring joy to readers of all ages.
Originally written in 1940s-60s for annuals, magazines and the radio, these stories have never been collected before.
With enchanting line drawings by by Peter Bailey.
Stories include: The Audition The Bells Keep Twelfth Night The Moss Rose Thimble The Princess The Chain Christmas at Collers The Pantomime Goose Skating to the Stars
Release date:
November 1, 2018
Publisher:
Little, Brown Book Group
Print pages:
176
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The twins were playing draughts: John in bed, propped up by pillows and Virginia curled up on the eiderdown. They were so engrossed they did not hear the door open and looked round surprised when the doctor spoke.
‘Hullo, twins. Are you being nurse today, Virginia?’
Virginia gave the doctor the sort of smile which goes with liking somebody.
‘Mummy’s gone to fix some work being a guide to some visitors to London. The agency rang this morning.’
John knew the doctor was the sort of person to be pleased at other people’s good luck. ‘She might earn a lot of money.’
The doctor came round the bed. While he talked, he took John’s pulse.
‘What will she buy with it?’
The twins’ father had been killed in a motor smash; he had left a little money, but there were such a lot of things that their income would not buy that when extra money came along it was a puzzle to decide what was needed most. Both twins took deep breaths so that they had plenty for the long string of things each thought the money should be used for, but John did not get a chance to speak, for the doctor put a thermometer in his mouth. Virginia walked round the room ticking off urgent needs on her fingers.
‘There’s a bill at the fishmonger’s for special food while we both had measles; the fishmonger said he wasn’t in a hurry but I know Mummy wants to pay. Then there’s next term’s fees at my dancing academy, but there’s just a chance Madame might say we needn’t pay because of me missing so much of this term with measles. Then John’s got taller while in bed and goodness knows if his clothes will fit, and truly I ought to have some new ballet shoes and … ’ She broke off and looked at John who was making noises through his mouth shut round the thermometer. Nobody but a twin could possibly have understood what the noises meant. ‘Oh yes, and John’s just reminded me, Mummy said she simply must have some new saucepans and … ’
The doctor took the thermometer out of John’s mouth. He looked at it, his lips twisting in a half laughing, half miserable way,
‘Seems there’s a lot for that money to do.’ He gave John’s shoulder a pat. ‘Taking your medicine?’ John nodded. ‘Good. Well, it’s cold out, so stay in bed another day or two. Tell your mother I’ll visit you again at the end of the week.’ He put an arm round Virginia. ‘Come and see me out, my little friend.’
In the hall the doctor put down his bag. He turned Virginia to face him. ‘Can you tell me why you have quite got over your measles, but John, who had it no worse than you did, can’t get strong again?’
‘He hasn’t the same things to get up for. I simply had to get well. Imagine getting measles the very day after you were twelve! Ever since I went to my dancing academy when I was nine I’ve been waiting and waiting to be twelve and have a licence, and it was more than flesh and blood could stand to be in bed missing auditions.’ She lowered her voice. ‘I’ve not told anybody, not even John, but I’m going to an audition this afternoon. It’s for one of twelve in a ballet in Puss in Boots. That’s why I’m not doing lessons this morning. Madame thought it might be too much after measles.’
‘Quite right. I’ll hold my thumbs for you. Hope you get it. I’ll come and watch you if you do. But about John. Isn’t there anything he likes, to pull him on to his feet again?’
Virginia sighed. ‘Not really. You see he’s what you’d call a one-dog boy, and since Frederick died, he hasn’t liked anything much.’
‘Wonder if I could get him a dog from the dogs’ place at Battersea.’
‘No, Mummy thought of that. They don’t seem to have many stray dachshunds, and John only wants another dachshund. He says he doesn’t, but he does. There’s one called Charles in Mr Miggs’s dog shop. He’s not perfect because his eyes are the wrong colour, but he has the nicest little face. We first saw him the day before the measles started, and though we both felt peculiar, that dog nearly made us feel all right. He’s still not sold. I see him often.’
‘Expensive?’
‘Terribly. Even with the wrong eyes ten guineas.’
The doctor picked up his bag. ‘Wish I had ten guineas to spare. I’d give a lot to see John running about again.’
Virginia shut the door and went up to her bedroom thinking hard all the way. It had not until that moment struck her the doctor was worried about John. When she was thinking hard she practised dancing exercises. She held on to the end of the bed, turned out her toes and bent her knees. Suddenly she straightened up, her eyes shining. She rushed into John’s room, pulling on her coat and beret.
‘I’m going out for a little bit.’
Mr Miggs was a very old gentleman. He knew the twins well for they never passed his dog shop without looking in, and when Frederick was alive John had always lifted him up so that he could say how do you do to the other dogs. Mr Miggs was not a talking sort of man. He believed in gestures. He jerked a thumb at his window.
‘Charles is still here.’
Virginia leant over the frame at the back of the window. There was Charles, very young and gay and the colour of an autumn leaf.
‘You lovely, gorgeous boy!’ She came back to Mr Miggs. She lay half across his counter so as to get near to him. ‘Today I’m going for an audition to dance in Puss in Boots. One of twelve in a ballet. Pantomimes run for weeks and weeks, and if I get chosen, even with Madame’s percentage and what has to go in the Post Office for me, I’ll earn much more than ten guineas. If I get the engagement, would you trust me and let me take Charles tonight? Dear, dear Mr Miggs, please say you will.’
Mr Miggs jerked his head towards Charles. ‘Keep him for you.’
‘That wouldn’t be the same thing – you see … ’
Out poured the story of John. Right from the beginning when their father had given Frederick to John as a sixth birthday present, through Frederick’s illness and death – which Mr Miggs knew about already – up to the measles and what the doctor had said. Mr Miggs seemed stunned by hearing so many words, for it was a long time before he answered. Then he prodded Virginia’s shoulder with a finger.
‘Never trust anybody, but if you are engaged, trust you.’
Virginia slid off the counter. She was so pleased that her feet had to dance. She finished by throwing her arms round Mr Miggs and giving him a kiss. Mr Miggs was not a kissing sort of man. He rubbed his cheek where the kiss had been as if it had been a bite.
‘Shut at five.’
‘I know you do. I’ll be here long before then.’ Virginia leant over to Charles. ‘Goodbye, loveliest Charles. You’ll be walking home with me this very evening.’
The artists called to the audition were gathered round the empty stage. The dancing academy had sent fourteen girls. They all wore pink tunics, white socks and ballet shoes. They sat in a row trying not to look excited or nervous, but inside they all were, and nobody more so than Virginia. She must be engaged, she absolutely must. Imagine John’s face when she walked in with Charles! The children had quite a while to wait. A lady sang ‘We’ll Gather Lilacs’ and a man tried to show how funny he would be if he had on a cat’s skin, and a fat girl recited Viola’s willow cabin speech from Twelfth Night to show how splendidly she would say her lines if she might play the fairy queen. Then suddenly a voice from the stalls called, ‘I’ll see the children dancers now.’
The dancing academy had an audition ballet which they danced to the Suga. . .
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