Page 24 of How the Duke Saved Christmas

“Is it true about Queen Charlotte?”

Clara froze in mid-tickle at Margaret’s unexpected question. “Is what true?”

“That she decoratesa treeinside the palace for Christmas.” Her pert nose scrunched up. “I can’t imagine anyone doing something as silly as that!”

“Oh no—it’s lovely. She has a big tree put into the palace and decorates it every year.” She fussed with the doll’s skirt as it sat on Susannah’s lap. It would need a new dress soon, having been loved to tatters. Perhaps that could be Clara’s Christmas gift to the girl… “But it started with a single yew bough.”

All four sets of eyes blinked incredulously.

“You see, where she lived as a little girl on the Continent, everyone celebrates Christmas by bringing a yew bough into their homes. The children decorate it with little candles, ribbons, sweet treats, and presents for their parents. Their mamas and papas wait outside for them to finish. Then, when it’s ready, the parents come into the room, everyone is given their presents, and they all celebrate Christmas together. It brings greenery and love into the house at the darkest, coldest time of the year.”

“We should do that!” Benjamin exclaimed.

Aaron, as usual, was more skeptical. “But how did it go from being a yew bough to an entire tree?”

“Well, Queen Charlotte changed the tradition just a bit, and instead of her children decorating the bough for her, she decorated it for her children and put their presents and all kinds of wonderful treats on it that little girls and boys love…toy horses, little drums, mittens, even dolls.”

Susannah protectively pulled her doll closer. She clearly was not hoping for any kind of replacement for her doll.

“Horses?” Benjamin asked, his eyes widening.

“All kinds of little wooden animals. In fact, when I saw it, there was a wooden Noah’s Ark sitting on the table beneath it, with all the toy animals lined up in pairs.”

Even Aaron inhaled a wondrous breath at that.

“But soon, the queen’s own children grew up and didn’t need toys or sweets anymore, so she decided to decorate the bough for all the children connected to the palace and for children at the orphanage and Foundling Hospital. But her yew bough wasn’t big enough to hold enough toys for all those children.” She squeezed Benjamin’s hand. “So one year, instead of having the palace groundskeepers cut off a single bough, she had them bring in an entire evergreen tree!”

“Deuces,” Aaron said softly in awe.

“It was decorated with so many candles it looked like a bonfire, with all kinds of decorations, toys, and sweetmeats hanging heavy on every branch. The children came into the palace for the party and waited in the outer room, and when the footmen opened the big doors to the drawing room—oh, it was glorious! They all rushed inside to see it, and everyone took turns selecting one of the presents from the boughs. Then everyone ate all the treats they wanted, including the grownups.”

“You saw it yourself?” Margaret forgot her pretense of being grown up and let her mouth fall open wide. “Atthe palace?”

“I did. I was just a little girl, the same age as you.” She tucked one of Susannah’s unruly curls behind her ear. “So did your Uncle Michael. I remember seeing him there.” She lowered her voice and confided, “He used to pull my braids until I cried.”

“That was mean,” Susannah admonished with a frown.

Clara let out a heavy sigh. “That’s how boys were back then, I’m afraid.” She lifted a pointed brow at the two boys sitting on either side of her. “But not anymore. Now you’re expected to be little gentlemen.”

They both nodded at the heavy responsibility, but Clara could tell by the thoughtful expressions on their faces that they were still thinking of toys and sweets instead of how to treat girls.

“Now, almost all the lords in England have yew boughs or trees in their houses, especially those in the country.” She placed a kiss to Susannah’s head and admitted softly, “We have a tree at my family’s house in Scotland every year.”

“Can we decorate a tree?” Aaron asked.

“Just like the queen?” Margaret added in a rush.

“A really big one!” Benjamin exclaimed.

“With presents and sweetmeats,” Susannah whispered, awestruck at the idea.

Clara hesitated to answer. She might have just taken holiday celebrations in a new direction where Michael didn’t want them to go. “But Cook has already made enough sweets to keep you happy until next summer, and I know you have all kinds of presents from your parents waiting for you.”

Their faces fell beneath her adult logic.

“But the children in the village won’t.” Undaunted, Margaret grabbed Clara’s hand. “We can bring in a big tree and decorate it, and on Christmas Day, when we open the house to the villagers and tenants, they can all come in and select a toy from it, just like Queen Charlotte did for everyone. Oh, it will so grand!”

Soon, all four children were talking at once, unable to sit still and bouncing on the bed with excitement as they planed out all the different toys and treats they could tie to the tree branches.