The CBB :: View topic - A Dartmoor Christmas

#1: A Dartmoor Christmas Author: CBB Secret Santa,

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2004 12:43 am

The snow was gently falling as Nell Wilson looked out of the window. She supposed that she should have expected this, it was December, and this was Dartmoor. She quickly got washed and dressed and went to check the woodpile. Finding that it was well stocked she moved a large part of it as close to the house as possible and went to check the little runabout she had hired from a local garage for the duration of the holidays. The engine coughed and then started, she let it run for a few moments while she checked the tyres and the chains and finding everything in good order she turned the engine off and went back inside.

Nell had always had an affinity with the wilds of Dartmoor and even in the depths of winter this was somewhere she loved being. She had arranged many months before to hire this cottage for the three weeks that she was back in England, having already spent much of the previous summer there. This was her favourite spot in the country, the place that despite never having lived in felt like home. She revelled in the challenges set by the bleak and sometimes hostile environment; the long walks she could take without ever seeing another soul; the sudden changes in the weather, even in the height of summer; the botanical and geological anomalies she could spot. This was Nell’s place.

This was not the first time Nell had spent the holidays alone, and she did not think it would be the last. She loved her job, and had built some close relationships with other members of staff, Con Stewart being one, but Nell still kept herself slightly apart. The loss of her sister had affected her badly but she had subsumed it in caring for her ailing parents, never once letting them realise how she was falling to pieces inside every time she walked into Cherry’s room, touched her things, recalled some small shared enjoyment or spoke about her. This was made harder by the fact that her mother talked about her often. It was only five months after Cherry’s death that their mother also passed away and Nell had taken this stoically, concentrating on nursing her ailing father. Nell took after her father and in those last few months neither one of them expressed their grief. Nell stood at her father’s graveside wishing she could cry, but no tears came.

That had been a few years previously, and Nell had let no one come close to her since that time. It was true she had made some close friends, but there had been no one that she had felt would understand her pain, pain that was still raw, and this had made her reserved with those around her. This was partly why she loved Dartmoor; she knew this somewhere deep inside. The raw, jagged landscape was a reflection of her grief, and watching the changing weather and seasons helped her to come to terms with this to a certain degree.

Nell spent the morning catching up with some correspondence and then made some soup for lunch, feeling wickedly sinful as she opened a tin of Vegetable soup and heated it on the range. After washing up she looked outside and realised that the snow had stopped and decide to take advantage of the frosty sun to have a walk. She pulled on her nailed boots, tied her scarf tight and set off over the moors. It was already dark when she arrived back, chilled, but with glowing cheeks and a vital appetite that she gave full reign to when making her supper. She listened to Carols from Kings as she curled up in the big chair after wards and warmed her feet by the simple method of sitting on them.

It was 11.00 pm when she stood up and stretched. She quickly raked out the range and set in fresh coal, making sure it had taken before closing the dampers. Then after washing her hands she pulled on her coat, hat, gloves and scarf and found the keys for the car. The Catholic chapel was only fifteen minutes drive away and she arrived just in time for the service. This was always her favourite mass of the year, holding out hope as it did, and the quiet singing of Silent Night as the choir processed in and stood around the simple crib scene set the tone for the rest of the short service.

The mass over the choir processed out to the rousing Adeste, sung with the final verse, “Yea, Lord we greet thee; born this happy morn; Jesus to Thee be glory given” Nell walked slowly to the back of the chapel and was about to leave when she heard a voice.
“Miss Wilson, it is Miss Wilson isn’t it?”
Nell turned and saw an older looking man, with a grey overcoat holding out a small rectangular package wrapped in brown paper.
“I’m sorry, Mr?”
“I’m Mr Bishop, postmaster in the village and this arrived today. It was too late for the delivery, but I thought I saw you here last Sunday and took the chance you might be tonight. I shouldn’t really, but I thought it might be a Christmas present.”
“Thank you very much Mr Bishop, that was very kind of you. I can’t think of anyone who could be sending me a present, but I appreciate your thought.”
“It’s Christmas,” he said simply and wondered off in response to a waved greeting.

Nell tucked the package into her pocket and drove home. The house was still warm and after removing her outdoor clothes Nell took the packet from her pocket and looked at it. Turning it over she examined the postmark, but it was smudged beyond recognition. All she could say was that the handwriting seemed familiar and that it had been posted in England. “It is Christmas day she thought, and anyway it might not be anything to do with Christmas.” Inside she found a book. It was Wind in the Willows and tucked neatly at the beginning of Chapter five was an envelope. Nell removed the envelope and let her eyes linger on the familiar words, “The sheep ran huddling together against the hurdles, blowing out thin nostrils and stamping with delicate fore-feet, their heads thrown back and a light steam rising from the crowded sheep-pen into the frosty air, as the two animals hastened by in high spirits, with much chatter and laughter.” Almost unable to help herself she sank into the nearest chair and read the entire chapter not looking up till she had read the final words, “He did not at all want to abandon the new life and its splendid spaces, to turn his back on sun and air and all they offered him and creep home and stay there; the upper world was all too strong, it called to him still, even down there, and he knew he must return to the larger stage. But it was good to think he had this to come back to; this place which was all his own, these things which were so glad to see him again and could always be counted upon for the same simple welcome.” It was only then that she thought to wonder where the book had come from and to reach for the envelope that had fluttered to the floor as she sat down. Opening it she discovered a card and inside a simple message, “Happy Christmas Nell. I recall you saying how much you loved this book as a child and when I found it thought I would send it on. I hope it reaches you in time. Have a peaceful Christmas, love Hilda.”

Nell stood and placed the card on the mantelpiece, and then seeing that there was something else in the envelope picked it up once more. It was a slip of card with Hilda’s vacation address on it. Nell went to tuck it into her address book in the drawer, then making a sudden decision laid it down next to the phone. There it would be handy. Tomorrow she would ring Hilda with Christmas greetings and thanks, and maybe, just maybe invite her to come to the moor for New Year.

Happy Christmas Rachael. Santa

#2: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2004 1:53 am

That was a beautiful drabble Santa!

#3: Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2004 3:42 am

Lovely story indeed! I do wonder just when it's set, though, if there is a particular year in the Author's mind.

#4: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2004 5:41 am

Beautiful Santa. Ahhhhhh

#5: Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2004 8:14 am

Lovely! I got very vivid pictures of the scenes. thank you Santa

#6: Author: Rachael,

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2004 9:01 am

Absolutely fabulous and so touching!

Thank you so much, Santa - I'm very chuffed to get a drabble about Nell and it's perfectly done, capturing both the wilderness of Dartmoor and Nell's pain
I have every confidence that she will ring Hilda and invite her for New Year! Very Happy

(And now, I think it's time I re-read Wind in the Willows! I'd forgotten how lovely it was)

#7: Author: Guest,

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2004 9:27 am

That was lovely!

#8: Author: Guest,

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2004 9:28 am

That was Catriona, by the way.

#9: Author: Ruth B, Location: Oxford, UK

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2004 10:43 am

That was lovely. I may be getting over emotional, but I had tears in my eyes when I read the excerpt from Wind in the Willows.

My father's family come from Plymouth and Dartmoor in the winter really is beautiful

#10: Author: Gem, Location: Saltash, Cornwall (holidays), Aberystwyth (termtime from September)

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2004 11:11 am

That was beautiful, Secret Santa!

#11: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2004 2:26 pm

Beautiful, thank you Santa!

#12: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2004 2:57 pm

Lovely drabble Santa. Can see this as real.

#13: Author: Kirsty, Location: Melbourne, Australia

Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2004 11:06 am

That was lovely! I felt very cold just reading it, cos you've described everything so well.

Like Rachael, off to dig out & re-read Wind in the Willows now.

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