I hope everyone is having a relaxing weekend and not rushing about too much finding last minute gifts. Doing my shopping reminded me of the scene I wrote in The Promise Tree when Edwin takes Drusilla a present.
What do you get a 200 year old dryad for Christmas?
“I brought you a gift.”
He held out the small box wrapped in red and green paper with silver ribbons tying the lid.
“It’s beautiful,” Drusilla said. “Thank you. But what should I give you in return?”
“Nothing. That’s the thing about gifts. They aren’t in exchange for anything nor do they come with conditions.”
“That doesn’t sound right. Everything has a condition.”
“No, it doesn’t,” Edwin said. He wrinkled his brow in thought.
“But if it helps, you can think of it as thanks for making these last couple of months bearable. I think if I had been alone here with Grandfather as my only company I would have ended up in an asylum or prison. I couldn’t say which for certain. I’m sure I would have returned to Yorkshire and planned to stay there, but knowing I have a friend makes returning bearable.”
She smiled more warmly and gave a rippling laugh. “Then I thank you and I accept your gift.”
“You can open it now,” Edwin prompted. “You don’t have to wait until Christmas Day.”
“There’s something inside it?” Drusilla asked, her eyes widening.
“Of course,” Edwin said. “I mean, the paper is pretty and I suppose you could put the ribbon in your hair but a box isn’t much of a gift.”
Drusilla tugged the end of the ribbon loose and unwound it. She opened the lid and rummaged in the tissue paper.
“Sugared almonds and chocolate-covered hazelnuts,” Edwin said. “I guessed you have a sweet tooth from how much you liked the cocoa.”
“Oh, I do.” Drusilla beamed at him. “Thank you, Edwin, my darling. It’s the nicest thing anyone has given me.”
She delved into the box and pulled out a pale-yellow sugared almond. She put it in her mouth and sighed with delight as she tasted it. As she sucked, her lips became a rosebud and Edwin couldn’t take his eyes off her mouth. If he kissed her, would she taste of sugared almonds too?
The wind began to blow and the branches stirred, giving a low whistling like a growling dog.
Drusilla stiffened. “It’s going to snow soon. You should go.”
“Can you smell it?” Edwin asked. Snow-laden air had an unmistakeable scent to it but he couldn’t smell it.
“Can’t you?” Drusilla inhaled again. “The air smells cold and sharp. It tastes grey.”
Edwin sniffed.
“Not like that,” Drusilla said. “From here and breathe slowly.”
She put a hand to his sternum, pushing gently into the soft spot beneath his ribcage. She inhaled deeply and he did the same, closing his eyes and drawing in air to the bottom of his lungs. His heart was throbbing and her palm was a hot brand in his centre, but his mind filled with a hundred thousand swirling snowflakes and on his tongue was the unmistakable taste of snowfall.
However you’re buying for and whatever you’re gifting, have a wonderful time.
Elisabeth Hobbes Writes History 