Christmas Fairy Read Online Free PDF Page A

was a fairy, with holly-leaf wings and a white dress garlanded with ivy.
    Twink flitted to the decoration and stared into its face. It really was a fairy! Her painted features smiled at Twink.
    ‘Dad, where’s Uncle Matt’s farm?’ came Lindsay’s voice from across the room.
    This was it! Twink landed on a branch beside the little fairy, her pointed ears craning to catch every word.
    ‘Up near Wenton,’ said Lindsay’s father. ‘Why?’
    ‘Just wondering,’ said Lindsay. She slipped a bit of food to Clarence, who wolfed it down. ‘Er . . . what direction is that in?’
    Lindsay’s mother laughed. ‘You must be doing geography in school.’
    ‘That’s right.’ Lindsay nodded vigorously. ‘So which direction is it, Dad?’
    ‘From here, you mean?’ Lindsay’s father considered. ‘North-east, I suppose.’
    ‘Which way’s that? Can you show me?’
    With an eyebrow-raised glance at Lindsay’s mother, her father twisted in his seat and pointed towards the front of the house. ‘That way, roughly. That do you?’
    ‘Yes, thanks, Dad! That’s brilliant.’ Lindsay’s freckled face beamed.
    Ask how far it is! implored Twink silently as she perched on the prickly branch. I need to know how far!
    Miraculously, Lindsay seemed to hear. ‘Dad . . . how long does it take to get there?’
    ‘About an hour, motorway willing,’ said Lindsay’s father. ‘Why all the questions, Lin? Are you planning on going there?’
    Twink clutched the branch excitedly. Of course she knew that cars went faster than fairies, but surely if a car took an hour to make the journey, then she could fly it in three or four? She’d be home before morning!
    But Lindsay didn’t look so sure. She bit her lip. ‘Um . . . how far away is that in miles?’
    Her father put down his fork with a groan. ‘It’s about fifty miles away. Now, do you need anything else? The postcode, perhaps? Grid reference on an Ordnance Survey map?’
    ‘Tom, she’s only asking,’ chided Lindsay’s mother.
    All the blood seemed to rush from Twink’s head, leaving her faint and dizzy. Fifty miles? That was further than the strongest fairy in the world could fly!
    Lindsay’s face had paled. ‘Fifty miles? But . . .’
    ‘ What? ’ said her father in exasperation.
    ‘Nothing.’ Lindsay looked down, her
    ‘Nothing.’ Lindsay looked down, her fork scraping as she toyed with her food. Suddenly she glanced up again, her face full of hope. ‘Dad! Could you take me there?’
    Of course! Twink held her breath as she saw Lindsay’s plan. If Lindsay’s father would drive her there, then Twink could sneak along! She’d be home in no time.

    ‘What for?’ Lindsay’s father gazed at her as though she had lost her senses.
    ‘Sweetie, what’s up?’ put in Lindsay’s mum. ‘Why all this interest in Uncle Matt’s farm all of a sudden?’
    ‘Because . . . because . . .’ Lindsay’s cheeks turned pink as she floundered.
    Twink froze in terror. Don’t tell them! she shouted silently. She trusted Lindsay, but she didn’t trust Lindsay’s parents one little bit! They’d come after her with the rolled-up magazine again.
    ‘Because I want to see where you chopped down the tree!’ burst out Lindsay finally. Twink’s wings sagged in relief.
    Her parents stared at her. ‘Why would you want to see that?’ asked her father.
    ‘I – I want to say sorry to it.’ Lindsay’s cheeks were on fire, but she lifted her chin firmly. ‘For being chopped down.’
    ‘You want to say sorry to the tree stump,’ repeated her father in disbelief. ‘Now I’ve heard everything!’
    ‘It must be something she heard in school,’ put in Lindsay’s mother. ‘Darling, why are you so worried about the tree? We cut one down every year! You always say how pretty it is.’
    Lindsay looked near tears. ‘Because it was a living thing! Trees have personalities, and lots of them have dryads, and –’
    ‘ Dryads? ’ Her father burst out laughing. ‘You’ve been