"Come over here, kiddie! We'll read them together." She sprang to him, knelt beside him, and warmly hugged him.

Max remained propped against the mantelpiece, looking on, ignored by both.
"Muriel's first!" commanded Nick; and, with hands that shook, Olga slit open the envelope.
He put his arm about her shoulders as she withdrew the sheet and opened it out.

"Yes, you can read it too.

I know what's in it, bless her heart!" So together they read the closely-written pages.

There was silence in the room as they did so, broken only by the crackling of the paper, while Max Wyndham kept a motionless watch, his shaggy brows drawn close.
Suddenly Olga lifted her face.