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are a hundred,’ said Mrs Bradon firmly. ‘But they are doctors, nurses, ward orderlies. Which one of them do you suggest should be taken off his duties to save you from having to do your duty?’

      ‘It’s hardly my—’

      ‘You deprived us of our Santa Claus,’ said Mrs Bradon implacably. ‘It’s your job to take his place!’

      ‘Look, ladies—’

      Alex met Corinne’s eyes, seeking her support. But she was looking at him angrily.

      ‘After all,’ she echoed him, ‘how hard can it be? A bit of swagger and a ho-ho-ho or two.’

      ‘All right, all right,’ he snapped.

      ‘Splendid!’ Mrs Bradon hooted triumphantly. ‘You’d better get to work right away. Corinne will show you what to do. Hurry up!’

      She bustled away.

      ‘You’re finding this very funny, aren’t you?’ Alex growled.

      ‘It has its moments. When was the last time someone spoke to you like that without you flattening them in return?’

      ‘I can’t remember,’ he admitted.

      ‘I’ll get the costume and you can get to work.’

      ‘Corinne, wait.’ He detained her with a hand on her arm. ‘Must I really do this? Surely—’

      ‘Aha! Backing out!’ She began to cluck like a hen.

      ‘I am not chicken,’ he said furiously.

      ‘Sez who?’ she jeered. ‘You’re just afraid you’re not up to it. That’s the first time I’ve heard you admit that there is something you can’t do better than the next man.’

      ‘I didn’t mean that.’

      ‘No, you meant that it’s beneath you.’

      ‘I just think that there has to be another way.’

      ‘Of course there is. All you have to do is find a replacement who can do this in exactly ten minutes’ time.’

      He ground his teeth.

      ‘All right. Get the costume and let’s get this over with.’

      ‘I’d rather you came out to the car with me. I don’t want to let you out of my sight.’

      ‘Dammit, Corinne!’ Alex said furiously. ‘Why must you overreact to everything? I’ve said I’ll do it, and I’ll do it. After all, how hard can it be?’

      She fetched the costume and took him into a small kitchen where Jimmy had planned to change. As Alex dressed she explained his duties.

      ‘You have to go around both the children’s wards with your sack, giving out presents.’

      ‘How will I know who to give what?’

      ‘Leave that to me. I’ll be there. I’ll tell you who everyone is and hand you the right present. After that you go and sit by the big tree in the hall and you’ll get some children who are in here visiting people. Then I’ll have to leave you for a few minutes to collect Bobby and Mitzi.’

      ‘Did you tell them I called? That I was coming a day early?’

      ‘No, I thought I’d let it come as a nice surprise when you turned up.’

      ‘You mean you thought I’d let you down?’ he asked wryly.

      ‘Well, if I did I was wrong,’ she conceded. ‘Maybe I’ve done you an injustice. When I heard your voice I thought you were going to cry off again. But you didn’t, and that’s wonderful. It’ll be the best Christmas ever.’

      Remembering how close he’d come to cancelling, he had the grace to feel awkward and was glad that fiddling with his beard gave him an excuse not to look at her.

      ‘Here,’ she said, laughing. ‘Let me fix that.’

      ‘There’s an awful lot of stuff to put on,’ Alex said. ‘I thought it would just be a white thing with hooks over the ears.’

      ‘Well, there are hooks, but there’s also glue so that it fits your mouth and stays in place. Jimmy believes in doing things properly. He got this from a theatrical costumier, and he chose the best.’

      ‘Jimmy?’

      ‘Jimmy is spending Christmas with us—or he was before he was knocked down by some maniac driver.’

      ‘I did not knock him down,’ Alex said through gritted teeth. ‘He fell.’

      ‘Whatever. He chose the costume, and it’s a good one.’

      Alex had to admit that it was the best. The beard was soft and silky, gleaming white, with a huge moustache that flowed down into the beard itself. When it was fixed in place it covered his mouth almost completely.

      But there was something else.

      ‘A wig?’ he protested.

      ‘Of course. How can you be convincing with a white beard and brown hair?’

      ‘Won’t my hair be covered by a hood?’

      ‘Even with a hood they’d notice. Children notice everything these days. They see wonderful special effects on films and television, and when they get close up to reality they expect it to be just as convincing.’

      He grumbled some more, but when the wig was on he had to admit that it looked impressive. Long, thick and flowing, it streamed down over his shoulders, mingling with the beard, which was also long and flowing.

      He looked nothing like himself, and that was some consolation, he reflected. At least nobody would be able to identify him.

      He was beginning to get into the part now, driven by the instinct that governed his life—to be the best at whatever he undertook.

      If you weren’t the best there was no point in doing it. Right?

      In some respects he had the physique, being over six foot. But there was one flaw.

      ‘I’m too thin,’ he objected. ‘This suit was made for someone a lot bigger.’

      ‘There’s some padding,’ Corinne said, diving back into the bag.

      With the padding in place he had a satisfactory paunch.

      ‘Will I do?’ he demanded.

      ‘Your cheeks need to be rosier.’

      ‘Get off! What are you doing?’

      ‘Just a little red to make you convincing.’

      ‘I won’t even ask what you’ve just put on my face.’ He groaned. ‘I don’t want to know.’

      ‘You look great. Completely convincing. Now, let’s have a ho-ho-ho!’

      ‘Ho-ho-ho!’ he intoned.

      ‘No, you need to be more full and rounded. Try it again, and make it boom this time.’

      ‘Ho-ho-ho!’

      To her surprise, he made a good job of it.

      ‘Well done,’ she said. ‘That was really convincing.’

      ‘You thought I couldn’t be?’

      ‘Jimmy never manages it that way. He tries but it comes out sounding reedy.’

      ‘What about my eyebrows?’ Alex asked. ‘Are they white enough?’

      He was right. His dark brown eyebrows now looked odd against the gleaming white hair and whiskers.

      ‘There aren’t any false eyebrows,’ she said, inspecting the bag. ‘You’ll have to go as you are.’

      ‘No way. We’ll do this

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