The Holiday Secret. Kathryn Springer

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      “Look, Miss El’ry.” Bea’s voice dropped to an almost reverent whisper as they strolled down one of the snowy paths fanning out from the pavilion after the parade. “Ponies!”

      Ellery followed the little girl’s gaze to a sleigh parked under a nearby lamppost. She smiled at the description. Not ponies, but a matched pair of coal-black Friesians. The team stood shoulder to shoulder, their breath creating plumes of frost in the air. The bearded driver, clad in a buffalo-check flannel shirt and bib overalls, resembled the lumberjacks in the sepia photographs on display in Karen’s gathering room.

      Ellery was about to suggest they walk over and say hello, but Bea had already changed direction. Ellery’s feet almost slid out from under her as she struggled to keep up.

      The driver flicked the brim of his wool cap when they approached. “Good evening, ladies. Stanley Potter at your service. Are you ready for a little jaunt around the park?”

      Bea clapped her hands over her mouth and the only sound that slipped out was a tiny squeak.

      Ellery laughed. “I think that means yes.”

      “Up you go, then.” Stanley held out a gloved hand and helped them onto a narrow wooden bench behind the driver’s seat. “Diamond and Opal will be happy to take you on a scenic tour of the town.”

      He clicked his tongue and the team lurched forward, the rows of tiny silver bells attached to their leather harnesses playing a merry tune.

      She studied the storefronts as the sleigh turned onto main street, hoping to see her brothers’ last name on one of the signs. Ellery’s brief online search before she’d left home hadn’t yielded any clues as to what her brothers did for a living, nor did they show up on any of the popular social media sites.

      But then again, Ellery didn’t, either. Her parents had stressed the importance of connecting with people face-to-face and encouraged Ellery to do the same.

      But what if there’d been more to it than that? What if they’d been afraid that her biological family would somehow find her?

      Even as the thought sprang into Ellery’s head, it felt like a betrayal.

       Lord, I’m questioning everything these days...

      “Whoa!”

      Ellery grabbed Bea’s hand as Stanley pulled back on the reins.

      The team tossed their heads in response to the abrupt command but obeyed. The center of the street seemed like an unusual place to stop, so Ellery leaned forward.

      “Is something wrong?”

      “I’m not sure,” came the cheerful response. “We’ve never been pulled over before.”