So, under Stella's questioning, Lairin eagerly told stories all the way about her childhood with Elie. It was not until she helped Stella carry everything down to the palace that she suddenly remembered why she had brought up the subject in the first place: she had wanted to use the gifts for the children to probe Stella's attitude toward kids.
--In the end, she still wanted to wind the conversation back to why Stella wanted that legendary surgery.
"All right!" Stella clapped her hands in satisfaction. "Thank you so much! Let's have a drink sometime!"
"Sure, sure." Lairin could only nod--having a "sometime" was better than having nothing at all.
The two parted ways and went about their own business.
Night fell. Starting that evening, the palace imposed a strict nighttime lockdown. After seven thirty, no one was allowed to move about freely, not even the adults. After six that evening, Santa and the other workers rushed around as though preparing for battle. They usually worked until nine, then, after most people had gone to sleep, sat together in the garden or the glasshouse to chat for a while, only heading upstairs after ten. Being suddenly ordered to wrap up everything by seven thirty caught them completely off guard. They privately wondered why the curfew had been set so early. After all, that inspector herself was a night owl!
Yet Hesta enforced this rule without mercy. That night, as soon as it was seven, she personally went downstairs to inspect the grounds, checking where people were still gathered. Santa was just the last person leaving the kitchen when she heard Hesta call her name in a somewhat displeased tone, asking why she was still outside at this hour. Santa hurriedly explained that there was no one left in the kitchen,