Page 24 of Highlanders for the Holidays
As they drew near, he saw a curious stone disk sitting askew atop the well. It looked like a dislodged lid.
“There’s an inscription on top,” she told him. “See the Viking runes?”
“What does it say?”
“’Tis a blessin’. For a quiet journey, joyful days, and strong deeds for Odin.”
“Odin?”
“The Viking god.” She ran her fingers across the carved runes. “And here it says, ‘May your love stay true to your noble heart’.”
He nodded. “That sounds like a good blessin’.” He drew his dagger. “Do ye think we should try it? Shall we cut locks of our hair and—”
“Oh, nae!” she blurted out. “I don’t think so.”
Her response set him on his heels. Yesterday he expected her to have some qualms about staying true to a man she’d never met. But they were properly married now.
And they’d made love.
Twice.
“Nae?”
“’Tis just…I guess…” she said, stumbling over the words, “I guess I don’t much…believe in wishes.”
“Hmm.” She wasn’t being completely forthcoming with him. But he supposed it didn’t matter. Wish or no wish, he intended to stay true to his noble heart. And he intended to keep his new bride so satisfied that she wouldn’t eventhinkof straying.
He sheathed his dagger, and then peered over the stone lid and into the abyss of the well. It seemed like a perilous thing to leave open. A small child could fall in and drown.Theirsmall child.
“’Tis deep,” he said with a frown. “If I were laird now, I’d seal it up.”
“Oh, ye mustn’t do that.”
“And why not?”
“Because the spirits will be trapped inside. Besides, at this time o’ year, all the lasses toss their wishes in it.”
“I thought ye didn’t believe in wishes.”
“Well,Idon’t, nae,” she said, coloring a little. “But the others…”
“I see,” he said with a grin. He crossed his arms over his chest. “Ye know, ye’re quite bonnie when ye blush like that.”
She gave him a teasing push. “I’m not blushin’. ’Tis only the cold.”
“Well, I’ll have to warm ye then, won’t I?” He didn’t wait for an answer. He opened his cloak and swept it around her, enfolding them both. “Better?”
* * *
Ysenda nodded. She had to admit itwasbetter. But not because she was cold. She had the thick blood of a Highlander, after all. And her sister’s fur-lined wool cloak and sturdy leather boots were good protection against the snowdrifts.
It was better because she felt…protected…in No?l’s arms.
She could protect herself, of course. Her mother had passed on enough of her fighting skills to ensure that her daughter wouldn’t be left vulnerable.
But there had never been anyone to champion Ysenda. She’d fought against the prejudice of her father. She’d battled the arrogance of her sister. She’d defended her brother when he was too weak to defend himself. But she’d always fought alone. No one had ever stepped in and taken her side.
Now, for the first time, snuggled in the arms of this Norman warrior, she felt absolutely safe.
