Page 51 of Tis The Season for Secrets
“You only have to wait a little while longer!” he pleaded. “You’re going to freeze to death by the time you even reach the village.”
She refused to look at him, focusing on the wellies on her feet, which he guessed were Lyla’s. “I don’t want to read any more letters. I want to face her. My heart is breaking over a woman I’ve never even met, or spoken to!” She put her handsover her face. “You’ve no idea the guilt I feel for everyone involved now.”
Her words cut him. “I never wanted you to feel this way.” He stepped towards her cautiously, afraid she’d bolt. “I should’ve considered how you would feel about all this before I agreed to get that chest to you.” He managed to get in front of her so that she had to stop.
“If you hadn’t, then we wouldn’t have met, and I don’t regret that. I don’t regret even learning about Yule.” She stared up at him, before resting her forehead against his chest. “I just want all the secrets to end. To know she’s so close and yet I can’t get to her is driving me crazy.” Juliet kicked a pile of snow. “Mrs Klaus shouldn’t have given me those letters; I feel like I’m going insane.”
“Letters?” Will ran his hands over his face. He took a deep breath then let it out, the long exhalation visible to them both. “Mrs Klaus has been friends with your mum for years. I can understand her desire to help, but I’m sorry you found out she knew so abruptly.”
“She scared me when she found me in her office, but none of this is her fault. Her heart was in the right place. We never should’ve brought this burden to their door.”
Will placed his hands on her shoulders, trying to get her to listen to him. “They don’t see you as a burden. In fact, Lyla and Kevin are currently debating who should be your partner for the snowman-building contest– they’ve had to reschedule the gingerbread contest, thanks to the snowfall. Mason’s pissed because his missus would rather partner with you than him. Please come back and have some breakfast; I don’t want you to lose any fingers or toes out here.”
“Really?” she sniffled, and he rubbed her back to try and get her blood flowing.
“Really. They’re only worried about you getting eaten by the wolves. Mrs Klaus is beside herself with worry, blaming herself for giving you the letter.”
“That’s the last thing I wanted,” Juliet mumbled into his chest, and he felt the fight leave her limbs.
“Then let’s go back before we freeze to death.”
She took his hand, and he tried to conceal his relief as she followed him back to the sleigh, only to come to a sudden halt, tugging on his hand. “Did you say wolves?”
“They protect the outskirts of town from outsiders, but they tend to stick to the forest.” Will scolded himself for not telling her about them sooner.
She looked to the edge of the forest lining the side of the road and swallowed. “In the museum, you said you didn’t like wolves.” Her panic turned to annoyance, and her nose scrunched up. “You’re only telling me about this now?!”
“Shh! Do you want them to hear you?” He pulled her close. “It’s amazing they haven’t smelt you yet. To them, you smell like dinner.” He bit his tongue to stop himself from laughing as she paled and curled into him. “Better stay close.”
Juliet remained huddled close to him in the sleigh as they made their way back to the house. It was already the 13th, and with only thirteen days until the 26th, when they could petition the council about her legacy case. If the council agreed, then she could meet with Eloise; it felt unfair to Juliet to keep them apart for too much longer. If it didn’t go well, he hoped she wouldn’t blame him for bringing her back into her mother’s life. Seeing the toll his actions had taken on her made him question whether he done the right thing for her. He understood Eloise’s desire to meet her daughter, but he’d never stopped to ask what was best for Juliet, and given his feelings for her, he’d made a real mess of her life. Still, he hoped she’d let him spend the rest of his days making it up to her.
“I’m worried about Di and Beth. Is there any way I can contact them?” Juliet asked.
“We can leave now, if you want?”
“But I promised we’d stay for the snowman-building competition,” Juliet said, sounding torn. He guessed she didn’t want to disappoint her new friends, and he couldn’t blame her for wanting to get better acquainted with Yule.
“If you want to stay, how about I get a message to Di and Beth and let them know we’re okay?” he suggested. He didn’t know why he hadn’t thought of it before, but Mr Frost had given him the house phone number, so he should be able to contact them and make up some kind of excuse about where they’d been.
“Really? Thank you, and I’d like to stay,” she admitted as they passed through the Klaus gates. “I promised Kevin I would be his partner last night – I was caught off-guard and I didn’t know what to say. Or would it be too risky in case I’m seen?”
Will considered it, but he figured they could use some fun. A break from all the stress and worry– if he feltheneeded it, he was sure it would do Juliet a world of good. Experiencing some of Yule’s traditions might also help her feel less like a festive fugitive.
He pulled into the garage, and Juliet hopped down from the sleigh. “There’ll be crowds of people participating; you’ll hardly be noticed.” He decided to leave out the fact that if she was with the Klaus family, no one would assume they were harbouring another Outsider after all that had gone down with Lyla.
“What did you tell the others before you came looking for me?” Juliet asked.
He’d wondered how long it would take for her to ask. He hesitated, unsure of how to break the news that their secret was out and he wasn’t sure how Mason would welcome them once they got inside.
“They know?” Juliet froze on the driveway.
Will nodded apologetically. “Mrs Klaus was upset when she realised you’d gone off to find your mum.”
“I should be thanking her for helping me, not making her worry.” Juliet buried her face in her hands. “Should we just leave? If we leave, then they can just pretend none of this happened and that I was never here.”
“I think it’s too late for that.” Mason opened the door, clearly having overheard their conversation.
Juliet shrank behind Will. He didn’t blame her; Mason had one hell of an intimidating aura when he wanted. He stared at them, his resolve unwavering, until Will noticed his eyes soften. It was a relief that he and Lyla had already broken tradition themselves. Will hoped he wouldn’t be too mad at him for breaking ranks.
