Page 42 of Highlanders for the Holidays
Chapter 9
After he’d gone, Ysenda’s eyes filled and spilled over. Sobs lodged in her throat, too painful to swallow away.
She never wept—at least not where anyone could see her. Weeping was a sign of weakness. Or so her mother had always believed. So she sat on the step, indulging her sorrow in secret.
Was there no way to undo what had been done? Was there no choice that would satisfy everyone? Was there nothing she could do to change their destiny?
As she continued sniffling into her hands, she felt an itching between her breasts. With tear-damp fingers, she reached into her bodice.
The lock of his hair. She’d forgotten it was there.
She withdrew it by the red ribbon and stared at it. Suddenly a strange tingling started at the back of her neck. A wee hope blew through her soul like a stray wind.
Locks from each lover’s hair, tied together with a ribbon.
Was it possible? Could she call upon the magic of the Viking well?
She didn’t even know if she believed in the magic. Some of the clan swore by it. But she didn’t put much faith in old legends and ancient enchantments.
On the other hand, something had compelled her to snip the lock of his hair last night. Why else would she have done that? She must have known, deep in her heart of hearts, that she would end up visiting the well.
She ran her thumb over the silky strands of black hair. She was being childish. It was only a Yuletide story, after all. Nobody even knew if the story was true. Going there was probably a reckless waste of time.
Still…what was the harm? She had to try.
Wiping away her tears, she went upstairs and donned her cloak. She didn’t want No?l to see her going. He would guess what she was up to. And he would think she was a fool. So she left the keep quietly and took a roundabout path to the well.
Halfway there, she stopped to rest. Drawing her dagger, she cut off a small piece of her own hair and tied it together with his. Her auburn and his black made an interesting contrast. She couldn’t help but think about what their children’s hair might look like.
She gulped. What if a child was already growing in her belly? The thought was at once thrilling and horrifying.
Closing the precious strands in her hand, she continued on her journey, hoping no one would catch sight of her.
In fact, she was so busy making sure she wasn’t followed that when she arrived, she didn’t notice at first that she wasn’t the only visitor to the well. A mere ten paces from the stream, she finally saw she wasn’t alone.
She gasped in surprise.
No?l glanced up with a frown. “Ysenda?”
“What areyedoin’ here?”
He hid something behind his back and cleared his throat. “I could ask ye the same thing.”
She realized she was holding the bound locks of hair where he could easily see them. But she couldn’t exactly tuck them back into her bodice. “I needed…fresh air.”
He wasn’t fooled for an instant. And his gaze went immediately to what she was holding in her hand. “What have ye got there?”
A dozen lies crossed her mind. She opened her mouth to speak one of them. But none of them were believable. So she closed her mouth again. She might as well confess. She shook her head. “Locks o’ hair.”
“Whose hair?”
She raised her chin in challenge. “Yours and mine.”
She expected him to make fun of her. He’d doubtless have a good chuckle at her expense. And just as she anticipated, he began to laugh.
But then he held aloft what he had behind his back. “Like these?”
She frowned. He was holding strands of black and auburn hair tied together with a green ribbon. Her hand went instinctively to her head as she wondered when he’d stolen a lock of her hair. “How did ye…?”
