Page 49 of A Winter Courtship
Ulrich could feel himself sweating. He braced himself.
“I suddenly don’t have much appetite. I’m going to bed.” His father shuffled from the room.
As the door clicked shut behind him, Ulrich sagged, dropping into his chair.
Was that it?
“Good work, little brother. I didn’t know you had it in you.” Elias patted him on the back and pushed Ulrich’s untouched glass of wine towards him.
Ulrich took the wine and gulped it down.
Elias refilled the glass. “Want to explain to your big brother what that was all about?”
Ulrich told him all that had passed when their father came into the smithy and saw Lutoth.
“I don’t know why I said he was a friend. I just panicked,” Ulrich said.
“Understandable. You’ve always had trouble talking back to Father. I worried for you when I left. In fact, I was going to suggest you come live with me in Bordertown.” He sniffed. “I don’t like the idea of you here with only Father.”
“Really? What would I do in Bordertown?”
Elias chuckled. “You don’t think Bordertown needs blacksmiths? And there are lots of eligible men who’d love a big, tough mountain man.”
But Ulrich didn’t want someone from Bordertown, looking for some big, tough mountain man. Never again. Ulrich wanted Lutoth. Lutoth, who called him pretty and wove flowers into his hair before fucking him. Lutoth, who’d wanted to wrap him in lace.
“I’d be more than happy to have you stay with me in Bordertown whilst you set up.” Elias sipped his wine. “Many in the family would help you get your feet under you too. Like they did with me.”
“I couldn’t. I have Ethel.” He paused. “And… Maybe I might still have a chance with Lutoth.” Ulrich couldn’t give up hope. Not yet.
Elias raised his glass. “Well, I hope it works out between you two.”
“Thanks.”
They finished up the meal and cleaned up after themselves. Their father hadn’t reappeared, but the light from a candle could be seen under the door.
They left their father’s home. Ethel spotted Ulrich and stood.
“She waits for you out here in the snow?” Elias asked.
Ulrich stroked her white fur. “Sometimes she’ll stay at home. But mostly she likes to know where I am.”
“By the way, you know Mother wasn’t part-nymph,” Elias said. “It’s just a saying in Bordertown when a woman, or man, is very beautiful. ‘They could be part-nymph.’ You and I have no nymph heritage. Mother was just very beautiful.”
“Huh,” Ulrich said. It didn’t really surprise him to realise that all his father’s prejudices against nymphs were based on nothing. It was so absurd that he almost laughed. Almost.
“Father must have heard someone saying it about Mother and misunderstood,” Elias said. “No doubt he didn’t bother asking Mother about it. He always treated her terribly. You don’t remember, but I do.” He grimaced. “I’m glad you stood up for her. She deserved that.”
Ulrich nodded. He had no memory of his mother, but it didn’t surprise him to hear their father had never been kind. After all, he’d never been kind to her memory or her children. “Are you staying with Damur whilst you are in Ores?” Ulrich assumed Elias would stay with his old friend.
“Yes. But I’ll see you tomorrow at the festivities. And I do hope it works out with Lutoth. I’m keen to meet the nymph who gave you the courage to finally stand up to Father.”
“I hope it works out too,” Ulrich said, hand wrapping around Lutoth’s gift in his pocket.
ChapterThirty-Two
“Lutoth!” Lutoth’s father stood outside the cave, eyes wide. Most of the other oreads had retired to the cave for the night, but not his father. “You came back!” His face broke into a smile, and he ran towards Lutoth.
It would be a lovely way to be greeted if his father weren’t so overjoyed because he’d obviously thought Lutoth wouldn’t return.
