Halvard wanted to reassure her, he really did; but he didn’t want to lie to her.
“Aye,” he said. “There might be.”
Elsie let out a trembling breath, nodding as if trying to gather her courage. Halvard, not knowing what else to do, brought her hands to his lips, pressing a tender kiss to her knuckles.
“Dinnae be afraid,” he told her. “I promise ye, I will come back.”
Elsie nodded, but she didn’t seem entirely convinced by his promise. “Be careful.”
“Aye,” he said. “Dinnae fash, lass. Ye cannae get away from me so easily.”
Elsie let out a soft, half-hearted chuckle. Halvard meant it as a joke, but he knew it meant much more to both of them.
“I hope so,” Elsie said. “I don’t want to get away from you.”
And in the quiet moment that stretched between them, Halvard could do nothing but gaze into her eyes, into that endless green that had enchanted him.
It was the morning after Halvard and Sten had left the castle, along with their army of men. A whole night since Elsie had last seen him, since she had last touched him, since they had said their goodbyes to each other.
And she could only hope it wasn’t their last one.
She had come to care for him more than she could have ever expected. The mere thought of losing him was like a spear to the heart, like she was wounded and struggling to survive. She didn’t know when this bond between them had gotten so strong; she didn’t even know if it was the same for him, if he truly meant that he would come back to her. All she knew was that thinking of him out there, in the cold, in the middle of a battle was enough to turn her blood into ice.
She hadn’t left her chambers yet, not even for supper. Instead, Muirin had brought her some food and wine, and Elsie had invited the woman to sit with her, since she had no other company that night.
And in the end, Elsie ended up drinking a little too much, overtaken by her concern for Halvard.
Her cheeks flushed and her words slurring ever so slightly, Elsie asked, “Muirin, you’re not wedded, are you?”
“Nay, me lady,” said Muirin, hiding a smile behind her goblet of wine. “Why dae ye ask?”
“Well, I was curious if you knew anything about the marriage bed,” Elsie said with a sigh.
It had been a question that had bothered her for a while now, ever since this attraction to Halvard had grown too much for herto ignore. But she had no one to ask these things. Even if Selene had been there with her, she wouldn’t have known what to tell her.
“Well, me lady, I dinnae ken about the marriage bed, but I dae ken a few things about the bed,” said Muirin with a mischievous smile.
“You do?” Elsie asked, a little scandalized, a gasp escaping her as she leaned closer over the table. “How?”
“In the same way everyone here kens,” said Muirin. “Us servants arenae bound by the same customs as ye, especially here in the Highlands.”
Elsie’s eyes widened almost comically as she turned a bright red, heat rushing to her face. “You mean, you have tried it?”
“Aye,” said Muirin. “Many times.”
Elsie contemplated that for a moment, leaning back in her seat with a sigh. Muirin already knew about her and Halvard.
“Whatever ye ask me is a secret,” said Muirin. “Good servants dinnae reveal their master’s secrets tae anyone. Nae even tae other servants.”
“But people talk,” Elsie said.
“Aye,” said Muirin. “But I dinnae. An’ neither daes Mr. Sten.”
That was all the reassurance Elsie needed. She nodded slowly, then let her eyes fall shut with a soft sigh, a hand running through her hair. Just this once, she had let it down, not bothering to pin it up since no one would see her, and she couldn’t help but wonder what Halvard would say if he saw her like that.
He would surely like it, that much was certain.
“Would ye like me tae explain some things tae ye?” Muirin asked, her tone too casual. “Just in case anythin’… changes.”
