Page 32 of Christmas Secrets

Closing the garden gate behind her, she stabled the horse and then carried her brother into the house.

“I-I’m so c-cold, H-Holly.” Neville’s little body felt like ice. Her heart went out to him.

“Get in bed, right under the covers. I’ll crawl in with you and we’ll keep each other warm.”

“Light the fire,” he told her, but she didn’t want to do that. If Lord Neville and his guards were out searching for her, they would see or smell the smoke and it would lead them right to them.

“Nay, we can’t, I’m sorry,” said Holly, crawling into bed and pulling the covers up and over their heads.

“It’s so dark. I’m scared. Light the candle, Holly. Please.”

“I don’t want Lord Neville to see the light, Noel. We’ll have to stay in the dark until morning.”

Noel started to cry. “I wish Henry was here. I need Henry. I want Percival too.”

“I’m sure Percival will watch over Henry for you, now go to sleep.”

Holly held her brother close, feeling the drumming of both of their rapidly beating hearts. She was cold and frightened, just as he was. They were all alone now, and it was such a sad and empty feeling. She wanted Percival here. She needed him. What started out as a wonderful day ended horribly. Now, she could only wait for the light of day and then hopefully ride to another town with Noel and hide there, hoping Lord Neville would never find her.

“Oh, Percival,” she whispered, a tear trailing down her cheek. Now, she regretted not telling him she was a runaway serf in the first place. He was a good man and deserved the truth. He would hate her now and think she purposely deceived him to get what she wanted, when that was the furthest thing from the truth. She couldn’t blame him if he no longer wanted anything to do with her. She didn’t deserve the man’s care and attention. She realized she could never see him again after this. It would only put him and his family in danger if she did. They’d be accused of harboring a runaway serf, and that would only bring more trouble.

Her heart ached. Wearing the gown of a lady, eating the food of the nobles, and being part of the wonderful family Christmas celebration, for a short time Holly had fooled herself. She thought things could be different and that she could be happy. Her mother wanted a better life for Holly and Noel, and Holly had tried to get it. She had even dreamed that she and Noel could spend the rest of their lives in this cabin along with Percival.

But dreams such as this were not for the poor, the peasants, or the lonely. She fingered the heart brooch pinned to her chest, wanting to be a strong woman like her mother, but not feeling strong at all right now. If only she had really been a member of the Followers of the Secret Heart instead of just a serf, mayhap her life could be different. Mayhap somehow she could have been happy for good instead of just for such a short, short while.