Chapter 15

Sugar And Spice

“The truth,” Holly reminded them.

There were two boys and one girl, and none of them looked up at Ragnall. He stared down at them and then at the other villagers who were watching the scene. He wanted to flee, but to do so would be weak. He might as well hear it to his face before they left for the castle.

“Why were ye gigglin’?” Holly asked.

The youngest of the three was the girl, and she was the only one who looked up at Ragnall. She looked him in the eye, the fear evident on her face.

“Ye willnae get in trouble for tellin’ the truth,” Holly urged.

“Well,” the girl said, looking back at her. She looked to the side at one of the boys, doing her part by starting the conversation.

“Aye,” the boy added. “We, um, just, um, wanted to ken… if… Laird MacPherson really does like to eat sweeties.”

“Aye,” the second boy uttered, as if he might be accused of being afraid to be there if he did not speak.

“Why do ye nae ask him?” Holly suggested.

The three children looked at each other, not quite sure what to do. It was the young girl who looked up at Ragnall again and spoke.

“Excuse me, Me Laird, but do ye really like sweeties?” she asked.

Ragnall felt compelled to crouch down beside Holly, the emotion overwhelming him. “Aye, I do. I especially like sugar plums.”

The three children burst into giggles again.

“But ye’re a laird,” one of the boys pointed out.

“Aye, but they must give him energy when he’s on the battlefield,” the other boy said. “I’m goin’ to eat sweets all the time afore I go fightin’.”

“Goin’ fightin’ isnae the best way to solve all yer problems, but sweets do make them easier,” Ragnall noted.

Again, the three children giggled.

Ragnall looked into the small bag. “Well, would ye look at that. Three sweets left and three of ye.” He held the bag out toward them. “Would ye each like one?”

The three children were hesitant, all of them looking at the Laird, but when the young girl stuck her hand in the bag and pulled out a sugar plum, the two boys did the same.

“Now, off with ye three and have some fun,” the Laird said.

Each of the children popped a sugar plum in their mouth and ran off to play somewhere else.

Holly and Ragnall stood up together. Ragnall didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, and to his relief, Holly did not say a word. She held onto his arm, and they continued strolling through the market.

There were still some people who could not hide the flash of disgust that crossed their features, but they were in the minority. Ragnall was beginning to wonder if that had always been the case, and if some of it had been in his head.

He would think about it later. For now, he was having a better time than expected. He still did not say much to anyone, but Holly did talk enough for the two of them, and she had a way with words. It did not matter who she was talking to; she could charm them and find a connection. With each of them, there was a moment when the person would look from Holly to Ragnall with the same quizzical look that said, If the two of ye are together, then maybe she sees somethin’ in ye that we dinnae.

For the first time in a long time, Ragnall began to enjoy himself. Not too much, but a little more than usual. It was not so much happiness as relief.

“Hey! I hear ye might be launching an offensive at the border to steal the English’s toffees,” one of the stall owners shouted at Ragnall.

Laughter rose around him.

“Aye, and ye will be on the front lines, Hamish,” Ragnall replied. “Ye better weave yerself some armor.”

The laughter increased, and Hamish looked a little sheepish, not expecting the retort, but he soon smiled, too, and the man beside him clapped him heartily on the back.

“Aye, woven armor for the battle of the toffees!” someone shouted from the back.

Ragnall couldn’t place the feeling welling up inside. He had not expected to speak with anyone outside the castle and had been happy when Holly took the lead. Now that he thought about it, he was fighting two battles. He needed to hunt down Fraser and kill him, but he needed to battle the demons inside, too. He didn’t know the key to success when it came to his inner demons, but the day out was helping.

“Give me a moment,” he said. “I have someone else I need to speak to.”

Holly smiled reassuringly. “Take as much time as ye like.”

Ragnall approached a stall, not to talk to the person behind it but to make a purchase. He looked over his shoulder at Holly. The villagers had taken to her immediately, and everyone she spoke to left with a smile on their face.

Her blonde hair fluttered behind her in the breeze. She wore a simple linen dress that displayed her curves well. Ragnall didn’t like how he had acted when she had been in his room last time, but it was only because everything was so confusing. Maybe she was scared of him, or maybe she was not—she had still reacted poorly.

He had, too. The next time she was in his room, it would be different. It had only been a short time, but a lot had changed. He had wanted her in his bed to give him an heir, but he wanted her in his bed now because his desire was growing by the day. He wanted to run his hands over her body and plant his seed in her womb.

Holly looked around as she spoke to the villagers and caught the Laird’s eye. She smiled, and her eyes sparkled in the sun. They were not the only thing that sparkled, and he made a second purchase.

“Thank ye, Me Laird,” the stall owner said after the transaction. There was still wariness in the eyes, but not outright fear.

Ragnall took his purchases back to Holly.

“This has been pleasant, but I would like to go back to the castle now,” he said.

“Aye, of course,” Holly replied.

Ragnall knew she would gladly stay out all day to visit with the villagers, and maybe he would in time, but the interactions had brought too many thoughts and emotions, and it was tiring.

“Thank ye for today,” he began. “I wouldnae have gone out into the village if it werenae for ye.”

“Ye should thank yerself, too,” Holly pointed out. “I got ye out there, but ye were the one who showed them who ye are. It will take time, but they will ken that ye arenae a monster.”

“As long as I can keep them safe,” Ragnall agreed. “If there are more attacks, it will sow distrust. It willnae matter what we do if they dinnae trust me.”

“Well, ye better punish Fraser then,” Holly told him.

“Aye.”

Ragnall lost himself in his thoughts. Fraser’s demise had consumed him for a decade. He did not know what would come after, but Fraser’s death would change him in some way, like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon.

Or a moth.

“I have somethin’ for ye, wife,” Ragnall spoke as they walked into the castle courtyard. He took out a small cloth bag and handed it to her.

“For me?”

“As thanks for all ye have done for me since comin’ to the castle.”

Holly opened the bag and pulled out the necklace, her eyes widening.

“It’s a peridot to match yer eyes,” Ragnall explained.

“It’s beautiful,” Holly breathed.

“Aye, it is.”

“Will ye help me with it?” Holly asked. “I want to wear it straight away.”

“Give it here.”

Ragnall took the necklace and undid the clasp. Holly turned to face away from him, and he placed the necklace around her neck, refastening the clasp. He placed his hands on her shoulders, holding them there, then turned her around, not letting her out of his grasp.

“Aye, it looks beautiful on ye. It matches yer eyes perfectly.”

Holly went on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. “I shall wear it always.”

“I also got ye this,” Ragnall added, handing her the second gift.

There was no fancy wrapping this time, only a small dirk in a sheath. The mood turned a little more somber.

“I dinnae—” Holly started.

“I need ye to carry this wherever ye go. I cannae always be at yer side. If ye’re ever attacked, ye are to use it.”

“I dinnae even ken how,” Holly protested.

“I’ll teach ye,” Ragnall said. “Eric was supposed to, but he’s been busy lookin’ for Fraser. I have some business to attend to back at the castle, but as soon as I am done, I’ll give ye a lesson, all right?”

Holly nodded. “All right.”

Ragnall knew she never wanted to wield the weapon, and he hoped she would never have to.