Chapter 11 Did You Feel It Too

Scarlett’s POV (Before the War)

The last cart came up the track with the sacks still tied down. The rain began before it reached the lodge.

Naomi looked at the load. "Don't pile the wet ones together."

She set the two men who'd brought it to work, and the three of them carried the sacks inside. Ash came out when the cart stopped, keeping his injured arm close to his side. He stood with me beneath the eaves, out of their way.

A wooden box of lamp oil and rope stood between us. It was too heavy for one person to carry, and the men were still busy with the sacks. I rested a hand on its lid and watched the rain splash in the yard.

"It's early for weather like this. Does it usually rain all afternoon up here?"

"It'll probably pass. South of the river, it can go on for days."

"You seem to know the weather everywhere."

"I've been caught in it in both places."

"Where did you live before you came here? Before this past month, I mean."

He named a place south of the mountains, then another beyond the ford. In winter, he said, he'd gone down to the low ground.

"But did you live in any of them? Or were you always traveling?"

"Mostly traveling."

"Is there somewhere you'd like to stay? Somewhere you wouldn't want to leave?"

He looked at me. "Are you offering me a room?"

"I was asking about you."

I'd answered too quickly. He glanced toward the yard again, and I wished I'd simply said yes. He already had a room here. I only wanted to know whether he liked it enough to stay once he was well.

"Caleb says you shouldn't use that arm for another week," I added.

"Caleb says a great deal."

"He's usually right. It's very annoying." I looked at the rain. "At least don't leave the minute it's healed. You haven't even finished your lunch."

I nodded toward the basket under the eaves. Ash looked at it for a while without answering. I waited, hoping he'd say he wasn't going anywhere.

Naomi came out with her sleeves pushed up. "We're taking the cart back. I'll sit up front, but there's no room in the back with the men and the wet things."

"I'll go through the woods."

She climbed onto the driver's bench, and the cart rattled away. Ash began undoing his collar.

"Caleb said a week," I reminded him.

"I'll go slowly."

I looked at his arm. "Then don't try to race me."

We went to opposite sides of the birches to undress. I rolled my clothes into a bundle and fastened it with my belt. On the other side of the trees, I heard his buckle come loose. I paused, then tucked in a sleeve that was hanging out of my bundle.

"I'll be slow," he said again.

"I heard you. I'll wait."

I shifted quickly. He took longer, and once I heard him let out a sharp breath. In my wolf's coat, the cold no longer bothered me as much. I picked up my clothes in my teeth and came out to wait for him.

He emerged with his own bundle in his mouth, putting less weight on his injured foreleg. I set off at an easy pace through the birches, leaving room between us. I was ahead, and twice I looked back, pleased to see him following.

Then he stumbled slightly as his injured leg touched down. I slowed and sniffed at the wet ground until he caught up. He came alongside, close enough that our shoulders nearly touched, and I kept to his pace.

As we rounded the slope, the wind changed. His scent reached me clearly, and I recognized him as my mate.

I turned toward him so abruptly that I lost my footing. My shoulder brushed his, and I tried to get out of his way, only to stumble into the wet ferns. My bundle dropped into the mud. A startled whine escaped me before I shut my mouth.

I scrambled up. Ash had stopped a few steps away, his legs planted beneath him. He was trembling. I stared at him, waiting for him to move closer, then wondered whether I was supposed to go to him. I'd wanted him to stay for lunch. Now I wanted to ask him a dozen things, and I couldn't say any of them with my clothes in a muddy heap at my feet.

He moved back just enough to give me room to step out of the ferns, then lowered his nose to my shoulder. I stood still while he touched me. He didn't pull away at once, and I didn't want him to.

After a while, I picked up the bundle again and started toward the fork. Ash stayed close behind. I kept turning an ear toward him, listening to make sure he was still there.

At the fork, one track led down to the lodge and the other up to the house. I remembered standing there with the lamp after supper, watching him go. I hadn't expected to be this reluctant to take the path home again.

We went behind separate groups of trees to dress. My clothes were damp, and mud smeared both cuffs. I brushed off what I could and came out to find him pushing wet hair back from his forehead. One side of his collar was folded under.

I'd planned to tease him about being slower than me. Now I couldn't think how to begin. I put my hands behind my back, then brought them out again because I felt ridiculous standing like that.

"Did you feel it too?"

He cleared his throat. "Yes."

He held out his hand and waited. I took it, watching his fingers close around mine. I wanted to step closer, but for the moment I was too pleased with holding his hand to work out what else to do.

"Your collar's wrong," I said.

He straightened one side and folded the other under instead. I laughed. He glanced down at it, then left it alone. That made me laugh again, and it was easier to look at him afterward.

Voices carried up the track from the house. We let go and stepped apart. He turned toward the lodge, and I started uphill. After a few steps I looked back and lifted a hand as though I'd only wanted to wave goodbye. I wanted to see his face once more.

Naomi met me at the door. She took the damp cloak I'd bundled over my arm, looked at my muddy cuffs and asked nothing. She hung it by the fire to dry, then left me to change.

That night I lay in the dark, turning from one side to the other. I kept thinking of how I'd tease him tomorrow, though I doubted I'd remember any of it when I saw him. Then I thought about his hand waiting for mine, and smiled into the pillow.

I would have to tell Father. I tried out a few ways of saying it, but each time I imagined the conversation, I wanted to go down to the lodge and speak to Ash first. I wanted to see him now, before the rain had even stopped dripping from the roof.

Then I remembered the box of oil and rope. We'd left it under the eaves. The men had finished with the cart, and I'd been too busy asking Ash questions to remind them to take it in.

It had been too heavy for one person. I'd tell Naomi that if she asked.

I pulled up the blanket and lay facing the window so I'd see when it began to grow light.