Chapter 81
Emma leaned over on the rocks happily offering the boy a warm, freshly baked scone.
He slowly looked up from the clear river water and stared at the baked good on her palm.
She inched her hand forward. “Go on, Viktor,” she told him with drin. “Take it. My mum just baked a fresh batch.”
Viktor lifted his blue–eyed gaze to her smiling face, awed by her hazel eyes twinkling in the sunlight and her ginger hair bright around her pale face. There was a scattering of pretty freckles across the bridge of her nose which Viktor had never seen on anybody else’s face since he was born.
She puzzled him so much. How could a human be so gentle, so caring to his kind? And how could he find one who was not of his kind so lovely?
Slowly, he reached out a hand and took the scone, studying it as he did so.
Emma smiled. “Have a taste! It’s quite yummy. Pity haven’t got any tea… but that’s alright!”
She pulled her feet up on the large rock, put her elbows on her knees and rested her chin on her hands as she watched him.
His black hair always hung over his forehead. Emma thought he would look much friendlier if he pushed it back. It might make the other children stop hating him too.
She sighed. Oh, it was alright if the other children wouldn’t stop hating Viktor. She’d be his friend! He was much nicer than everyone thought he was
She reached out a hand, stopping when he flinched back.
Emma smiled. “It’s okay,” she told him, gently brushing one small hand down the back of his thick hair.
She withdrew her hand but he was still frozen in place, staring at her with those dark blue eyes.
Emma sighed. He wouldn’t say a word to her after that first day when he’d murmured a dark “Viktor” after she’d asked him his name. He said nothing at all for an entire week and yet she found that she loved his company more than that of any of her friends.
Picking up a stone, Emma flung it into the water, letting her gaze follow it.
“Oh, I bet there’s plenty of fish here,” she told him. “Would it not be nice if we could go fishing together?”
Viktor said nothing as usual, only staring out at the clear water.
Emma turned to him with an eager grin. “Isn’t that a great idea? Should I fetch my father’s fishing rod then?”
She started to get up, but his hand on her arm stopped her. Emma looked down at his slender fingers on her arm then lifted her gaze to his.
Slowly, he shook his head. Emma sat back down, feeling a little deflated. “Why not?” she asked him. “Do you not know how to fish?”
Pulling his hand away, Viktor turned his gaze back to the water.
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Chapter 81
Emma tilted her head with a pout. “That’s strange. My brothers could all fish before they were even old enough to work in the barn! My father taught theme Did your father not teach you to fish And to ride horses and dig a well?”
He looked at her for a moment and then shook his head.
*She frowned in wonder and thought it over for a minute. Suddenly, Emma gasped as a thought occurred to her. “Oh! Oh, dear. Are your… are your parents dead? Is that why you live alone then? Oh, dear.”
Viktor’s mouth pursed and he lowered his gaze.*
Emma immediately felt ashamed. How could she so openly discuss topic that was definitely very painful for him?
“Oh, Viktor, I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have said that.” When he said nothing at all, Emma felt very sorry and started to get up. “You want me to leave, don’t you? I’ve bothered you, haven’t I? Alright. G–goodbye, Viktor.”
She looked at him for a moment, her heart heavy with guilt before standing and slowly turning to step off the rock.
“They’re not dead.”
Emma froze. She quickly turned around, her eyes wide in disbelief. He’d spoken to her, hadn’t he? She couldn’t have imagined it!
She hurried back to crouch on the rock, tucking her long skirt about her feet as she looked at his downturned face.
“Did you say something, Viktor? What was that?”
His gaze didn’t leave the water for a long time. Emma bit her lip at his silence wondering if she’d really imagined his response
o excuse herself again, he finally spoke. because she wanted to stay by his side so badly. Just when she was about to
“I said… they’re not dead.”
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