A Midwinter Fantasy - Leanna Renee Hieber [81]
“It’s beautiful.”
Vidar shrugged. “Seen one, seen them all.”
He grabbed something from the sleigh and tossed it on her lap. She stared at the fur coat with distaste.
“I don’t wear fur.”
“It’s not a fashion statement, Sonja. It’s a necessity.”
“I prefer to stick with my own coat.”
She was a little chilly, but it was nothing she couldn’t handle for a short while until they got inside. She handed back the fur. He dropped it in the sleigh; then he pushed a fleecy blue coat into her hands. The material felt just like fur. She squinted at it. He raised his eyebrows.
“Okay, I’ll wear this one,” she decided. She’d never seen a blue animal.
Vidar checked the harness on the horse while she changed coats. She slipped in the snow when she climbed out of the shuttle, but before she could blink he had a steadying arm around her waist. Her heart skittered as he hugged her to his side and guided her to the sleigh. She could get used to this type of gentlemanly behavior.
Once she and Vidar were seated, the sleigh glided forward, bells jingling. A thrill zinged through her. “This makes me think of Santa Claus. All we need is a sack of gifts and some reindeer.” She turned to grin at him but found him staring at her, eyebrows drawn together.
“You missed out on Christmas when you were a child, didn’t you?”
What was he, a mind reader?
She shrugged. “I survived.” She pushed down the sharp pang of pity for her younger self and stared at the passing tree trunks as the sleigh slid along the forest track.
Vidar’s hand covered hers and the guardian angel’s familiar loving presence swept through her like a warm wind chasing away the clouds. She glanced at Vidar, confused that they had both chosen that moment to comfort her. Vidar smiled, the shadows in his eyes disappearing.
“You’re in the right place to enjoy Christmas,” he said. “Perhaps you should try out some of the rides in the park. Maybe I’ll join you.”
For the first time in years, a magical anticipation filled the air, as if Christmas morning had arrived and anything was possible. Her fingers strayed to her jacket pocket where she’d stashed the resort button. Maybe dreams did come true. After a lifetime of hoping, Sonja was about to meet her father. She didn’t kid herself he’d be pleased to see her, but at least he might explain what had happened to her mother and why he’d deserted her.
Tiny flakes of snow swirled around them. The forest thinned and the track became less defined. In the far distance, jagged icy peaks pierced the leaden sky. Sonja’s face stung with the cold, so she pulled the hood of the blue coat up over her hat.
“Where are you taking me?” she shouted, the wind whipping away her words. Vidar just snapped the reins, making the horse move faster. Out of the whiteness, a deep shadowy ravine loomed in front of them.
“Vidar, stop!”
Sonja’s heart slammed painfully, and she snatched panicked gulps of arctic air. She grabbed for the reins but Vidar caught her wrist to restrain her.
“You’re safe,” he shouted. A whisper of calm stroked across her churning thoughts. “Sit still and hold on.”
She clutched his arm and pressed her face into his furclad shoulder.
“I’m not going to kill us,” he breathed against her ear.
Her rational mind knew his words made sense; her survival instinct wasn’t taking any chances. She dragged her face up and glanced at the rapidly passing ground, wondering if she dared jump.
“Trust me, Sonja.” His words flowed into her, soothing and reassuring.
Then the horse leaped over the precipice. Her breath jammed in her lungs. Sonja squeezed her eyes closed. But the sickening stomach-flipping fall she expected didn’t happen. The sleigh shuddered and bumped; then the ride smoothed. After a few frantic beats of her heart, she cracked open her eyes. Instead of falling, they climbed into the swirling cloud of snowflakes.
With her gloved fingers still fastened in a death grip around Vidar’s arm, Sonja peered down at the snowy valley hundreds