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Alma sniffled against my shoulder. “Me too.”

Chapter Seventeen

On the Sunday before Christmas, I woke up to sun streaming in through the window. I had let myself sleep in since I was ahead of my schedule. The glass was covered with frost flowers, but the usual fern-like kinds.

Lilja stirred against my shoulder. We hadn’t heard the wolves again, but I had become routine this last week, her sleeping in here. Perhaps it was all in my imagination because I wanted it to be true, but she seemed more cheerful now. Maybe because she slept better with me right beside her.

Lilja left to get dressed and I changed out of my pajamas. I wore them now since sleeping in my usual clothes wasn’t exactly comfortable. For once, Helena was up before us and oatmeal was ready when I went to the kitchen.

“It seems Miss Norling kept you company again last night,” she said as she filled a bowl for me.

“As if your bed was empty.”

Helena laughed. “It’s a very cold winter. Many ways to keep warm.” She did a silly wink that made me laugh too.

“Lilja just sleeps in my bed. Nothing else.”

“You’re a gentlewoman, Selma.”

“She’s frightened.”

Helena pointed at me with the spoon. “That’s what I mean. You’re very gallant.”

Was I? Well, sure. Lilja did sleep in my bed because she was scared, but I couldn’t deny I enjoyed it. And it wasn’t just being close to her. It was the feeling of being her protector I liked too.

Lilja’s footsteps sounded in the corridor, and I sat down with my bowl. When she walked in, she was wearing the new dress Mrs. Andersson assistant had dropped off yesterday. Despite the old hag’s protestations, the fit seemed very good to me. With a high neck and tight cuffs, it would keep Lilja warm.

“Mrs. Andersson was wrong,” I said. “You look very lovely in red.”

Behind Lilja’s back, Helena waggled her eyebrows, and I would punch her in the shoulder for that later.

Lilja brushed her hands down the skirt. “You think so?”

“I do.”

“Me as well,” Helena said. “It’s your color and perfect for the season.” She ladled a spoonful of oatmeal into a bowl for Lilja who sat.

“I’m going to chop down a Christmas tree today,” I said. “Do you want to come?”

“Where is it?”

“Just outside of town. There’s too much snow to go far, but it’s a lovely day.”

Lilja smiled. “All right. I’d love to.” She turned to Helena by the stove. “Do you and Alma want to come?”

“I’m afraid we’re mighty busy. We’ll be wrapping packages all day.”

When Lilja turned back, Helena grinned and winked at me. Heat ran up my neck. I’d give her two punches later.

When we had finished the oatmeal, I put on my coat and scarf, stuffing my gloves into my pockets. In the workshop, I grabbed the axe from where it hung on the wall and placed it in my belt. Lilja was wearing one of Helena’s thickest coats with her shawl wrapped around her neck. The red I had bought her would look very nice with the dress.

“Come on,” I said. “We’ll go out the back.”

The snow lay in drifts against the walls of the house and the shed, but Helena had shoveled a path through, and that was only covered by about an inch of fresh powder.

Lilja touched a branch of the hazel bush and snow rained down from the leaves. “We had a cherry outside my house when I was little. Its flowers were white, and they looked like snow when they drifted through the air.”

“Did you eat the fruit?”