Chapter 26
Ella awakened to find Leif’s side of the bed empty. She wondered what Ragnar and Leif had whispered about after she’d left them last night. Ella didn’t want to listen to gossip; she wanted facts, and she knew the facts she wanted weren’t likely to come from Ragnar.
The radiator clicked. She touched the window to confirm it was cold outside and yanked a sweater over her head.
From the window she could see Ragnar’s backyard.
Leif stood next to a pile of small boulders and was swinging a pickaxe repeatedly, tearing through the dirt like he was digging into his problems.
She wondered if he was as stunned as she was to hear that Erik had known Sara—had even kissed her but had never mentioned it. Erik must have heard by now that Ella was Hilda’s granddaughter.
· · ·
On her way to the front door, Ragnar called out “Good morning!” From his seat on the sofa he waved at her casually, like one might greet a passerby on the street.
A knife and a walnut lay on his thick thigh, and he tossed the nut into the air before catching it with his hairy-knuckled hand.
He seemed relaxed but not overly friendly.
She’d never meant to trick Ragnar. She’d only wanted him to feel comfortable enough to open up to her.
Today she would act like the perfect houseguest, maybe make brunch and serve Irish coffee with plenty of the whiskey that Leif had bought yesterday in Ris?r.
Perhaps that would loosen Ragnar up and he’d tell her more about her mom.
“Morning. I’m just going outside to say hello to Leif. Afterward, I could make breakfast?” She gave Ragnar her best smile.
“Thanks, but I need to go to the bird station.” With his knife, he forced open the walnut shell. “You know, when Leif arrived yesterday, he looked happier than I’ve ever seen him.”
Ella stopped. “He did?”
“Yup, he lights up when he looks at you.” Using the point of the blade, he released the walnut meat from the shell and dumped it into a bird-patterned saucer.
“Leif is usually guarded. He’s been through a lot, losing both his parents when he was a little boy.
And all the drama around his dad killing those poor visitors from up north.
Erik stepped up for him the best he could, but, well—Leif had it rougher than most.”
“Why are you telling me this?” Ella sat down on the other end of the couch.
He gave her a stern look. “The questions you’re asking about your past not only affect you, but Leif too, and others I care deeply about. So you better be certain that whatever you’re after is worth the price.”
“I appreciate what you’re saying, I really do. But wouldn’t anyone want to know facts about their mother? Tell me that Leif never asked you or Erik questions about his mom when he was old enough to.”
Ragnar avoided her gaze. Astrid let out a squawk from the loft.
“Could you please tell me how you got my mom’s blanket?” she pleaded.
“I already told you last night; it’s not my story to tell.” He pushed the knife into the sheath. “I’d hate for anyone to suffer over this, especially Leif. Please consider that before you unearth the past.” He stood and limped out the door.
Ella glared after him, fed up with his cryptic answers.
Who were these other people he was so concerned about, and how were they connected to Sara and Leif?
Of course she didn’t want anyone to pay a price; she simply wanted to learn about her family.
This was becoming so frustrating, with no answers in sight.
Perhaps it was time to return to Boulder.
She didn’t really need to stay and had done nearly everything she’d set out to do: She’d started the process of selling the cottage; she’d searched for the information she wanted about her family and arranged for Mia to oversee the actual sale.
Plus she’d sold a coat and made a business connection.
The one thing she hadn’t done yet was to take care of Mormor’s ashes.
But after that, she considered, yes, maybe it was time to leave.
She’d miss Leif, but it was time to get serious about her store again and prepare for the launch.
Little Bird was all she needed in her life, she told herself.
Ella walked to the table, picked up a bird skull, and turned it over in her hands. One question she still wished she could answer, though, was how did Sara die?