years at an enormous, busy university where he’d encountered a life completely and utterly alien to anything in his world. He’d missed Stonewylde terribly and Sylvie in particular, and had loved nothing better than coming home in the holidays. But he’d also had a great time, soaking up all the place had to offer socially and culturally as well as academically, and had clamoured for more. He was very popular amongst his peers although Sylvie knew he’d been faithful to her whilst he was away studying. She trusted him absolutely for he was passionately and obsessively in love with her. It had been hard for her letting him go like that as her small agricultural college was a far cry from his huge and exciting university; not that she’d ever wished to go somewhere like that herself.
During the term time he frequently asked her to come and spend the weekend with him, wanting her to meet all his new acquaintances and see his new lifestyle. Sylvie was very reluctant, knowing she’d be an object of curiosity. She understood that his peers were keen to see the cause of his fidelity and devotion; his faithfulness to her certainly wasn’t from lack of interest amongst the girls there. When she’d visited he’d been so proud of her, showing her off to his wide circle of friends, not understanding their lack of enthusiasm towards her. To them she was the boring girl from home, unsophisticated and old-fashioned in her tastes. Nobody could understand what on earth the exotic and exciting Yul saw in her.
Sylvie glanced at him now as he drained a tankard of cider, his throat moving as he tipped back his head and swallowed. Like Kestrel he too was wearing traditional Stonewylde clothes which accentuated his long powerful legs and slim waist, the breadth of his shoulders and chest. Despite the recent events she felt a familiar pulse of desire for him which she quickly squashed. That terrible night when he’d forced himself on her so roughly was still fresh in her mind and imprinted on her body. She bruised as easily as ever and the marks from his rough, grasping hands were still visible, livid against her white skin. She’d had to be careful the girls didn’t see such graphic evidence of their father’s new brutality.
‘Doesn’t Leveret look beautiful?’ she said, watching the girl as she stood apart sipping a glass of dark liquid.
‘Where? I haven’t seen her yet.’
She pointed towards the slim girl with her elegant hairstyle and svelte dress.
‘That’s Leveret?’ he gaped. ‘I didn’t recognise her! Goddess, she looks so different. Who’d have thought it? I’ll have to watch her with the boys – see the attention she’s attracting? Do you think she even realises?’
‘Probably not – I don’t think she’s interested in boys yet. It’s so good to see her looking happier now.’
‘Yes, she got exactly what she wanted and Mother’s eating out of her hand … but let’s not talk about her now. I think I’ve sorted Leveret out and she won’t be playing up again. Do you want another drink?’
‘No thanks, I’ve had enough.’
She watched him go to the bar for a refill.
And so have you, she thought to herself.
Leveret refused to join in the dancing despite being asked by several people. She loved to dance at the festivals to the wild drums and she loved to jig to the fiddles and flutes, but this was different and she didn’t feel comfortable with it. So she stood and watched, sipping elderberry wine and only talking when people joined her for a conversation. She was quite enjoying herself, basking in the compliments and praise, but most of all in the elation that Kestrel’s interest had inspired. She remembered the Dark Moon outside and her elation turned to a tingle of excitement as she thought of her planned ritual on the Green. Soon she’d slip away unnoticed; it’d be good to get out from this noise and heat too.
She’d managed to avoid her brothers and Jay so far although they’d spent some time standing across the barn from her staring, whispering together and clearly discussing her. She felt the waves of hostility emanating from them, especially from Jay who seemed unable to take his bulging blue eyes off her. She moved closer to one of the exits, knowing her cloak was on a peg nearby and thinking maybe this was a good time to collect her bag from under the yew tree and get started. She’d no