Rakel's Choice by Elisabeth Hammer

Author:Elisabeth Hammer [Elisabeth Hammer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: F
Publisher: SAGA Egmont
Published: 2023-11-21T00:00:00+00:00

The fathers went into the office after the meal. Rakel tried to send her father a pleading look as he got up, but he turned away and didn’t see it. She sat down on the sofa and was soon joined by Syver. Her first impulse was to stand up and leave, but she resisted the urge and comforted herself with the fact that her mother and grandmother would keep them company. Unfortunately, she was wrong about that. Her grandmother grabbed her mother’s arm as she was about to sit down.

“We should give you young people a chance to talk alone. After all, you are engaged now,” she said as they left the room.

Rakel’s heart sank. Engaged. To Syver Svartangen.

He laughed dryly beside her.

“Engaged, yes,” he said, stroking his palms against his pants. “I can’t believe I’m promising myself away at such a young age.”

She scowled at him. His black fringe was water-combed away from his face and he was freshly shaven. She could see he really was a rather handsome man when he smiled and his dark blue eyes lit up. Still, her stomach turned every time she looked at him.

“Yes, imagine that,” she replied stiffly. “And to me. It came like a bolt from the blue that you wanted this.”

“Don’t be like that, Rakel,” he said. “You know I’ve always liked you, and it makes sense to merge our farms. One day, we’ll run one of the biggest farms in the district. Then you and I will live like king and queen.”

“There’s still a long way to go,” she said. “Our fathers aren’t going to give up anytime soon, so it could have waited a bit longer.”

“I didn’t want to wait when the opportunity presented itself,” he replied. “You’ve piqued my curiosity, and now that I know what kind of woman you are…”

“But that’s where you’re wrong,” she interrupted, straightening up. “I’m not what you think I am.”

“I saw you, Rakel,” he said coldly. “You ran after that hooded man at the tavern after agreeing to meet in secret. I saw you whispering there at the bar.”

“Yes,” she said. “I was at the tavern that evening and I did speak to the man in the hood. But I made no agreement with him, and I absolutely didn’t run out of there because I was going to meet him! I went there because I was worried about my friend, Jenny. I wanted to bring her home with me, but when I realised that wasn’t going to happen, I hurried out just to avoid a misunderstanding like this!”

She looked at him sternly. “That’s all that happened in the pub that evening, Syver, and I think you know that too, deep down. I’m not that kind of girl.”

“Hah!” he laughed. “You pretend to be a paragon of virtue, but I know better. I’ve seen you several times roaming around alone at night, here in Skoppum, too. You’re not as innocent as you make yourself out to be, little miss, and you’re not fooling me with that hair and prudish dress.

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