Free A Witch in Love by Ruth Warburton

for such a little thing. Like a watch, perhaps, or a paperweight, although the box was a little too small for either.
    The gold paper peeled back and inside was a little wooden box, prettily carved. It was a lovely thing but still, I was slightly surprised at Seth’s choice of present. What could I do with a tiny wooden box? Keep my earrings in it? It would barely fit one pair. Use it for pills? I didn’t need any medication. Still, Seth had chosen it and given it to me, and that was enough.
    It was almost as an afterthought that I opened it. Then I gasped.
    Inside, padded with roughly scrunched-up linen, was a ring. No, not just a ring, but the most beautiful ring I’d ever seen. It was made of silver, twisted around an irregularly shaped stone of a strange, smoky dark amethyst-blue. It was heart-stoppingly lovely and I couldn’t bear to think how much Seth had spent or how he’d obtained the money.
    Grabbing my dressing gown I flew downstairs to the phone in the hallway and huddled in the stairwell, dialling Seth’s mobile number with trembling fingers.
    ‘Hey,’ he answered sleepily. ‘Merry Christmas, sweetheart.’
    ‘Merry Christmas,’ I said, my words tumbling over themselves. ‘Oh, Seth, I opened your present; it’s so, so lovely. But you shouldn’t have – however did you afford it?’
    ‘Don’t worry.’ There was a smile in his voice. ‘I should have put in a note. It’s not a gemstone, just a piece of seaglass I found one day. It reminded me of your eyes, so I saved it and got a friend to set it in a ring. Like I say, it’s only glass, so you’ll have to be careful if you wear it; it’s not as hard as a real gem.’
    ‘I love it,’ I said positively. The ring’s humble origin did nothing to take away my delight. ‘I really mean that; I love it more than I can say.’
    ‘That’s fitting then,’ Seth said quietly.
    For a moment I couldn’t speak, I was so full of feeling, but then I managed to clear my throat and said huskily, ‘Did you open mine yet?’
    ‘Not yet. Mum’s not up. Do you want me to? Hang on …’ I heard creaking and rustlings and imagined him heaving himself out of bed, slinging on a towel and padding down the corridor to the living room. ‘Where is it … ? Mum’s moved everything around. OK, I’ve got it. God, you’ve done the tape tight. I’ll have to put the phone down.’ There was a clunk and I heard the sound of ripping paper and swearing as Seth tried to tear through the tough tape. I heard a gasp as he recognized the logo of the ship’s chandler, and then the box tearing, and the phone was snatched up.
    ‘Anna! Oh, Anna, you shouldn’t have.’
    ‘Do you like it?’
    ‘Like it? I love it – it’s so beautiful. How did you know?’
    ‘How did I know?’ I had to laugh. ‘Seth, you’ve been going on about needing a new ship’s compass for weeks!’
    ‘Yes but I never thought … the cost … Oh, Anna, sweetheart. I thought you’d get me some useless old shirt or something. This is … Oh, I love you.’
    ‘Oh, Seth,’ I shut my eyes, half faint with longing to hold him, kiss him. Instead I drew a breath. ‘Anyway, it’s completely selfish. This way, you’ll always be able to find your way back to me.’
    ‘I love you.’ His voice shook. ‘And you know, you know I’ll always come back. No matter what.’
    ‘I know. I love you too. Merry Christmas.’
    I put down the phone and stood, looking down at the smoky depths of the stone. It was extraordinarily beautiful, filled with dark swirls of grey and deep amethyst, smoothed and misted by the rough sea. Then a voice behind me made me jump.
    ‘Up already?’
    ‘Morning, Dad. Merry Christmas.’
    ‘Merry Christmas, sweetie. Come and huddle by the Aga. You can help toast the brioche for breakfast.’
    ‘What a perfect Christmas.’ Rick lay down on the hearth rug in front of the roaring log fire and stretched like a cat. ‘Good food, good wine, good friends and snow to boot.