Sold to the Viking Warrior Page 12

  ‘We are not lovers,’ she said and instantly regretted it. ‘I mean...friends.’

  Sigurd instantly sobered. ‘I consider you a friend, Liddy, despite what you think, despite what anyone thinks. But we will be lovers—soon.’

  ‘You are so arrogant.’

  ‘No, I keep my promises. There is a difference.’

  Liddy reached for her gown. ‘Much remains to be done to make this place habitable.’

  He mouthed coward, but his eyes gleamed.

  ‘You should have woken me earlier.’ She pulled her gown over her head and attempted to breathe normally. The sooner she was away from him, the sooner her mind would clear and she’d go back to being level-headed and practical. Passion happened to other women.

  Once enveloped in the folds of the gown, she scrambled to her feet and made a pretence of trying to find her belt. However her body was acutely aware of every move he made and every breath he took.

  ‘Lord Thorbin left this hall in a terrible state,’ she said to cover the silence. ‘I did small things yesterday, but it will take a good deal of effort to make it truly comfortable...and there is always the possibility of finding the gold.’

  At the end of her speech she turned to face him with a bright smile.

  ‘I will allow you to retreat this time, but the battle is not yet over, Liddy.’

  ‘Which battle?’

  ‘You know the battle I mean—the one between the ice-cold shield you use and the warm woman underneath.’

  Liddy regarded her hands. It was pointless to argue with him, even if a part of her did enjoy it. For so long, she had kept her voice low, kept her movements quiet and pretended that she was unimportant, trying to make sure people forgot she was there. ‘Coll needs his breakfast.’

  ‘I would hate for my new friend to go hungry.’ Sigurd stroked her dog under the chin. Coll looked at him with adoring eyes.

  ‘And afterwards...I will make sure the storerooms are attended to.’

  ‘Afterwards, you will sit and rest. You will need your strength later.’

  Her heart thumped against her chest. ‘Later? What happens later?’

  He inclined his head. ‘My men will be bringing my household effects here today. I want this place inhabitable. We shall stay for a few weeks before we visit the next fort. I trust you are well versed in moving households from one fort to another.’

  Liddy rubbed her hands along her arms. He enjoyed teasing her. He wanted her for her housekeeping abilities.

  ‘Have you found the gold?’

  He shook his head. ‘It isn’t here. Thorbin knew the fort would be searched. He also had to know that he would be sent off to Ketil. He will have hidden it well. The trouble is knowing where. Once his death becomes known, Ivar the Boneless will try to take advantage of the situation. And if you thought Thorbin was bad for this island, Ivar will be a thousand times worse.’

  ‘Thorbin stayed here and required the food and tribute be brought to him over the past few months,’ she said, trying not think about the leader of the Dubh Linn Northmen and what he could do. ‘He must have had a reason. I think the gold is near.’

  He raised a hand, stopping her words. ‘I am not my half-brother. I know how important it is for the overlord to be seen. Tribute has a way of falling when the overlord is remote. My household is too large for this fort to support us all year round. If you wish to rule, you must be prepared to travel—something Ketil said to me years ago and I have held it in my mind, waiting for my time to come.’

  ‘You never doubted it would.’

  ‘I made my vow on the dying embers of my parents’ funeral pyre.’ A muscle jumped in his jaw. ‘I intend to rule well.’

  She nodded. When she was small, they had lived in several halls. After the Northmen came, her father only managed to save one hall, but he still visited every one of his tenants every week. Brandon had been the same when he was at home—visiting his tenants. But she had never been aware of Thorbin moving from the fort on the headland. But she could understand why Sigurd needed a woman to manage the household more than he needed a mistress. It was a fine art, knowing when to stay and when to move on. It was dictated by the seasons and the weather, but there were other factors. ‘I can do as you ask.’

  ‘Good.’ He tilted his head to one side. ‘Is there something else?’

  Liddy swallowed hard. She should leave the room, but her feet were reluctant to go. This man had shown confidence in her and her abilities. He made her think that her past did not have to define her completely.

  ‘You were kind to me last night,’ she said, bowing her head before she lost her courage. ‘You put that cloak over me. It was...unexpected. It eased my sleep.’

  ‘I’ve no reason to cheat on our agreement,’ he said quietly. ‘Not like that anyway.’

  ‘I know that,’ she said, backing away from him. The room suddenly seemed too small for them. Her eyes kept returning to the great expanse of his chest. ‘I appreciate it. My feelings haven’t changed.’

  She stopped at the sound of his laughter.

  ‘Go on, my lady fair. You have your battle armour on now.’

  Liddy ran out of the room before she was tempted to do something stupid like kiss him. Behind her, his laughter echoed.

  Liddy kept going until she reached the busy kitchen. Only then did she pause for a breath. ‘I’m immune from him, Coll. I just made a strategic retreat because...because so much needs to be done and I may yet find the gold. Hope—that’s what is important.’

  Coll cocked his head to one side and gave her a significant look before going off to investigate a pile of kitchen scraps.

  * * *

  ‘It’s fair perishing,’ Mhairi said, wiping her hand across her forehead. ‘But what a difference. These new tapestries are certainly fine.’

  Liddy regarded the gold-shot tapestries. Sigurd must have acquired them in the east. He might need the missing tribute to keep his jaarlship, but he was definitely a wealthy man in his own right. ‘Now that they are up, there is little left to do today.’

  ‘Good, even you are running out of ideas,’ Mhairi said with a laugh. ‘Not that we mind. It is good to feel that we can do something rather than sitting around, wondering which one would be next for the hanging. You worked a wonder with Lord Sigurd, getting him to say that he’d ended that practice.’

  The others made noises of agreement.

  ‘What do you suggest we do?’ Liddy asked, stretching out the kink that had developed in her back. The women considered her lucky and no one seemed to be staring overlong at her birthmark. They were quite natural about it and thought her being there was a good thing.

  Mhairi gave a conspiratorial wink. ‘We can bathe and wash away the dirt.’

  ‘Where?’

  ‘Down by the loch. The men will be at training. No one will know. Besides, it is when we always go on days like this. How many times does the sun beat down on Islay? The weather is fair begging for a cool dip in the loch.’

  ‘What would the priest say?’

  Mhairi looked serious. ‘He would rail against us and call us Jezebels, but he does anyway and we are under the Northmen’s protection. They expect us to smell sweet between the sheets.’

  The other maids echoed Mhairi’s words.

  ‘And there is a whole new crop of warriors arrived. We want to look our best. It can make all the difference. Not all of us grace the jaarl’s bedchamber, but there are other warriors...’

  ‘Paddling my feet would be permissible,’ Liddy said, putting her hands in the middle of her back. It was not as if she was sailing. The thought of cold water did sound better than staying in this overwarm hall. A memory of splashing her feet with Keita and Gilbreath hit her—Keita’s excitement as she tried to catch the water between her hands and how Gilbreath had st
omped with both his feet, trying to make the biggest splash. They had adored the sea. It did not make her heart ache as much as she thought it would. Perhaps the hole in her heart had begun to heal after three years. ‘Just this once.’

  Mhairi smiled. ‘I knew you were one of us!’

  * * *

  The cold water lapped against Liddy’s feet. She had to admit that it felt wonderful.

  ‘Come further in, Eilidith!’ Mhairi called. Mhairi and the rest of the women had discarded their clothes and were now bathing in the cold water. ‘You will love it once you try.’

  Liddy balanced precariously on a rock. ‘This is far enough.’

  Coll bounded up with a bark. He lifted a paw and unbalanced her. Liddy whirled her arms to try to regain her balance, but tumbled backwards, landing in the lake with a loud splash. Her kerchief slipped off and the few remaining pins which held her hair in place fell out, disappearing into the lake’s mud.

  ‘Oh, Coll, what have you done? I’m soaked,’ she cried.

  ‘Making sure you had a good wash, I expect,’ a voice behind her said.

  The women further out in the lake froze like statues, their faces showing panic.

  Liddy gritted her teeth. ‘We have finished the hall.’

  Sigurd stood, with his blond hair gleaming in the sun. The dark blue of his tunic perfectly complemented his eyes. And Liddy knew what a sodden mess she must look. ‘I saw what happened. Coll was merely trying to help.’

  ‘Don’t blame the women, blame me.’

  ‘I will take that under advisement.’ Sigurd gave a nod. The other women climbed out of the lake, grabbed their bundles of clothes and fled.

  ‘They meant no harm.’

  ‘I’m far from being angry. I expect my men will enjoy the spectacle.’ His voice was a low purr. ‘Shall we speak of something else? Something far more enjoyable?’

  If she reached her hand out, she could touch his chest. Liddy was aware that she was dressed only in her damp shift that had moulded to her body and that her hair fell in disarray about her shoulders. Sigurd stood between her and her outer gown. She should move, but her feet were rooted to the spot. ‘The day is getting away from me. There is the feast tonight.’

  ‘All in good time.’ He lifted her hair from her shoulder and ran it through his fingers. She fought how to breathe. What came next, in or out? All she could think about was the shape of his mouth and how strong his arms appeared. ‘We are speaking about opportunities and what you do with them.’

  Coll nosed her hand and broke the spell. She heaved a sigh of relief. She had nearly given in and touched Sigurd.

  She stepped around him and rescued her outer gown. Liddy rapidly put it on and tied her belt with fumbling fingers.

  ‘You shouldn’t have done that. We have a bargain. No touching until I ask.’

  He tilted his head to one side. ‘We never specified the rules but if memory serves—the bargain was no kissing until you begged.’

  She put her hand on her hip. ‘Do I look like I was begging?’

  His thumb brushed her birthmark, sending a series of warm pulses radiating outwards. ‘Are you?’

  Liddy drew a steadying breath. ‘No, I’m specifying the rules now. No touching at all. It isn’t seemly.’

  ‘I always have had trouble following complex rules.’

  His breath interlaced with hers. She forced her head down and concentrated on retying the belt. ‘Try.’

  ‘Your hair is like the sunrise.’ The soft words curled about her insides. ‘Such a shame to keep it confined the way you do. You should wear it down.’

  ‘It would get in the way. Think about what the priests would say, as my mother always told me.’

  ‘The ones here or from the North?’

  Liddy tilted her chin upwards and met his dancing eyes. She longed to wipe the smile off his face. ‘Both!’

  ‘I will try to remember that, but anyone who says you should cover up your hair is wrong. Humour me and keep it uncovered.’

  Liddy pressed her lips together. Why did he have to pay her compliments? Very few people ever said anything pleasant to her.

  ‘My hair has nothing to recommend it.’ She ticked the points off on her fingers. ‘It is red, not golden or black. Bards don’t sing about such things and I get freckles across my nose every summer. Ordinary, rather than a stunning beauty, made worse by my birthmark.’

  A smile twitched on his lips. She paused in her tirade. ‘You are laughing at me!’

  ‘Trying very hard not to.’ With a great effort he sobered. ‘Allow people to reach their own conclusions, Liddy, rather than telling them what to think. They might surprise you.’

  ‘When I need your advice, I will ask for it.’

  ‘I am merely seeking to do you a favour.’

  ‘When I need a favour or a compliment from you, I will ask for it.’

  ‘Another of your rules?’

  ‘It might be.’

  He gave a very low bow. ‘You appear to delight in them.’

  She caught the twinkle in his eye as he stood up. Somehow that made it worse. He had anticipated her reaction. In seeking to prove to him that he didn’t matter, she had alerted him to the fact that he and his opinion did. And she knew how Brandon had used that, how he and his mistresses had delighted in tormenting her, knowing she would not complain. How could she? She’d been the one to beg her father and mother for the marriage, insisting on it despite her mother’s clear reservations. And she had had too much pride to explain to her mother how right she’d been to be wary. By then, she was married and Brandon had thoroughly charmed her mother with little gifts and seemingly thoughtful gestures.

  She ground her teeth. ‘I will ensure a feast to be remembered.’

  ‘But I doubt you will give me what I truly want from you.’

  ‘Do you want it, or merely think you do because I have refused to fall in with your plans?’ she said back over her shoulder as she walked away from him.

  The shout of laughter echoed over the lake. Keeping herself aloof from him was going to prove much harder than she had previously considered. And she strongly suspected he knew and that he wouldn’t play fair.

  ‘Redouble my efforts, Coll. That is the only hope. Or otherwise he will steal my heart away.’

  Coll gave a short sharp bark and looked back at the lake with great big eyes.

  ‘Traitor,’ she said with a fond smile and gave his ears a stroke.

  * * *

  ‘Are you going to stop now? You have already made us practice far longer than normal. The sun is starting to set.’

  The red mist cleared from Sigurd’s eyes. His opponent was down on the ground. Sigurd reached out a hand and pulled him up. In the end he’d sent Hring instead of Gorm to the North lands to fetch Beyla and another of his men to inform Ketil of his victory and Thorbin’s demise. It remained to be seen if Gorm was to be trusted.

  Sigurd jabbed forward with his sword, grazing the man’s belly. ‘You are unfit, Gorm. All of Thorbin’s men are unfit. What happens if Ivar the Boneless does conduct a raid? What if the Gaels decide to rebel?’

  ‘You didn’t seem overly worried about that a few days ago when you decided to taunt one of their warriors.’

  ‘What are you talking about?’

  Gorm seemed unperturbed. ‘Aedan mac Connall, king of cennell Loairn and laird of Kintra, will see it as an insult, you taking his brother’s widow as a slave. We barely contained him last summer. You should be considering that rather than worrying about Ivar the Boneless.’

  ‘Eilidith had returned to her father’s. If he had a quarrel with the sale, he should attack the seller, not the buyer.’

  ‘Have you encountered Aedan? He already bears a grudge against the Northmen, something to do with his aunt.’


  ‘Ancient history.’

  Gorm narrowed his eyes. ‘Here I thought I was reckless, but I’m a new babe compared to you. You enjoy stirring up wasp nests.’

  Sigurd parried Gorm’s blow. ‘I want a quiet life.’

  ‘Then send her back before you bed her. Aedan mac Connall may forgive you.’

  ‘How do you know I haven’t bedded her?’ Sigurd sent the wooden sword flying from Gorm for the third time that day.

  ‘Everyone knows Eilidith of Cennell Fergusa sleeps in your chamber, but you are out here, hounding us to death. It does not take a genius to work out why. You have an itch you want to scratch and you haven’t scratched it yet. Plough the woman and be done with it or release her and save us trouble when the king of cennell Loairn comes to call.’

  Sigurd wiped the sweat from his brow, irritated that he was easy to read. Gorm probably spoke the truth about Aedan mac Connall, but he was doing it to see if he could get under his skin, rather than any real concern about the Gael. ‘Now will you fight properly this time?’

  ‘I reckoned I was.’ The large warrior stroked his chin. ‘Ever since you went down to the lake the other day, you have been working us far too hard. I understand her bottom looked quite delectable in the shift.’

  Sigurd slammed his sword against the shield, breaking it into two pieces. He tossed it away in disgust. ‘My relationship with Eilidith is none of your business. Now we start again. This time, actually attack me. Put your back into it rather than your mouth.’

  Gorm rubbed his jaw. ‘Still, I will feel better when you have.’

  Chapter Eight

  Liddy stared at the mountain of furs which now made up Sigurd’s bed. Combined with the tapestries, the bedchamber had been transformed from a cold place to one of warmth, one where a person might want to linger. She was impressed with the richness of the tapestries and the deepness of the furs once they were finally unpacked.

  The various other maids had sighed and exclaimed as the furs were brought out, giving her jealous looks. Liddy held back the words explaining that she still slept on the floor, next to Coll. Since the incident at the lake where she’d nearly kissed him, she had redoubled her efforts to become exhausted. However, he increasingly invaded her dreams.