Page 8 of Haakon's Fate
“Yes, I know.”
Indeed, his mother was an indefatigable romantic and she knew about his love for Saxon women and his ambition to marry one—hisformerambition he should say. If she found out what had happened in the forest, she would probably think there was more to it than he had revealed, she would somehow guess that the two of them had kissed.
To give her her due, however, though she knew Edita was looking for marriage, she had never tried to press him into proposing to her, even if she had once walked in on her trapping him against the wall. In fact, her intervention had been what had saved Haakon. He had been racking his brain to find a way to push Edita out of the way without hurting her.
Just as if she had heard they were talking about her, his mother entered the forge, a basket in hand.
“Haakon.” She gave him a kiss. “Will you stay with us to eat?”
“Yes, thank you.”
He had better stay, otherwise he would only end up alone in his hut, reliving the kiss he should never have shared with a woman he would likely never see again.
3
Gytha knocked on the door of Wolf’s hut with a confidence she didn’t quite feel.
Her father had intended to go see the Icelander that morning but at the last moment had been prevented from going. Her uncle Baldwin, a nasty individual they fortunately rarely saw, had barged into the house as he’d prepared to leave, roaring his anger at the way the last few days had been handled.
As the news her father had meant to deliver was important, she had offered to go to the Norsemen village in his stead. Little Osberga’s safety was at stake. The quicker they acted, the better. And besides, she had always secretly dreamed of helping him in his investigations. This was the opportunity to finally do something useful.
Eadhild had decided to accompany her. While Gytha delivered her father’s message to Wolf, her friend would go to Halfdan and ask him if she could stay with him from now on.
“I cannot stay another moment in my house,” she’d told her, shouldering a bag containing a change of clothes and her most precious possessions. “Now that we have agreed to get married,I will go live with him. It’s the best way. Only I…I wish I didn’t have to leave you in such a terrible moment.”
Such a terrible moment.
Six days after her mother’s death, she meant.
Her death had been a shock, undoubtedly, due in the main part to the sudden and very unusual nature of it. Four people had been killed along with her when a stone had fallen from the church roof in the middle of mass. That had been horrific enough, but then some individuals had taken malicious pleasure in claiming that the five victims had been punished for their crimes. This accident happening in church was surely a sign from God himself, proof that he was not happy with them.
Hearing this had been unbearable. Gytha hadn’t known the poor others who had died but she knew that her mother had been the soul of generosity and had never caused anyone harm in her all too short life. To claim that she had deserved to be killed in such a way was beyond cruel.
Her death was the reason Baldwin had irrupted into their house that morning. He had resented being kept in the dark about the arrangements concerning her funeral. But her mother and her despicable brother had hardly spoken since her wedding. He was the last person they would have wanted around at this difficult time.
“I will be fine,” Gytha said, giving her friend’s hand a squeeze. “You do what you need to do. And I agree with you. You cannot stay at home, it is too dangerous. It will not be long before your father understands that we lied to him and I am not the one betrothed to a Norseman.”
There was no saying what the man would do then. It was not safe for Eadhild to remain within his reach. She needed to go be with her future husband, who would look after her.
“You know,” her friend said, “we never talked about the passionate kiss you shared with the?—”
“We didn’t because there is nothing to tell. We needed to convince your father I was the reason for going to the Norsemen village, that’s all. I think it worked.”
“It did. I cannot thank you enough. But I shouldn’t have used you thus. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Gytha soothed. She certainly didn’t resent the lie. Because without it she wouldn’t have experienced what would surely remain the best, most passion-filled, thrilling kiss of her life. She just hoped what she thought didn’t show on her face.
The two women rode in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. As soon as they reached the village, they parted ways, Eadhild assuring her friend she would come visit often.
At the first knock, the door of the hut opened on a woman she assumed to be Merewen.
“Good afternoon. I’m here to see Wolf on behalf of my father, the reeve.”
“Of course, come in.”
Gytha entered the place she had imagined many a time. It was just as welcoming as she had supposed but Wolf was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps he was outside, feeding the animals or tending his garden?
“My father has important news but he couldn’t come in person to deliver it. His brother-in-law Baldwin stopped him from going as he was leaving. I believe you know who I mean?”
