Page 14 of Ulf's Destiny
Tears were flowing down her cheeks, tears Ulf wanted to wipe away. Instead, he lifted the Saxon into his arms. She was far too light for her frame, just like Ylva. The remnants of their years of captivity, no doubt. Mildred would likely have starved her little slaves. What these two women had endured for years didn’t bear thinking about.
“It’s over now,” her told Judith in turn. “It’s all over.”
Fortunately, they had arrived in time to catch Mildred and Walstan. Another moment and the cart would have been gone, taking with it all chance of finding out what had happened to Ylva and Judith.
Outside, everyone was waiting. His grandfather was checking that the horses had been properly harnessed and Torsten had already taken his place in the driver’s seat. By a stroke of luck, because there were now eight people to transport instead of the original four, the cart was pulled by two sturdy bay geldings.
Ulf swore when he saw that nothing had been put at the back of the cart to help make the women comfortable. No ballsof wool, no blanket, no straw even. He could not deposit an injured woman on the hard planks of wood. The journey would be excruciating, every jolt would be felt in her damaged body.
“I will hold her in my lap, with her back against my front,” Ylva declared. She had evidently reached the same conclusion as he had. “It’s the best way.”
It was. But who was going to givehercomfort? Who was going to stop her from being tossed from side to side?
“Sven,” he called out while Ylva climbed onto the cart. “You and I are going to sit in the back, propping Ylva up while she holds Judith in her arms.”
His uncle nodded. “Worry not. Between you and me, she won’t budge an inch.”
No. Indeed.
And so it was done. Ylva settled herself against the side of the cart and Ulf placed Judith in her arms. Then the two men took their position either side of her. By necessity, they sat very close to her, so as to keep her still and absorb the impacts in her stead. Wedged in, she should be quite comfortable, or least as comfortable as could be.
“Not too tight?” he asked, feeling self-conscious. She seemed so small between him and his burly uncle.
“No. It’s perfect. Thank you.”
No one had even spared a glance at Mildred or given her comfort a single thought. Tied as she was, she would not be able to use her arms to adjust her balance and stop herself from being tossed about. Tough. Ulf was certain no one was sorry for her.
Lying at their feet was Walstan, whose face had been covered by a piece of linen Torsten had found in the house. They would have liked to spare Judith the sight of the man but they had to bring him to the reeve. Her eyes were closed anyway, and she looked as if she might have fallen into an exhausted sleep, nestled in her friend’s arms.
“Drive on!” he called out to his uncle. “And keep the horses slow.”
A moment later, the cart rolled on.
5
“We’ll take Judith to Helga,” his grandfather ruled as they entered the village. “She lives alone, whereas your mother has your two sisters to look after and Liv is still recovering from her illness.”
Ulf nodded. “Yes.”
His youngest sister, aged only two, had just suffered from a bad cold. A few days of high fever had left her weak as a kitten and she needed constant supervision and love. Besides, his mother was more a midwife than a healer as such. Helga would be better to take care of Judith. She was getting old and often bemoaned the fact that it was time she handed over her responsibilities to someone else, but she was as sharp-eyed and shrewd as she had ever been.
The old woman fussed like a mother hen as soon as she saw Judith lying limply in his arms.
“Bring her in here, then you men can leave us alone.”
No one argued and only Ylva remained in the hut with her friend.
“Stay here for when Helga has finished,” Torsten instructed, slapping him on the shoulder. “Sven and I will take care of the cart and horses, whileFaðirdeals with Mildred. We agreed while driving that he would take her to your hut to interrogate her. He doesn’t want to risk anyone hearing her vile tales.”
“Yes. Good idea. And tell him I will keep her in there with me tonight. I will not have her anywhere near grandmother or any of the children.”
“No.” His uncle seemed equally as determined the woman’s venom should not infect anyone else in the village. “Now, sit, you look about to drop.”
Ulf didn’t resist. In truth, he was drained of energy. Whether it was his injury, the relief of seeing that he had succeeded in getting the women out of the house in time or the simple fact that he had spent an agitated night, he didn’t know. Whatever it was, he felt as if this day had been a week long.
He sat down on the bench, closed his eyes and waited.
It took a long time for Helga to open her door again but finally, she came to him. Ylva, who was following closely, looked as if she had been crying. His chest started to ache. Had Judith been hurt that badly? Yes, she probably had. He had heard what had happened, and he had seen for himself in what state Walstan had left her. Would that he could kill the man a second time over. His death had been too swift, too merciful.
