The Viking’s Touch(17)

 The observation caught him completely unawares. It was gently spoken, but the effect was like a blow to the solar plexus. Feeling that sudden tension in his rider, the chestnut plunged forwards. It took a moment or two to bring it back under control, by which time Wulfgar had mastery of himself as well.

 ‘Everything all right, my lord?’ asked Thrand.

 ‘No problem. Just a horsefly, I expect.’

 Thrand nodded. ‘Evil little blighters those and no mistake. I remember one time…’

 The conversation moved on to other topics then. Anwyn let the men’s voices flow around her, barely listening, for her thoughts were otherwise occupied. She had little thought to learn so much or that her words might have so pronounced an effect. The loss of a child could not but leave lasting scars, but when combined with the loss of the wife… She must have been a remarkable woman, this Freya, to have won his heart so completely. Even in death she clearly retained it still. Anwyn smiled sadly. It was the kind of love she had once dreamed of finding. Now she never would. More than ever before she was glad she had followed her instincts and avoided the pitfall that Wulfgar represented.





They were on the point of returning home when one of the men behind called out, ‘Smoke, my lord!’

 At once the whole group reined in, turning to look in the direction he had indicated. Sure enough a thick, dark pall was rising from behind a stand of trees in the distance.

 Wulfgar wheeled the chestnut round and addressed the men. ‘It may not be sinister in origin, but keep your eyes open all the same. Look to the woman and the boy.’

 The men closed up at once and suddenly Anwyn was no longer at the front of the group, but at its centre with Eyvind. He looked up with mingled excitement and anxiety.

 ‘What is it, Mother? What’s happening?’

 ‘I’m not sure,’ she replied. ‘It looks like a large fire.’

 As they approached, the smell of burning drifted towards them on the light wind, and they could hear the roar of the flames. The source of the fire was a large barn, now ablaze from end to end. Men from the nearby fields had left their work and formed a human chain betwixt the fire and the stream, passing relays of buckets. Anwyn surveyed the scene in dismay.

 ‘It’s hopeless. They’ll never save it now.’

 Wulfgar glanced across at her. ‘No. It’s fortunate the place wasn’t near any of the other buildings or the lot might have gone up.’

 ‘I pray no one was hurt.’

 Leaving Eyvind with Ina, she and Wulfgar urged their mounts towards the line of fire-fighters.

 ‘What happened here?’ she demanded.

 In response to the question a man stepped forward. Although he was equally grim faced, he looked different from his fellows. His clothing was of better quality and his manner more confident. Wulfgar guessed him to be one of the geneatas, a tenant farmer who paid rent to his overlord. Likely it was his barn they saw burning.

 The man shook his head. ‘I don’t know, my lady. We didn’t notice anything amiss at first, not till we glimpsed the smoke. By then it was too late.’

 ‘Was anyone hurt?’ asked Wulfgar.

 ‘No, lord, but they will be. That barn held the last of the village’s grain. There’ll be no more now till harvest.’

 Wulfgar glanced at Anwyn. They both knew the man had not exaggerated. The coming summer months were always the leanest, even in a good year.

 ‘I will ensure that you get enough to see you through,’ she replied.

 The man blinked in surprise, but was quick to offer his thanks. Anwyn turned to Wulfgar.

 ‘Will you take charge of this matter, my lord?’

 ‘Gladly,’ he replied. ‘I’ll get my men on it at once. The problem can be resolved by the morrow.’

 The farmer regarded him curiously but, she noted, with guarded approval. Then he rejoined his fellows who now stood in silent impotence, watching the conflagration.

 ‘You have made a generous gesture,’ said Wulfgar.

 ‘I could do no less,’ she replied. ‘This is a disaster for these people.’

 ‘Could have been an accident,’ said Thrand, who had come to join them.

 Wulfgar glanced his way and then back at the fire. ‘Maybe.’

 ‘No one saw anything after all. Surely they would have if the blaze was set deliberately.’

 ‘Not necessarily. There’s plenty of cover hereabouts after all. Take a couple of men and have a look around, especially in those trees over there.’

 Thrand nodded and summoned two of his companions. Anwyn turned to Wulfgar.

 ‘Do you really think this might have been deliberate?’

 ‘I don’t know yet,’ he replied.

 She felt suddenly uneasy and her gaze went to Eyvind, who was watching the proceedings a little way off. She saw him say something to Ina, but the words were lost in the sound of the fire. To the child this was merely a spectacle whose implications he could not guess at. Heaven send it turned out to be misfortune only.

 They hadn’t long to wait for the answer: ten minutes later Thrand and the others returned.

 ‘There was someone in the trees, my lord. Two men. We found footprints and flattened grass.’ Thrand jerked his thumb over his shoulder. ‘The trail leads north-east. Do you want us to follow?’

 ‘No. The culprits will be long gone. Besides, I think we can guess where it leads.’

 ‘To Beranhold,’ murmured Anwyn.

 Thrand frowned. ‘But why would Ingvar send men to burn down a peasant’s barn?’

 ‘To act as a warning,’ said Wulfgar.





They rode back in silence for the most part. Anwyn was disinclined for speech, being much disturbed by the ramifications of what had occurred. One look at her troubled face was enough to tell Wulfgar all he needed to know. Thus he bided his time. When at length they reached the confines of the pale and the horses had been led away, he took her aside.

 ‘Don’t be afraid. We will send out more patrols from now on. He won’t catch us unawares again.’

 ‘I thought that the attack would be here when it came,’ she replied.

 ‘This is the strongest point. Ingvar will seek softer targets.’

 ‘It was just a barn this time. Will he kill men next?’

 Wulfgar regarded her with a level gaze. ‘When you start something like this there’s no knowing what will happen, save that it is likely to be unpleasant.’

 She sighed. ‘This is what you warned me about, isn’t it?’

 ‘Aye. For the time being you are best to remain within the pale.’

 The green eyes grew stormy. ‘For five long years I was constrained by Torstein. I will not allow Ingvar to limit my freedom thus.’

 Wulfgar paused, choosing his next words with care. ‘Then if you do go abroad, my lady, you should take an armed escort.’

 Anwyn turned away, trying to contain the emotion that threatened to explode. Wulfgar’s eyes narrowed a little.

 ‘My lady?’

 ‘Yes, I heard you.’ She made a vague gesture with her hands. ‘Odd, isn’t it? When Torstein died I thought I was free at last, but nothing much has changed after all.’

 ‘It is no part of my plan to play the gaoler. What I say is for your protection only.’

 ‘I know.’

 ‘Then will you do as I ask?’

 She nodded. ‘Very well.’

 He relaxed a little. For a moment he had thought she might refuse point blank. If so, he wasn’t quite sure what he would have done. He had the power to make her obey but, if he did, it would alienate her completely, and he had no wish to do that.

 ‘Thank you.’ He squeezed her arm gently. ‘It is for the best, believe me.’

 She did believe him, that was the problem. If he had issued commands, she would have known how to react, but this was harder to deal with—like the pressure of his hand on her sleeve and the way he was looking at her now. In that moment she wanted to draw closer, to feel his arms around her, to rest her head against his breast and forget everything else. However, that was not an option. He was a reassuring presence, but he was just doing the job she paid him to do. Essentially she was as alone now as she had ever been.

 She took a step away and his hand fell from her sleeve. ‘Excuse me, but I must go if any of us are to eat this evening.’

 It wasn’t an original excuse, but at least it had the merit of being partly true. More importantly it served its turn, and they both knew it.





Chapter Nine

Anwyn made a hasty toilette to repair the effects of the morning’s ride, and then went to see about arrangements for the meal. With so many extra men to feed it required close attention. The demand for meat was huge. She could see the possibility of having to send out a hunting party before too long.

 Her thoughts preoccupied with the possibility of wild boar, she left the hall. The clash of weapons rang in the warm air. Startled for a moment, she looked up and realised that the men were engaged in combat practice. On the edge of the area she could see Eyvind, his whole attention claimed by the scene. However, Ina was nearby speaking to Wulfgar so the child was unlikely to come to any harm. She smiled to herself and continued on her way.