‘Could have been worse, my lord; could have been the depths of winter.’
‘So it could. Even so, with the lean months coming on people can ill afford to lose their homes as well.’
‘Looks like we’re all going to be busy for a while, then,’ said Hermund.
‘We’ll get as many men on the job as we can. I want this place rebuilt by the full of the next moon.’
Wulfgar informed Anwyn of his intention later. She wanted to ride out with him at once and inspect the damage for herself, but he would not allow it until the slain had been buried.
‘It is not a sight for a woman’s eyes.’
‘Yet those men died in a woman’s cause,’ she replied.
‘They were warriors. They knew the realities of battle. You do not; nor do I intend that you shall.’
Though the words were quietly spoken, they held an inflexion that she was coming to recognise. He would not be swayed. Anwyn abandoned further argument, reflecting that he probably had a point.
‘When the burial is done we will ride out together,’ he went on.
She lowered her eyes. ‘Yes, my lord.’
Wulfgar’s lips twitched. ‘This wifely obedience is most pleasing.’
At once her gaze locked with his, flashing emerald fire. He chuckled softly. ‘I thought as much.’
For a moment she continued to glare at him but, unable to keep it up, smiled ruefully. ‘Would you wish me to be different?’
He put his arms around her and drew her close. ‘Not by as much as a hair.’
In fact, Wulfgar was as good as his word and the following day he rode with her to the ruined hamlet. Where people’s homes had once stood there now remained only blackened heaps of ash from which drifted wisps of smoke, its acrid stench still strong in the air. Six of the original eight houses had been razed. The sight of that wanton destruction caused Anwyn a sharp pang that was closely followed by anger. Her gaze went from the ruins to the silent knot of villagers standing nearby and her heart went out to them. The best that she could do was to offer assurance that their homes would be rebuilt.
‘I’ll get the matter in train at once,’ said Wulfgar. ‘If everyone pulls together it won’t take so long.’
The villagers heard his words with evident surprise, but also with the first faint glimmer of optimism. Anwyn saw it and was glad. They had lost much, but not their lives at least.
Although the dead had been removed, large patches of earth were yet stained dark with their blood. Walking around the site now offered her an insight into the ferocity of the fighting, and she understood why Wulfgar had wanted to shield her from it. Just then, however, she would gladly have run Ingvar through herself, and said as much.
‘I imagine you would at that,’ replied Wulfgar.
‘At least the villagers were spared his wrath.’
He nodded. ‘Ingvar would have slaughtered them without a qualm.’
‘This is what you really meant, isn’t it, when you said that things would get dirty?’
‘Aye, although in this case we got off lightly. Forewarned is forearmed.’
Anwyn looked around. ‘How long will it take to rebuild these dwellings?’
‘Not long. We have the materials to hand and plenty of able men for the work.’
‘Good.’ Involuntarily her gaze went to the wood some hundred yards distant. Its far edge marked the boundary between Drakensburgh and Beranhold lands; a proximity brought forcefully home now.
Wulfgar had little trouble reading her thoughts. ‘He won’t try it again, unless he’s a complete fool.’
‘He is no fool, but he is ruthless and vindictive.’
‘That is why I must take my men and finish what we began.’
Her eyes widened a little. ‘You mean you would go and seek him out?’
‘I mean that I would seek him out and slay him, along with the remnant of his war band, and burn his fortress to the ground. Then I would amalgamate the Beranhold lands with those of Drakensburgh.’
‘You intend to seize his lands?’
‘It is the only certain way to secure the future.’
A knot of dread formed in the pit of her stomach as the real ramifications of the affair sank in. ‘This was not part of my plan, Wulfgar. Besides, I would not have more blood spilled.’
‘We have come this far and there can be no going back.’
‘In this case we did but defend what was ours.’
‘If we stop now, it will be taken as weakness,’ he replied. ‘Ingvar has offered gross provocation. The insult cannot be forgotten or forgiven.’
The blue eyes held no trace of gentleness now, only cold and deadly anger. The expression sent a shudder down her spine. Suddenly she had the sensation of things unravelling, of moving inexorably out of her control into realms beyond imagining.
‘You said he would not make the same mistake again.’
‘That doesn’t mean he won’t try something else. The time to strike is now, while he’s at his weakest.’
She paled. ‘I want peace, Wulfgar.’
‘Peace has many forms. Some of them are only found on the far side of war.’
‘We had an agreement, you and I.’
‘So we did,’ he replied. ‘I said I would do nothing without telling you of my intention first.’
‘Then you are resolved on this?’ Anwyn swallowed hard. ‘I beg you to reconsider.’
‘I am responsible for the security of Drakensburgh and I do not want to be for ever looking over my shoulder.’ He paused. ‘Make no mistake, Anwyn, that’s what we will be doing from now on if Ingvar is allowed to live.’
‘How many more men must die with him?’
He met her eye unflinchingly. ‘As many as it takes.’
The knot in her stomach tightened. ‘You among them, Wulfgar?’
‘No. Ingvar isn’t good enough.’
‘I cannot agree to this.’
‘That is unfortunate.’
Her heart thumped against her ribs. ‘I will not agree, and I am still the Lady of Drakensburgh.’
‘But I am its lord—and yours, too, Anwyn.’
Her gaze smouldered. ‘Aye, and a fitting successor to Torstein.’
With that she turned on heel. Taken by surprise, Wulfgar called after her. She ignored him, hurrying on, tears of rage running unheeded down her face. She had no idea where she was going. Her only desire was to put distance between them. Beneath anger was a deeper, sharper pain born of confusion. She had trusted him… Too late she saw the extent of his ambition.
Her progress was halted abruptly by a large hand closing round her arm. Wulfgar swung her round to face him, his eyes burning into hers.
‘Perhaps you’d care to explain that last remark.’
‘I should have thought it self-explanatory,’ she retorted.
‘I don’t care for the imputation.’
‘Why? Did it hit a nerve, Wulfgar?’
‘You know it did. Is that really your opinion of me?’
‘What do you care for my opinion? You’ll still be Lord of Drakensburgh and Beranhold, too.’
He paled. ‘Is that what you think this is about?’
Anwyn struggled ineffectually to free herself. ‘What else is there to think?’
‘My concern is not with lordship or with wielding power over you,’ he growled. ‘It is with your safety and that of your son.’ The blue gaze bored into hers. ‘Can you get that into your hot little head?’
Her throat tightened and to her horror tears welled and then spilled over. Completely overwrought, she began to sob.
Wulfgar was appalled, his anger evaporating as quickly as it had risen. He let out a long breath and drew her to his breast. ‘Hush, sweet. Don’t cry. It’s all right.’
It was a little while before the sobs subsided and she regained a measure of control. ‘I’m sorry, Wulfgar.’ She took a ragged breath, wiping away tears with the sleeve of her gown. ‘What I said before, about you and Torstein; I didn’t mean it.’
‘I know.’
‘It was just my wretched temper.’
‘Well, it is a fault I share.’ He drew back a little, looking into her face. ‘Since you so dislike my plan to depose Ingvar I shall relinquish it, albeit against my better judgement.’ He paused. ‘I have no wish to be the cause of tears from you, Anwyn.’
She managed a rather watery smile. ‘I am glad of it, although the tears were not intended as a weapon to dissuade you.’
‘If I had thought so, my sweet, they could not have succeeded.’
‘I think your heart is not as hard as you pretend.’
‘Where my heart is concerned I never pretend.’
‘I wish with all of mine that you didn’t have to leave Drakensburgh.’ Seeing him about to speak, she hurried on. ‘Forgive me. I shouldn’t have said that. I know that you must. You warned me at the outset, did you not?’
‘I also warned you that I wasn’t good husband material.’