The Viking’s Touch(39)

They returned home some time later and while Wulfgar went off to speak with Ina, Anwyn sought the solace of the bower, trying to order the chaos of her thoughts. However, they refused to be ordered. As the full impact of that earlier conversation sank in, it left her reeling. Her stomach churned and a light sheen of sweat broke out on her forehead. The room seemed suddenly stifling. Throwing off her mantle, she hurried to the basin in the corner and vomited repeatedly.

 For a little while she thought she might faint but gradually the sensation passed and she found herself able to breathe again. With shaking hands she reached for a cloth, soaked it in the water jar and then used it to bathe her face. The coolness was blessedly restorative.

 A footstep in the passage without announced another presence. For a dreadful moment she thought it was Wulfgar returning, but to her intense relief saw Jodis instead. The maid smiled and was about to speak, but one look at Anwyn’s deathly pallor caused the words to wither on her lips.

 ‘My lady, you are ill.’

 ‘It’s nothing. A momentary sickness is all. I shall be well again presently.’

 ‘Pray, come and lie down awhile until you feel better.’

 Anwyn allowed herself to be led across the room and sank down disconsolately on the edge of the bed.

 ‘What brought this on?’ the maid continued. ‘Something you ate, perhaps?’

 ‘No, it’s nothing I’ve eaten.’

 ‘Some other malady then.’

 ‘One with no cure, I’m afraid.’ Seeing the maid’s startled expression, she added, ‘He’s leaving, Jodis.’

 The maid didn’t pretend to misunderstand. ‘Leaving when?’

 ‘Very soon. A matter of weeks, I believe.’

 ‘I am so sorry. I hoped…’

 ‘I think we all hoped.’ Anwyn sighed. ‘I most of all.’

 ‘But he will come back.’

 ‘One day, perhaps—if he is not slain or imprisoned first.’

 Jodis sat down, regarding her with concern. ‘He will come back, I’m sure of it.’

 ‘I wish I could say the same.’

 ‘He is Earl of Drakensburgh. He will not forget that. Nor will he forget you.’

 ‘I shall not forget him, that is certain.’ The tears she had restrained before now filled Anwyn’s eyes. ‘I love him, Jodis. I always hoped that one day he might come to feel the same.’

 ‘He cares for you very much, I’d swear to it.’

 ‘Yes, but not enough to stay.’

 ‘He hasn’t gone yet. He may change his mind.’

 Anwyn shook her head. ‘He will not. Besides, I have always known that he would go eventually.’ The tears spilled over. ‘I just didn’t expect it to be so hard.’

 ‘If he knew it, he might reconsider.’

 ‘To do that would be to break his word to his men.’

 ‘What of his word to you?’

 ‘He has never made any promise to me that he was not prepared to fulfil.’

 Jodis sighed. ‘Why are men such fools? Why can they never see what’s right under their noses?’

 ‘We women can be foolish, too, seeing what we’d like to see instead of what is. By the time we do realise, it’s too late and there’s no going back.’

 ‘Would you wish it undone?’

 ‘No. That’s the worst of it.’ Anwyn wiped the tears away with the sleeve of her gown. ‘I made the bargain and must bear the consequences.’

 For a moment Jodis was perfectly still. Then she looked from her mistress to the basin across the room and back again. Her eyes widened.

 ‘Oh, my! You’re not…?’

 ‘It’s possible. I don’t know yet. I won’t know for another week or two.’

 ‘Have you said anything to him?’

 ‘There’s nothing to say, yet.’

 ‘But…’

 Anwyn laid a hand on her arm. ‘And you will say nothing, either.’





Any lingering doubts she might have had were banished when her next flux failed to appear. Moreover, the sickness recurred, too. Thus far she had managed to hide it from Wulfgar, but the knowledge of her condition was an additional anxiety. What made it much harder was the realisation of how much she wanted his child. Even the thought of another difficult and protracted labour did not change that. The baby within her was something of his that she could keep and cherish long after he was gone. Mingled with that was the increasing conviction that she ought to tell him. It was just a matter of finding the right time.





Wulfgar sensed her inner preoccupation, though not its cause. He attributed it to the announcement of his imminent departure. The scene was still vivid in his mind. In truth it had been harder than he cared to admit. When he said he would miss her it had not been a mere sop to her feelings. Leaving was going to be a wrench for him, too, more so than he could ever have imagined when he entered into this match. Both of them had always known this was going to happen. He was an adventurer, a mercenary—had never pretended to be other. He also had a duty to his crew. His jaw tightened.

 ‘We’re just about done here,’ said Hermund, surveying the men who were finishing the thatch on the last two huts. ‘Another day should do it.’

 Wulfgar glanced at him; then returned his attention to the thatchers. ‘Aye, it will.’

 ‘The Drakensburgh force is ready, too, and at full strength.’

 ‘It is.’

 ‘So, what now?’

 ‘We keep to the agreement we made before. We go to join Rollo.’

 ‘I’ll make a start on the ship’s provisions, then.’

 ‘Do that. We’ll also take her out for a trial run. Make sure everything’s as it should be.’

 Hermund grinned. ‘It’ll be good to be at sea again.’

 ‘I am already at sea,’ said Wulfgar.





Word of the decision was not slow to spread. When Eyvind heard about the forthcoming sea trial his eyes shone.

 ‘May I come, lord?’

 His initial reaction was to refuse, but when he looked down at the boy’s eager face Wulfgar relented. ‘Why not?’ He looked over the child’s head at Anwyn. ‘It won’t be far. Just up the coast a little way and then back. He’ll be safe enough.’

 She checked the urge to object. Eyvind could not be tied to her apron strings for ever and he had blossomed so much since Wulfgar’s coming. He would not let anything happen to the child.

 ‘Very well.’

 Eyvind beamed, his cheeks pink with excitement. Together they went out to the courtyard where the crewmen awaited them. Doubting whether the child’s short legs would keep up with the longer strides of the men, Wulfgar lifted him on to his shoulders. Then he turned to Anwyn.

 ‘Will you walk with us to the bay?’

 ‘I might slow you down.’

 ‘If I had thought that I would not have suggested it,’ he replied.

 Something in the quiet tone and the accompanying look caused her pulse to quicken a little.

 ‘I will come.’

 Wulfgar let his men move on ahead and matched his stride to hers. They spoke little, but the silence was companionable and she did not mind it. It was enough just for the three of them to be together. Such moments would not come again and she was going to have to live on them a long time. Involuntarily her hand went to the front of her gown and rested there a moment. The knowledge of the baby growing within her was bittersweet. With the certainty came the pressing need to let Wulfgar know of its existence. The thought of him perishing on a foreign shore in ignorance of his child was not to be contemplated. She must speak to him and soon.





By the time they reached the bay the strand was a hive of activity. The tide was in, but, she was relieved to note, there was only a gentle swell and a light wind carrying with it the familiar scent of weed and brine. The blue-green water was touched with gold in the path of the sun. Wulfgar set the child down and they watched him scamper off down the beach towards the men who were readying the ship. Then Wulfgar turned to Anwyn.

 ‘I’ll look after him.’

 ‘I know.’

 He smiled and bent to kiss her. She swayed towards him, twining her arms about his neck. Then his were around her, and the kiss grew lingering. When at last he drew back it was with an expression of regret.

 ‘I’d like to be able to stay and take that further.’

 She glanced towards his crew. ‘It might cause a few raised eyebrows if you did.’

 ‘Aye, it might, especially with what I have in mind.’

 Her cheeks turned an attractive shade of pink. ‘I’m not going to ask.’

 ‘Then I’ll just have to tell you later.’ He surveyed her keenly. ‘Tell is a figure of speech, by the way.’

 ‘You are incorrigible.’

 ‘Where you are concerned I am.’ He took her hand and lifted it to his lips. ‘Until later, Anwyn.’

 Then he turned and strode away down the beach. She remained where she was, watching as he rejoined the others. A short time later the great ship was sliding down the strand and into the water. Eyvind stood in the prow beside Wulfgar and, seeing her, waved enthusiastically. She forced a smile and waved back. Dimly she heard the spoken commands and saw the long banks of oars rise and dip. Slowly, the Sea Wolf turned and then began to head away along the coast. Anwyn watched until it was out of sight.