‘What is that?’ He bent down and picked up a coin and her scrap of parchment.
‘My emergency fund,’ Dagmar answered. She scooped up the coins. ‘I must have knocked the sole of the boot when I tripped. Normally I am much more sure-footed.’
‘You keep gold in your boots?’
‘My mother had to leave our home with very little warning. A simple precaution.’ Dagmar replaced the coins and clicked the heel into place. ‘I obviously did not fasten it properly.’
‘Were you going to tell me about the gold?’
‘It never came up.’ Dagmar gave a half-shrug. Her mother would have vanished into the night, but Dagmar couldn’t. She’d learnt the lesson about not giving up on anything too well.
‘Never came up?’ Aedan lifted a brow. ‘And this drawing?’
‘When I was eleven I made a sketch of my dream home, so that I’d know what I was fighting for. It is important to remember a life exists beyond war.’
‘Your house on the fjord.’
‘That is gone now. This would have been my own. I would have built it if I had won the battle at Dollar.’ She concentrated on making sure the sole was stuck on firmly this time. Putting into words what those boots represented to her was impossible. They were the last thing she possessed of her mother’s. They represented freedom and the ability to fight back. She doubted if Aedan would understand. ‘I don’t notice the extra weight. Better to be safe than have regrets.’
‘Marriage should have two people in it, not an entire kingdom.’ His mouth became a thin white line but it was the expression in his eyes that made her heart squeeze. ‘What I want you to know is that I suspected you were teaching the girls to fight back and approved. How could I not? Each one who has been taken has been engraved on my heart. You were doing something I couldn’t.’
Dagmar concentrated on her boot. She should have trusted him. ‘Like you were with the knife, you were waiting for me to say something?’
His eyes sparkled. ‘Exactly, but this way, I didn’t have to confront Father Cathan.’
‘He may be a priest, but he is a pompous oaf.’
‘There I agree with you. I should have confronted him earlier. Now will you come with me?’ He gave a soft laugh. ‘It is where I think Mor was leading you, where I should have taken you first.’
‘She has more sense than her master.’
‘She does indeed.’ He held out a hand. ‘Come with me. Please.’
Dagmar kept her hand curled about Aedan’s. There was comfort in the way he held her hand. She might be able to salvage something from this. She’d made a mistake earlier and allowed herself to be manipulated, but the truth had been uncovered. Face forward and keep the past behind you like your arse was one of her mother’s favourite mottos.
As they reached the top, the sun sparkled on the bay like a series of diamonds. This had to be the spot which Aedan had described when he’d explained why his life held more than war. In a stand of trees stood a small stone hut, far better built than the ageing hall which dominated Kintra’s shore. She immediately fell in love with it.
‘Who does this belong to?’ she asked before her nerve failed her. ‘Who lives here?’
‘Come inside and discover.’
Inside, a bed piled high with furs occupied the far wall. A trunk stood next to it. Against the right wall a table stood with a bench in front of it.
‘Why are you being so mysterious about it?’ Dagmar’s stomach clenched as she struggled to breathe.
Aedan placed several dishes on the table while Mor gave a satisfied bark and settled beside the front door.
‘It belongs to you now if you will have it. My morning gift to you.’ Aedan gestured about him. ‘Your private place...for when the people of Kintra become too much. A place which belongs only to you. A place you can truly call home which no one can take away from you.’
Dagmar’s heart expanded. A home of her own. Her gaze narrowed.
‘Why are you giving me this now? Why not when I first arrived? Why keep it hidden?’
He put his hands on her shoulders. ‘This place was my refuge when my brother was alive. It can be your refuge now if you require it.’
‘But why?’
‘This hut is all my design,’ he said, running a hand along the table. ‘I built it after the mess with Brigid. I couldn’t bear to live in the hall with my brother.’
‘You wanted to leave.’ Her heart thumped. ‘Is it the same reason you keep leaving Kintra?’
Aedan’s mouth twisted down. ‘You need to know the whole story. I should have shared it with you before we married so that you could see the sort of man I really am.’
Dagmar went over to him. ‘What happened?’
Aedan put a finger to her mouth. ‘My brother and I were close when we were young. Then he discovered women. And all the women seemed to love him, but one day, I found a woman, Brigid, who took my breath away. She appeared to be interested in me, not my brother.’
‘Did you build this for her?’
Aedan’s eyes became bleak. ‘We were to be married. I was ambitious and spent the time fighting the Northmen. I left her alone too much.’
‘One day, I returned early and went looking for her. Her mother had no idea where she was.’
‘Had she been taken?’
‘I discovered them together, her and my brother, intertwined on the grass, clearly having made love. My brother swore it had only happened the once because I had left her alone.’
‘I would have beaten him to a pulp and broken the engagement, ensuring everyone knew the truth.’ Dagmar clenched her fists. ‘The woman obviously had no taste and fewer morals. There are things you don’t do to a brother.’
She listened as Aedan described how they had fought, but the woman intervened to save Brandon. Aedan found he could not hit a woman, but he had ended the engagement. Brandon promised that he would deal with the problem and Aedan left, returning on his brother’s wedding day.
When he returned, he discovered Brigid, pregnant and footsore. She had escaped from the convent where Brandon had placed her and was about to give birth. She begged for his help and forgiveness as she had made a mistake. Like a fool he’d forgiven her. However, the birth was bad and she’d screamed out Brandon’s name and he’d known the truth. He’d gone to fetch Brandon from his marriage bed, but Brigid and the baby died. Brandon declared Aedan had deliberately attempted to ruin his marriage and they fought again. This time Aedan had beat him to a bloody pulp. Brandon however had kept quiet about who had caused the injuries.
‘What did you do then?’
‘I left to make my fortune elsewhere and I built this hut to be away from Brandon. Everyone thought my isolation was because I grieved over Brigid, but I didn’t. I simply wanted to be away from him and his lies. The worst part was that when I was away and in battle, I felt relief, as though my life might count for more than being my brother’s cat’s paw. I swore that I would never again be manipulated by anyone.’
Dagmar’s heart thudded. ‘I am sorry Brigid and your brother behaved so badly. But you weren’t to blame for her death. Women often die in childbirth.’
‘I allowed Brandon to manipulate me again. I believed him when he proclaimed my sister-in-law had deliberately taken chances with her children’s lives because she and Brandon had had a fight, instead of questioning Brandon about his fantastic design for his new boat. Right before his death, he tried to force Liddy into a convent, claiming that because she had wilfully caused the death of their children, he should have the right to marry a far more suitable woman. He even forbade her to put any memorial to them. To my shame I never questioned him until the new fleet capsized, killing many good men shortly after his death.’
‘The stone cross for your niece and nephew is part of your penance,’ Dagmar said with sudden insight.
‘The fl
awed boat design was responsible for their death, not my sister-in-law whom I had treated as an outcast. I put that woman through Hell because of my brother and his self-serving lies. The cross is there to remind me of my folly. It is also there because my brother should have taken responsibility. There are times that I wonder if he chose to die in battle rather than face what he had done. And when your father arrived demanding gold, I knew my brother had borrowed the gold, rather than being showered with it because he had saved a Northern warlord from certain death as he had claimed. Once again I would have to clean up his mess or my people would suffer.’
‘You wanted to protect your people,’ Dagmar finished for him. ‘I knew Father Cathan disliked me and would object to teaching the women self-defence. I remained determined, however.’
‘I trusted you to be so. I should have explained that I approved of you doing it, but I wanted to be able to deny it. I am becoming like my brother.’
Dagmar drew a deep breath. ‘No, you are not. You are a man who takes his responsibilities seriously. You want what is right for your people. Mhairi and Father Cathan knew that. They sought to drive a wedge between us. That is never going to happen.’
‘I won’t allow that to happen either. You must trust me on this.’ He put his hands on her shoulders. ‘It is why you should have this place, in case everyone gets too much. They try my temper at the best of times, but I have to remain here for them. I can’t abandon them again. It can be your refuge where you can sit and watch the sunset, rather than giving in to their petty slights.’
Her heart soared. He was offering her his inner sanctum. He did have feelings for her and he understood how difficult it was for her to adjust. ‘Always. We are a team.’
‘Shall we seal it with a kiss?’ he asked, reaching for her.
She smiled. ‘I believe we have time.’
Dagmar glanced towards the sea, more out of habit than anything. She swore long and loud. Aedan’s hands fell to his side.
‘Problem?’
‘My mother’s sail. Olafr is coming this way from the south and the oath-breaker has the gall to use my mother’s sail as if the felag belongs to him!’
‘We need to get back.’
‘I’m sorry, Aedan.’
‘For what? There is no way the news of our marriage could have reached him. You were right to insist on the defences. He decided to come after me and my lands because he thinks we are an easier proposition than your father. The Devil take his soul. This has nothing to do with you, Dagmar.’
Dagmar gave a tight smile. Aedan’s words were designed to make it easier for her, but she knew he was wrong. Olafr had come for her. And she knew Aedan would put the safety of his people in front of hers. He had to. ‘Thank you for that. You are the King of Kintra and I await your orders.’
‘Do you want to get the women to safety or do you wish to stand on the shore and greet him with me?’
‘My trousers have been burnt.’
‘No, I hid them until you had need of them. It is why I took charge of them instead of your nurse. I should have told you, but...’
‘You were frightened I might I leave if I had them to wear,’ she finished for him, understanding now what drove this man of hers. ‘Trust me now.’
He gave a half-smile. ‘As if the clothes you wear on your back could make a difference to the person you are inside.’
Dagmar concentrated on the ship which was sweeping ever closer. There were a thousand things she wished she had done with Aedan. ‘I would like to stand next to you, but dressed as I am now. There is every chance Olafr will not recognise me and we may be able to use it to our advantage.’
‘Dagmar, don’t take any chances.’
She brushed her mouth against his. ‘I won’t if you don’t.’
Chapter Fourteen
Aedan stood on the shore with Dagmar standing beside him, her head held proud. Despite his offer of warrior’s garb, she remained in her gown. She wore her hair in several plaits. Her only weapon was his old dagger which she had stuck in her belt, insisting she needed nothing else.
His men were ranged behind him. They carried a motley collection of shields, ancient swords and pitchforks. But the women and children along with both priests had made their way to the newly built shelter.
The ship had come in peacefully with shields hung on its sides, rather than the shields being in the warriors’ hands, ready for battle. He agreed with Dagmar that it was a ruse. Olafr had arrived with intent to cause mischief, rather than coming in friendship.
His guts tightened like they had not done since he faced his first battle. Finally, he had something which really mattered to him to fight for. He was not going to give Dagmar up without a fight.
‘We meet again, Gael,’ Olafr said as he strode on to the shore. The Northman had a sleek confidence about him.
‘To what do I owe the pleasure, Olafr Rolfson?’ Aedan asked, keeping his hand on his sword. ‘You are a long way from Dollar.’
Olafr smiled at him menacingly. ‘You took something which belongs to me. That was wrong.’
‘Did I indeed?’
Olaf’s gaze flickered over Dagmar, not appearing to recognise her. ‘Yes, perhaps your lady wife would be interested to know how you stole a Northwoman. Such things cannot be allowed to happen.’
To her credit, Dagmar remained stony-faced and silent, but her hand closed about the dagger. Aedan silently willed her to trust him to take care of her.
‘Indeed. Why do you require this?’
Olafr planted his sword in the sand. ‘I require Dagmar Helgadottar or I shall lay waste to your lands. I will take your women and I will enslave them. Your men are no match for mine.’
Behind him, the Northmen beat their swords against their shields. Aedan knew his men would be no match for such a band, but he had little idea of what else he could do.
‘And if I give you Dagmar?’ he asked, keeping his voice carefully neutral.
‘I will leave as I came—in peace. Your little kingdom will be safe.’ Olafr’s sneer increased. ‘You have until owl-light to produce her.’
‘I don’t need until then. You will never have her. Your promises are worth nothing as you are an oath-breaker. And even if they were worth the spit it takes you to say them, I still would refuse.’ Aedan beat his sword against his own shield. ‘What say you, men? Will we give up Dagmar? Will we give up Kintra’s lady to the Northmen?’
‘Never!’ his men roared back.
‘Do we show this piece of scum what the men of Kintra are made of?’
His men roared their approval.
Olafr blinked twice. ‘You have ensured your lands will be laid waste. Prepare to die!’
‘Dagmar means more to me than this land ever could. But it will be your death, not mine, which happens today.’
Olafr raised his hand and Aedan balanced on the balls of his feet, preparing to run towards the arrogant Northman. He knew he could reach Olafr before the fighting properly began. He tried to recall what Dagmar had said to him the first day—something about Olafr always exposing his left side when under pressure.
‘No! I refuse!’ Dagmar shouted above the noise. ‘This will not happen! Olafr the Oath-breaker, you usurped my command. I demand the right to fight you for the leadership.’
Olafr’s eyes bulged and his hand dropped to his side. ‘Dagmar? You are here. I failed to recognise you...without your tattoos.’
Dagmar stepped away from Aedan. Her heart soared. Aedan had put her before his men, before Kintra. He had showed her that she mattered to him more than everything. Right now, she had to hope that he trusted her and her instincts. He had to allow her to do this. She was the only one who could save Kintra and, to do that, she would have to fight Olafr.
‘I am here and I am ready to protect my people. More than that, I am ready to reclaim my felag.’
‘You were always blind, Olafr.’
Olafr’s mouth turned down like a petulant child’s. ‘This is not your felag. It is mine.’
‘You fly my mother’s sail. My mother gave me this felag on her deathbed.’ With each word she spoke, Dagmar’s confidence grew. In a fair fight, it was not a contest—she would win. ‘All the men acclaimed me its leader while her funeral pyre burned. None, not even you, challenged me for that right to lead. And none have done so since.’
Behind him, Olafr’s men began muttering. Dagmar’s heart leapt. Maybe some were actually still loyal to her. She still might be able to end this without too much bloodshed.
‘Dagmar?’ Aedan said in an undertone. ‘You don’t have to do this. My men and I can fight. We can take this scum. He means to trick you.’
‘I’m the only one who can do this,’ she replied without hesitation. ‘I am the only who has the right to lead this felag.’ She smiled at him. ‘Trust me.’
He put his sword to his chest. ‘With my life. With Kintra. If you can do this, then do it.’
Dagmar turned back to Olafr. ‘What say you, Usurper? How came you to lead this felag?’
‘You left,’ Olafr said with a shrug. ‘The felag was leaderless. I did what I had to do. Your mother would have expected it. The men acclaimed me. It is my felag now, Dagmar, not yours.’
She held out her hands to the Northmen. ‘Do I belong to the felag?’
‘That you do, Dagmar! Dagmar Helgadottar is one of us for ever!’ one of the Northmen called out. The rest, several with less enthusiasm than the rest, beat their swords against their shields, signalling their agreement. Dagmar made note of the reluctant ones as a problem for later.
‘The felag has spoken with an overwhelming majority. I belong. Therefore, I have the right to fight for the leadership. It is a privilege granted to every member when they feel the leadership is lacking. And, Olafr, I believe the leadership is lacking with you in charge. Will you fight me for it or will you return it as you were never intended to have it in the first place?’
The Warrior's Viking Bride (Harlequin Historical) Page 22
