* * *
Somewhat to his surprise, when Leif rejoined her that evening Astrid made no mention of their earlier conversation and nor could he detect any coldness or resentment in her manner. When he entered their sleeping place, she acknowledged him courteously. He saw that she had already undressed in preparation for bed and was just then combing her hair. It hung over her shoulder like a fall of pale gold. The linen shift afforded an uninterrupted view of shapely calves and ankles and hinted at the curves of the figure above. He gritted his teeth and began to undress.
He had been in bed awhile before she finished her grooming, time enough for his belly to grow taut with anticipation and desire. He was strongly tempted to go and fetch her and then pin her to the bed and see his will well met. However, he had promised. Not only that, she was now with child. To yield to his baser nature might mean harming one or both of them.
Finally Astrid put down the comb. He watched her cross the room to extinguish the lamp and then felt the mattress shift as she climbed into bed. As she did so her leg brushed his, a fleeting contact but more than enough to increase the tension in his groin. He shut his eyes and suppressed a groan.
She turned on her side. ‘Goodnight, my lord.’
His jaw tightened and somehow he mumbled a reply. It was evident now that she had no intention of issuing the invitation he sought, but at least he knew the reason for it now. It wasn’t capriciousness or pique or a desire for revenge. It was because she was pregnant. There hadn’t been any overt hostility yet, but it would come. In the meantime, her rejection of him had begun.
He lay awake for a long time listening to her quiet breathing before he eventually sank into uneasy slumber.
* * *
When Astrid woke it was early and the place quiet, save for the distant sound of snoring coming from the main body of the hall. She turned her head to look at her companion but he was still asleep. His face was peaceful now, almost boyish. Her gaze drank in the strong planes of his cheeks and jaw, the firm sculpted mouth, the light stubble on his chin. The bruises had faded now and the cut on his head healed to a pale scar. Even his hair was beginning to grow out. Eventually he would be as he had been before he fell into Hakke’s clutches, outwardly at least. If only memory could be as easily erased.
She let her gaze travel on a little further to the place where his neck joined his shoulder, a place that might have been made for her lips to kiss. That thought engendered others, not least that last incredible coupling, and a flicker of warmth licked into being deep inside her. Suddenly all the preoccupations of the past week began to diminish until there was only the man beside her. I won’t touch you again until you ask me.
She eyed the sleeper speculatively. She wanted to rouse him. No, not just rouse him, she amended mentally, arouse him. Did she still have that power? What would happen if she gave rein to the thoughts currently rioting in her head? She had never done anything so bold in her life. Would he be angry if she disturbed his sleep? Would he still want her even though she was with child? She bit her lip, torn between doubt and desire. Then she reminded herself that they hadn’t made love for a week or more and if she hoped to break through his defences she would need to use every available opportunity. She had no idea what his reaction was going to be but there was only one way to find out...
* * *
Leif smiled and stirred between sleep and wakefulness, caught in the throes of a delightful dream. His belly was taut and heat flared through his loins under a gentle but persistent caress. He drew in a sharp breath, feeling himself grow hard. In moments he was erect. The stroking intensified. He opened his eyes to find himself under intense scrutiny.
‘Good morning, my lord.’
He blinked. Then he tried to speak but all that emerged was a faint croaking sound. Before he had time to gather his wits Astrid’s body was pressed the length of his, her hands caressing his back and buttocks, her mouth kissing his breast and neck. He felt her teeth gently tug the lobe of his ear, sending a delicious shiver the length of him. Her tongue probed deeper and the shiver became a tremor.
Somehow he found his voice. ‘Have a care, vixen, you play with fire.’
Astrid made no reply except to push him on to his back and then straddle him. However, instead of letting him slide into her as he’d anticipated she leaned forwards, letting herself brush against him, her breasts sliding over his chest. He stifled a groan as his heart performed a series of erratic manoeuvres. Heat flared through his belly where a coil of tension was tightening fast. She repeated the motion and he caught his breath.
‘For the love of all the gods, have you no mercy?’
Astrid surveyed him steadily and returned a decidedly wicked smile. ‘No, my lord, none.’
His body arched towards her, every part of him aching with need. She smiled and straightened, adjusting her position to take him inside her. He shuddered and she heard him groan. Thus encouraged, she began to rock slowly. Leif caught his breath. Reaching for her hips, he was about to pull her deeper, then hesitated.
‘Am I hurting you?’
‘No, you’re not hurting me.’
Even so, he was careful, moving gently, controlling desire, savouring the moment. He felt her muscles clench around him, creating a sensation so exquisite he almost forgot to breathe. He lifted his hands to her breasts and brushed his thumbs across the peaks. Astrid gasped and he felt her shudder. He moved deeper, letting the tempo increase, letting pleasure have a little more rein. It elicited a series of shudders which found an answering response in him. And then further restraint was impossible and he swept her with him to climax.
Heart pounding, he closed his eyes for a moment, trying to reconcile his former fear with what had just happened. Never in a thousand years would he have anticipated this. It was astonishing, wonderful. The experience made him feel whole again, complete. He felt her hair brush his skin and then the light touch of her lips on his before she lay down beside him. He smiled and opened his eyes, drinking her in. Her character had always been multifaceted; it was part of her attraction, like unpredictability. The violet-eyed seductress, the gentle handmaid and the wildcat were one. No matter how much he learned about her there was always something new to be discovered. It intrigued and delighted him.
She smiled and snuggled closer, her head on his breast. Now that he had more leisure to reflect, it occurred to him that this seduction had had an ulterior motive. Had it been intended just to reassure or did she have a longer view in mind? Both perhaps. Whatever her motives, she had beguiled him completely. The man would have to be dead who was not beguiled by that. However, it was still early days yet. Would her passion survive pregnancy and childbirth? His heart constricted. He didn’t know which was more painful, hope or dread.
* * *
However, in the weeks that followed Astrid’s manner did not change nor could he detect any signs of the mental disturbance he had seen in Thora. During the day while he was busy Astrid occupied herself as well. In the evenings they would talk; he would tell her how he had spent his time and she listened with close attention, occasionally asking questions. Pertinent questions too, he realised. Moreover, she remembered the answers. It reinforced the notion that she had a quick and clever mind. She was a good listener too, and he discovered anew that it was disarmingly easy to talk to her. When they retired he made love to her and she returned his passion. She attended quietly to his comfort as well, ensuring that his shirts were washed, his clothing neatly mended, their sleeping quarters clean and tidy. He knew that she contributed her share to other chores as well, taking some of the load off Ingrid. Although she had never adverted to the matter again, Astrid was quietly adopting the role of a wife. It did not displease him, since it indicated that she had accepted his decision. The arrangement was good. Vows wouldn’t improve it, especially not when they might prove impossible to keep.
* * *
A distraction arrived in the form of a trading knörr from Sogn. Compared to the sleek lines of
a sea dragon, the knörr was like a fat beetle. Powered primarily by sail, she had decks fore and aft and a deep open space amidships which served as a cargo hold. The vessel belonged to Ingrid’s brother, Harald, who plied his trade along the coast and was bound for Vestfold with a cargo of furs and iron and amber. He and his crew of six were frequent visitors to the steading and were greeted warmly. Quite apart from the goods they carried to trade, they also brought news of events from elsewhere.
Leif hoped he might hear word of Finn and Erik, but when questioned Harald said he knew nothing of them.
‘No news is good news,’ said Aron.
Leif nodded. ‘Likely you’re right.’
‘If Steingrim or Thorkill had caught up with them we’d hear about it soon enough. Such a confrontation would not escape notice.’
‘Confrontation?’ asked Harald. ‘Did I miss something?’
His brother-in-law summarised briefly.
‘If I learn anything you’ll be the first to know,’ said the trader.
‘I’d appreciate it,’ replied Leif.
‘I hope your kin send the bastards to the bottom, my lord. There’s plenty of folk would celebrate if they did; me among them. Steingrim and his crew stole a cargo of iron from me a couple of years back, so it would be a fitting payment.’
Knowing the high price that iron commanded, Leif could understand his reasoning. It was a rare commodity and thus highly prized. Such a loss must have been serious.
‘My lads are handy with weapons,’ Harald went on, ‘but we were seven against thirty. We had no choice but to give up the cargo, but it went against the grain, I can tell you.’
‘I’m surprised they let you live.’
‘They might not have done, only another vessel came into sight so they cleared off before anyone could challenge them.’
Aron nodded. ‘Steingrim and his ilk won’t fight unless they’re pretty sure of winning.’
‘They’ll get their dues,’ replied Leif, ‘just like the rest of our enemies.’
‘I’ll drink to that,’ said Harald.
* * *
Apart from undertaking routine domestic chores, Astrid turned her attention to sewing clothes for the baby. She hadn’t given much thought to the sex of the child until now. Although she would be happy with a healthy child of either sex, she knew that men set more store by sons. Leif had loved his first child but would he love this one? Would a boy help to heal the hurts of the past or would his presence be a constant reminder of them? What if the child were to be sent away to be raised elsewhere? The possibility was chilling. Leif had said he would provide for it, but providing for was not the same as loving. Furthermore, the babe would be born out of wedlock. That would have far-reaching repercussions. She wondered how she could ever have been naïve enough to think that an informal relationship with a man could ever replace the security of marriage. She was older and wiser now. And yet, if it were all to do again, would she have wished to marry Gulbrand? It didn’t take long to know the answer. For better or worse, it was Leif who had her heart. Love ought to be a joyful passion but when unreciprocated it caused only pain, a hurt worse than a physical wound.
Her present occupation with baby clothes hadn’t escaped notice in other quarters. Ingrid surveyed the work in silence and then fixed Astrid with a penetrating look.
‘You’re carrying his child.’
‘Yes.’
‘Then he should do the honourable thing. There is nothing to prevent him.’
Astrid had no intention of explaining the obstacles in that particular path. It was too complicated, and anyway the matter was private.
‘He says he will acknowledge the child.’
Ingrid snorted. ‘So he should. Not that that helps you overmuch. A woman needs the security of wedlock.’
It was an echo of Astrid’s former thought. ‘He means to keep me with him.’
‘That is shameful behaviour. He’s seen his pleasure well met: now he must live up to his responsibilities.’
‘I have no power to bring that about, and no male kin to act on my behalf. At least none who would see me wed to Leif.’
‘Then he should pity your condition.’
Astrid bit her lip. It wasn’t his pity that she wanted. ‘I can only hope he will change his mind.’
‘He must be made to change it.’
‘I don’t want him to marry me out of compulsion. I want—’ She broke off, embarrassed.
‘You’re in love with him, aren’t you?’
‘Yes. I think I always was.’
Ingrid sighed. ‘Love puts one at a terrible disadvantage.’
‘I know. But there’s nothing to be done about it now.’
‘Well, he’s not indifferent to you either. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. The fool just doesn’t know his own heart, that’s all.’
Astrid could only wish it were that simple.
Before either of them could say more they heard the sound of hoofbeats. The horse was being ridden at a gallop and was heading in the direction of the steading. The two women exchanged glances and by tacit consent laid down their sewing and went to investigate. They cut through the hall and reached the front door in time to see the horseman pull up his lathered and blowing mount, and leap down from the saddle. The men who had been standing nearby broke off their conversation and then Aron approached the stranger.
‘What is your business here?’
‘I must speak with Jarl Leif at once,’ the man replied.
Astrid eyed the proceedings dubiously. This boded no good, she was certain of it. A few moments later Leif appeared and took the man aside. She could not hear the words but their expressions only served to reinforce her misgivings.
Chapter Twenty-One
It was late evening before she learned the substance of the news. Leif had remained in the hall until then, deep in conversation with his men. Astrid had stayed up, awaiting his return.
‘I thought you would be in bed by now,’ he said.
‘I could not have slept. What’s happening, Leif?’
‘It seems that Gulbrand intends to be revenged for Vingulmark’s former shame. He has raised a force and challenged Halfdan to meet him.’
‘He has challenged the king? Is he mad?’
‘Berserker madness,’ he replied.
‘Vingulmark’s forces were badly depleted at the Battle of Eid. Gulbrand can’t possibly have enough men.’
‘If he’s confident enough to issue a challenge, it’s because he’s expecting reinforcements from elsewhere.’
Astrid paled. ‘My uncle.’
‘Among others. I fear he’ll be sadly disappointed there.’
‘Why so?’
‘My preparations are complete; my force is ready. I’m going back to Vingulmark.’
Her stomach lurched. ‘To Vingulmark? Please tell me you’re not serious.’
‘Of course I’m serious. What in Hel’s name do you think I’ve been doing these past weeks?’
The feeling of foreboding intensified. She knew full well he had been planning and making preparations but the timing of his revenge had always been unspecified, until now.
‘What do you mean to do?’
‘To slay Einar and all his crew and burn his hall to the ground.’
Astrid shivered inwardly, her mind trying to assimilate the news. Suddenly everything was threatening to turn awry.
‘You don’t know how many men he has, Leif.’
‘I have more than enough to deal with him. Besides, I’m the last person he’ll be expecting to see.’
‘You’re planning a surprise attack.’
‘Just so.’
‘When do you mean to go?’
‘We leave at dawn.’
She shut her eyes for a moment, fighting panic. ‘What if my uncle slays you?’
‘Have you so little faith in my fighting skills?’
‘I know your reputation in battle and it is well earned, but Einar is treacherous and cunning. He w
ill not hesitate to use dirty tricks if they serve his ends.’
‘I’m well aware of that,’ he replied. ‘I’ve had first-hand experience of it, remember? Nevertheless, I shall put paid to Einar’s trickery once and for all.’
‘His men are mercenaries, Leif. They kill for pleasure.’
‘And on this occasion, so shall I.’
Goosebumps prickled along her arms. This was an aspect to his character that she had not witnessed before, and it didn’t make for comfortable viewing. Nor did the depth of his hatred. She had no idea how to deal with it either, except by open appeal.
‘Please don’t do this.’
‘I know this isn’t easy for you, and that Einar is kin. However, his insults to me cannot be forgotten or forgiven.’
‘I do not speak out of kinship to Einar. He is vile and loathsome and he did you great wrong. So did he me, and in ways I cannot forgive either.’ She laid a hand over her belly. ‘I speak because I don’t want my child to be fatherless before he is even born.’
His gaze softened a little. ‘I will return, Astrid. I have good reason.’
‘But not good enough to keep you from going in the first place.’
‘I don’t intend to spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder. To prevent that, Einar and his confederates must die.’ He paused. ‘And when I’ve dealt with him I’ll go after Gulbrand.’
Astrid felt her heart constrict as the implications of that remark sank in. ‘You mean to join Halfdan.’
‘That’s right.’
‘The king is capable of dealing with the problem, Leif.’
‘I don’t doubt his capabilities in any way, but I mean to be there all the same. Gulbrand was complicit in the plot against me and he’ll pay for it. His death will not be swift but he’s going to wish for it more than anything in his life before, and I mean to look him in the face while it happens. He’s going to know the author of his doom.’
Defiant in the Viking's Bed Page 20
