“My dear lord, when may I see my father? It’s been much too long since I laid eyes on his dear face and since my poor mother’s passing, well…” She dabbed a tear from her eye with her handkerchief and made it seem as if she were quite distraught.
Montfort thought for a moment, “I was thinking we would have an engagement party as soon as the invitations can be sent out by courier and your father, my dear friend, could visit us for awhile, and you and he can grieve together, then hopefully be able to put it behind you to plan the happy occasion of our wedding. Why, it will be the social gathering of the season.”
“Oh I have no doubt of that my lord.”
Lord Montfort smiled a self-satisfied smile and Lillian could tell that she had, at least for the most part, put his mind somewhat at ease. The troll actually thought she was looking forward to marrying him. If she could just keep from retching at the mere idea, it would probably help immensely. There was a plan forming and she had some thinking and scheming to do. In the meantime she couldn’t slip from the snobbish, spoiled, English aristocratic lady she needed to be, the kind she could never abide. She would play it like a game. So, let the games begin.
She had to hope that her father would agree to save her from this god forsaken fate when she got the chance to talk to him in private. Until that time, she would play Lady Montfort in waiting with flare. This would be the only way to hold the snake at bay until she could secure a way out of the viper’s nest.
Chapter 25
The hours became days and the days melted into weeks. Eriik felt empty, trying to fill them fighting too hard and drinking too much. Many of the comely girls in the village tried to assuage his grief, especially Helgi, Lady Asgaut, a very beautiful girl who was quite smitten with him. She was determined to make him forget the Saxon whore, as she called her. Helgi started showing up on Eriik’s arm more often than not. Eriik knew she wanted some sort of commitment and would be sorely disappointed when it didn’t come forth. He knew she felt they were having quite the romance and the only bastion she hadn't conquered yet was his bed, not that she hadn’t tried. Eriik was furious with Lillian for ruining that part of his life. He used to be ready for any comely maid just by thinking of taking her to bed. But now, when he thought of loving, all he could think of was beautiful dark hair and smoldering, and apparently lying eyes. He would get over this in time, by the gods he would, however he would never give his heart to a woman again. They would be able to gain access to only one part of his body and it would sure as hell not be his heart.
One night after dinner Helgi seemed especially determined to get into Eriik’s robes, as she started a slow, sensual dance for him, leisurely, erotically, caressing her body, and swaying her hips, inviting him none too subtly. It was meant to inflame, and it succeeded. She licked her full, sensuous lips, gliding to Eriik as if on air. She ran her fingers through his long, thick hair and kissed him, trying to run her tongue across his lips. It should have excited him but for some reason, he backed up just the slightest bit. This did nothing to discourage Helgi. She sidled up to him again and took his hand to lead him upstairs. As she started for his bed chamber, he led her away to another room. It was nicely appointed but nothing like his private chamber. Helgi had found out from the maids early in their relationship which room was his and could barely hide her disappointment when he turned to another. She closed the door and piece by piece began to disrobe. When she was standing there before Eriik in nothing but a very revealing chemise, she reached for his hand, but he held back. He couldn’t understand what he was waiting for and neither could she. She was picturesque, standing there almost naked with her long blonde hair spilling about her shoulders, but all he could see was dark hair cascading down a slender back with emerald eyes looking at him with…longing? He thought at the time that it may have even been love.
She slowly removed her chemise from one shoulder, then the other, at the same time opening his shirt. She chafed his chest with her full breasts and her nipples hardened as Eriik watched. She started untying his breeches, but he stopped her. As she continued her sexual assault on him and he did nothing but stop her at every turn, she became frustrated, but still unwavering. She backed up and lay on the bed, rolling the hard pink buds of her nipples in between her fingertips. She slowly opened her thighs and tantalizingly stroked herself until it was evident she was wet and ready for his advance. Eriik was hard, so hard and heavy, swollen with lust, but still seemingly trapped in one place, staring at this lovely woman but thinking only of Lillian. He realized that even though his body could deliver whatever he asked of it, his mind was not ready. He walked over to Helgi and gently pulled the robes on the bed over her shoulders, shielding her breasts from his view.
“Helgi, you are a beautiful sight and any man would be lucky to have you but I’m afraid I’m not that man right now, as my heart is broken and it would not do you justice to take you when I’m thinking of no one but the lass who did the breaking.”
“Your heart is broken,” she said sarcastically. If you would just give me the chance you would forget the Saxon harlot as you should not have given her your heart in the first place.”
“Perhaps, but I do not want to be with any other woman than Lillian right now and I’m not going to force myself to bed a woman just to prove I can. I know I can physically but I want more, so much more. I don’t understand it but the gods work in their own way and I know enough to listen. I will not be doing anything to you tonight that I will be regretting later. Helgi, I’m sorry. Please get dressed and leave. As I’ve tried to explain, it’s not you, sweetheart, it’s me.”
“Eriik Thorennson, you are being an ass and you will regret this one day.” She was yelling at him as he turned and quickly left the room with Helgi alone, gasping for breath, embarrassed, and angry.
He saddled Kriger and galloped out to the crossroads where he found Molly that night Lillian went missing. The night he first realized just how much she meant to him. Tears streamed down his face. The first time in his entire life he had allowed himself to cry. Not for his father, not for friends when they entered Valhalla on the battlefield…never. But this woman brought him to tears. He walked, stared at the stars, prayed to the gods and thought hard about his and Lillian’s time together. Since she had been gone, he had been in a rage, telling himself that she was simply lying the whole time she had supposedly come to him willingly, seemingly caring, even with love in her eyes. That had been his hope at least. Something in the back of his mind kept bothering him, kept pestering him. He simply couldn’t keep convincing himself that it was all a lie. After what seemed like hours, he returned and drank a few pints in the great room. He decided to do something he hadn’t had enough courage to do since Lillian left. He retrieved the note and started to read it. He read it over and over and couldn’t stop the ringing in his ears that something was definitely not right. He bellowed throughout the household, “Oliver!”
After several bellows, Oliver appeared rather disheveled and tousled but heeded Eriik’s call willingly.
“Oliver, take a look at this letter and tell me what you think.”
He looked at the letter, “Oh Lord Thorennson, I would hate to impose on something so personal.”
“Nonsense, I feel something is not right and I want you to read it carefully.”
Oliver took the letter and read it word for word under the candlelight. He read it meticulously. His expression went from dejected and saddened for his lord to anger in a matter of moments.
“What is it?” Eriik demanded.
“You are right my lord, something is truly wrong about this letter. In fact, many things. Firstly, Lady Lillian misspelled her own name. Most importantly though, this letter is written in a scrawl whereas Lady Lillian wrote in a neat and precise manner.”
Eriik was looking on pensively.
Oliver continued, “She speaks of Lord Montfort in a loving way as if he was a good man when she thought he was vile and evil. She spoke of him so many times as s
uch. And her mother, as loving, when Lady Lillian felt she was greedy and indifferent. Forgive me my lord.”
“Nonsense, I want your honesty. What do you make of it?”
“I think she wrote this under duress, not of her own volition at all. I swear my lord, with everything that is holy to me, I am sure of it.”
“Oh by the gods! Eriik struck the table with such force that the goblet crashed to the floor, spilling the contents. She was taken right from under my nose and I did nothing to stop it? And to make matters worse, I’ve let weeks go by without raising a hand to get her back! What kind of man am I?”
“Lord, you did not know. The pain and heartbreak was too much to bear.”
“No, I condemned her without a word or a chance for her to tell me herself. I never even gave a thought to the possibility that she might have been taken against her will even though we saw sure signs of a struggle in the tunnel when we followed her. I will never forgive myself for this, especially if anything, I mean anything has happened to her. If one hair on her head has been damaged, I will slay myself willingly.”
“Never say that my lord.”
“Oliver, wake up the household.” As he looked around, he noticed almost everyone was already up. “Well anyone who isn’t up already,” he said sheepishly. “Take as many as needed to notify my men. We must start to prepare for a sea voyage to England. We are going a raiding, but not for gold this time!”
****
Eriik thought he would go out of his mind by the time it took the men to get ready to sail. Bjorn was his steady right hand, as usual, but everything was moving at a snail’s pace.
“Eriik, we can’t go up against the gods unprepared. It would be a fool’s errand. Loki can be a trickster and he would doom us from the start if we don’t prepare ourselves well.”
“I know. I just can’t believe I let hoodlums take Lillian right out of my own house. I’m supposed to be a great warrior and I can’t keep one little girl safe.”
“Admonish yourself all you like but it was not your fault.”
“Then whose fault was it, yours?”
“Talking to you is impossible. We will be ready soon and out on the sea. You’ll feel better there. One thing I don’t understand though is how you know she’s in England. She could be anywhere.”
“Those priests, well not priests obviously, but whoever they really were, were indeed English and I can swear on my mother’s soul they didn’t just decide on a whim to take Lillian. I know who’s behind this.”
“You know them?”
“I know who sent them. Montfort! And I hope his god is looking the other way when I find him.”
“And we’ll be right behind you.”
“Aye.”
All was finally prepared and the longships glided out, coupling with the sea as long lost lovers coming together. Eriik took his turn at the rowing station. He had to expend some of his energy or he would tear someone to pieces and that someone was a long distance away. It felt good to have the oars pull against his muscles until they hurt and the cold salt water splash against his face. He could let go and for the first time in weeks, he felt like himself again. But this time he was angry and more than ready to feel bones crushing beneath his bare hands. It couldn’t be soon enough for Eriik. He had always been the peaceful one, but that Eriik had disappeared for this voyage and a very different, vengeful Eriik had come along. He longed to have Lillian cradled in his arms and feel her lips on his. To feel her again, he would have crushed entire armies without a second thought. What if she had gone willingly and this was a fool’s errand? He banished that thought from his mind. He would rather think of Montfort’s body breaking in between his hands and that smirk being wiped off his ugly face for eternity. Yes, these thoughts made Eriik smile for the first time in weeks. He knew the gods were with them as the sun came out each and every day as well as a prevailing wind. The god Loki, the sky traveller, was not being the trickster, he must be blessing this journey after all. He could almost see Thor, hammer held high, smiling down upon them.
“Good tide my brothers.”
“Good tide, Eriik.”
Chapter 26
Lillian was so excited, she could hardly stand still for the maid to help her dress. Her father should be arriving today and hopefully she wouldn’t be in this beast’s lair too much longer. She still had not been able to figure out how in the world she would be able to get a message to Eriik to tell him how she felt. She could not, would not live the rest of her life without him. She fervently hoped he had not gone on with his life without her and it was already too late. One step at a time. She had to get out of this mess first.
As usual, she descended the steps with grandeur and held her hand out to Lord Montfort as a great lady to her gentleman. It was always so hard for her to smile as his cold, damp hand clamped over hers, but she did so with aplomb.
“My lord, I’ve been meaning to ask you about your friend Ulric.” “Yes, my dear,” he replied politely as if they were already a married couple.
“He is in possession of my father’s signet ring, and I would very much like to have it back. Would you be so kind?”
“Of course. Your father gave it to me only to convince you of our sincerity when rescuing you.”
“Very smart my lord. Even though I was being held prisoner, I wouldn’t have run off with just anyone,” she smiled a sweet, provocative smile.
She would rather have told him what he could do with his sincerity and what she would like to do to Ulric, but decided that would be lunacy at this time.
“I’ll have it for you by the party.”
“Thank you, my lord.”
She was jumpy all day, waiting for her father. It felt as if she was waiting for judgment day. It actually was in a way. She couldn’t imagine her father condemning her to a life with this monster. She knew he had done so before but that was with her mother’s persuasiveness. Now it was her turn.
When she heard of her father’s arrival, she couldn’t simply wait, she ran outside and as her father opened the carriage door, she ran into his arms and for the first time since Ulric slapped her in the face, she felt safe and secure. Unfortunately too soon, she felt an unwelcome presence as Lord Montfort wiggled his way in between them, shaking her father’s hand and placing his arm around her waist possessively. Her father’s beaming face gave away his satisfaction with the present situation and Lillian’s heart sank. He doesn’t know how I feel about the lord or Eriik. He thinks Lord Montfort bravely rescued me. I’ll convince him otherwise, I have to!
The day was spent pleasantly enough but she could never get rid of Montfort long enough to get a private word with her father. Finally she decided something radical must be done. As her father and Montfort were talking, she suddenly burst into tears. Both men looked concerned and her father ran to her, “Lillian, sweet pea, what in the world?”
“Oh father, it’s just that we haven’t talked about dear mother…”
“Yes, I guess I’ve been trying to avoid…” His eyes filled with tears.
Montfort looked exceedingly uncomfortable and excused himself so they could speak privately about their loss.
As soon as he left the room and closed the door, Lillian wiped her eyes and exploded with rage at having been literally kidnapped by Montfort’s thugs, going on to explain everything that had happened since she first met Ulric in the tunnel from being slapped to the embarrassing evening of Montfort’s appearance in her chamber naked. She pleaded with her father to save her, to take her home. She then explained that she was in love with Eriik, that he had shown her nothing but kindness and love in return. She didn’t know how she could be with him again, but that was her desire. Lillian reminded him of his promise to her long ago, a marriage of love, not convenience or politics. Frederick was appalled at what had happened to her because of Lord Montfort and agreed to take her home immediately. He believed all along that she had been rescued from a horrible fate and that Montfort was a hero. He certainly wo
uld never leave her to marry someone she despised, especially since that someone had kidnapped her with villains who had mistreated her and brought her here against her will. They would leave at first light and he would help her find Eriik again somehow. Lillian was ecstatic and was hopeful for the first time since her first meeting with Ulric in the tunnel below Eriik’s home.
“Father, don’t say a word and don’t let on. We’ll just get up early tomorrow and leave. No one can be the wiser.”
Lillian could barely sleep that night as every nerve in her body was on edge, waiting for the sun to wake the world, knowing she would be gone and on her way home. Her father had come through and saved her, just as she had hoped. She was going to be free. After they left this place, she would start planning how to reach Eriik. Now she just had to get through this endless night.
Just before the sun peaked over the horizon, Lillian was dressed and ready to go. She sneaked ever so quietly down the staircase and went to the stable as she and her father had planned. He should have already been there with his driver, hitching up the horses. Surely he wouldn’t be late on this very important day. She waited and waited and was starting to really be concerned when she heard him calling her name. The relief was overwhelming. As she turned and ran to the door, the sight she beheld was more frightening than anything she had gone through the past several months. Her father was there, but so was Lord Montfort, and a man with a knife to her father’s throat. Montfort had the most sadistic smile on his face. Her father looked truly scared.
“Just as I thought, trying to run away. Not the blushing bride after all.”
“What in God’s name do you think you’re doing? Tell him to put that knife away. You can’t be serious about hurting my father.”
“Oh I’m dead serious. Put him under the staircase in chains. If he gives you any trouble, slit his throat.”
Lillian started to cry.
“Real tears this time, my dear?”
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