Cathryn patted Antoine’s back and was rewarded with a loud burp. “She’s four and curious. Don’t blame her. She’s probably with her namesake.”
Judith conceded such was likely to be the case. Since Beatrice had been bedridden with arthritis, Beatrice Kriger seemed to be her constant companion. She wondered what an old woman and a child might have in common to talk about, but it lightened her heart that her maidservant had someone to keep her company in her declining years.
“I wish I was as calm as you,” she told Cathryn as they descended the stone stairs to the hall. “Our victorious duke is paying a visit and you appear calm.”
Cathryn shrugged. “Sonja has taken care of the details. I’m too old to fuss over these things. Richard wants to show his gratitude for the fighting men of this family who’ve helped him drive King Louis out of Rouen.”
Antoine’s nanny appeared and took the babe. “Not much time, Flora,” Cathryn told her. “He must be in the courtyard when his father arrives.”
The girl smiled broadly and hurried off with the child. Judith trusted the young woman who had helped her raise three children.
They reached the outdoors where Bastian, Dag and Ulrik’s wives waited with Katarina, chattering excitedly. Since marrying Roger of Ouistreham, Katarina had turned into Louis’ most vocal critic, which amused Judith. But then Normans had nothing good to say about the monarch who had coveted the rich lands of Normandie.
It was a great source of pride that Hugh the Great had never succeeded in laying claim to Montdebryk, though many other Norman estates ceded to him by Louis had succumbed to his control.
Cathryn and Judith exchanged a smile when they caught sight of Bryk, shifting his weight impatiently from one foot to the other with the aid of his staff, his free hand on William’s shoulder.
“He’s more excited by the prospect of seeing Bernard of Senlis again,” Cathryn explained. “They fought together at Chartres.”
Judith was aware of this since Bryk had mentioned it more than once. “The man is a hero, participating in Richard’s rescue at his age. Were it not for him and his confederates, our duke would still be languishing in Louis’ dungeons at Laon and the revolt against the Frankish King wouldn’t have begun.”
Judith was relieved when Beatrice appeared. She scooped the child up despite her protestations. “Be still, daughter. Your Papa will be here soon.”
She recalled the day the Kriger brothers had left to fight for Richard and Normandie. It was a day Normans had prayed for yet dreaded. Skirmishes had gone on for months, but victory had at last belonged to the Vikings, and the Kriger warriors were coming home safely. Normandie’s borders were secure. She thanked God for it, and Cathryn’s daily prayers to her patron saint. Most families had lost loved ones in the struggle.
Flora came out of the fortress and delivered a sweet-smelling Antoine into her arms.
The young duke led the cavalcade into the courtyard. Judith understood immediately why he had already earned the nickname Richard the Fearless. She thought poignantly how proud his father would have been of his defiant bearing. Was Richard aware she’d witnessed his father’s murder?
At his side rode an older man she supposed must be the famous Bernard of Senlis. Behind them came Magnus and his brothers and Katarina’s Roger. All were handsome, battle-honed warriors, but she had eyes for only one. His gaze was fixed on her and the sleeping babe she held.
She waited patiently while protocols were observed and introductions made, knowing her husband’s heart was beating as fast as hers, and that when they were finally alone he would enfold her and the son he’d never met in his embrace.
Her skin heated when she thought of later, after the festivities and feasting were over. She fingered her crucifix, saying a silent prayer that Normandie might enjoy a long period of peace so she and her magnificent Viking could explore and pleasure each other’s bodies for years to come.
Fact Or Fiction
Did William (Vilhelm) Longsword, Duke of the Normans, exist and was he assassinated?
YES. He was the son of the famous Viking, Rollo. He was ambushed in 942 AD after attending a peace conference with Arnulf, Count of Flanders, at Picquigny on the Somme.
Was Arnulf responsible for the crime?
History implies his men committed the atrocity, but it is difficult to understand why he would conspire to do such a thing after a peace conference where agreement was apparently reached. There was so much intrigue among powerful nobles in France, I suspect they sometimes didn’t know from day to day who was allied with whom. Treachery was the norm. It is one of the most complex historical periods I’ve ever attempted to use as a setting, and I chose to leave out most of the political situation.
One thing I didn’t mention in my story is that Duke William’s legal wife, Luitgarde, was actually the sister of Adela of Vermandois, and therefore William was the son-in-law of Herbert of Vermandois. Arnulf and William were married to sisters. However, familial relationships didn’t stand in the way of treachery. Power was the name of the game. I chose to give Arnulf the benefit of the doubt, but he was as involved as anyone in the intrigues of the day. William’s assassination may have resulted from misunderstandings about motives. It certainly left Normandy vulnerable.
Did Arnulf of Flanders have a half-sister named Judith?
NO.
Did the Ulfberht Sword exist and did William Longsword own one?
YES such a weapon did exist, but there is no evidence William had one. However, he was called Longsword because he carried an overly long sword. I decided it was a good fit! I became aware of the sword thanks to a Nova special on PBS, part of which shows a modern day smith trying to replicate the weapon using medieval techniques.
Did William have a bastard son named Richard?
YES. Richard the Fearless escaped from King Louis’ control with the help of Bernard of Senlis and led the revolt against the king’s takeover of Normandy. He ruled the province for more than 20 years. He wisely stayed out of French politics and concentrated on strengthening Normandy’s borders. He was in fact the first Norman leader to be given the title Dux, Latin for Leader and the origin of our word duke.
Did William Longsword govern with a Council of 10 Viking nobles?
YES.
What happened to Espriota? (Sprota of Senlis in some annals)
She lived in Bayeux with her son under Longsword’s protection until his death. She then married a Frankish nobleman.
Vikings and Christianity.
The Vikings who settled in Francia embraced Christianity with great fervor, but it took many generations for them to abandon their beliefs in the old Norse gods.
This is understandable when we consider Odin and Thor and the other Norse deities had been part of the fabric of Viking life for thousands of years.
The Romans tried unsuccessfully to expand their influence into Scandinavia, and so the Norsemen remained isolated from Christianity for hundreds of years.
It’s my hope I’ve conveyed this apparently paradoxical belief system in my characters. Even Cathryn, a devout Roman Catholic by birth, gradually turns to Bryk’s gods for guidance and assistance as well as to her own patron saint.
Rouen cathedral.
In the Viking Roots series many important events take place in Rouen cathedral. However, this was not the same magnificent building that exists in Rouen today. There has been an important church on the site since the fourth century, but the current building was begun in the 12th century, 200 years after our story.
One more note. The main historical events told of in this story happened between 939 AD (Arnulf captures Montreuil) and 942 AD (assassination of William Longsword). I condensed them into a shorter time period to avoid getting into some of the complex political intrigues that went on in the interim.
Viking Roots. I decided to write these stories in an effort to provide readers with a glimpse into the Viking ancestry of my beloved Montbryce family. For those not familiar with The Montbryc
e Legacy series that follows the lives and loves of successive generations of this family, Book One, CONQUEST, is available for 99 cents. The 12 books begin with the family’s participation in the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, and end with the assassination of Archbishop Becket during the reign of Henry II.
About Anna
Thank you for reading VIKING BETRAYED. If you’d like to leave a review where you purchased the book, I would appreciate it.
I’d love you to visit my website and my Facebook page, Anna Markland Novels.
Tweet me @annamarkland or sign up for my newsletter. Be the first to know when my next book is available. Follow me on BookBub and on my Amazon page.
Passion smolders in my page-turning adventures, turning to ashes whatever obstacles a hostile medieval world can throw in its path.
Besides writing, I have two addictions-crosswords and genealogy, probably the reason I love research.
I am a fool for cats.
My husband is an entrepreneur who is fond of boasting he’s never had a job. He’s also of Norwegian descent and LOVES this Viking Roots series!
I live on Canada’s scenic west coast now, but I was born and raised in the UK and I love breathing life into the history of my homeland.
Escape with me to where romance began and get intimate with history.
Viking Betrayed (Viking Roots Book 3) Page 22
