Page 47 of Claimed By the Viking

“Collect them yourself.” Signy would hardly have dared refuse her mother before, but she’d had enough of being sospoken to. “Viggo shan’t obstruct you. I’m going to take a walk up the hillside. Tell him for me, if you please. I don’t want him to worry.”

Her mother’s eyes blazed as Signy turned from her, but she said nothing more.

A small sense of victory swelled in Signy, albeit a hollow one. Ulva would never change, always viewing her daughter with disappointment, but Signy could choose to set herself apart. She had others who valued her, others who would support her. Moreover, soon, there would be the child.

And Viggo?

Will he be part of my future?

She would go to the highest point on the clifftops and offer prayers to Freyja, asking for the goddess’ wisdom and patience to face what lay ahead.

CHAPTER 17

Resentment burnedin Ulva as she hastened toward her abode. Her knees might be painful, but no hurt would prevent her from putting a stop to her daughter’s nonsense.

The idea that Signy would pledge herself to a blind man was ridiculous.

Absurd! That’s what it is! I won’t allow it.

I’ll do what I must, as I always have!

Rolling up her sleeves, she knocked abruptly.

‘Tis outrageous that I should need to knock on my own door!

“Viggo?”

The oaf looked up from the stool he was perched on. “Aye?”

“‘Tis Ulva.” She moved into the living space. “Signy has asked that I bring you to her.”

“Where is she?” The fool’s brows knitted as though he were actually concerned with her daughter’s wellbeing. If that were true, he’d have long abandoned his irrational pursuit of her.

“The hillside.” Ulva was glad he couldn’t see her snide smile. “She has something to show you there.”

The only thing the idiot would be shown was his timely demise—not that he would ‘see’ that coming. The gods were wise to have deprived him of his vision, to make his end so easy.

“I know the place.” The relaxing of his brow suggested he believed her ruse.

Ha! ‘Tis as I suspected. He’s as dim as he’s useless.

“Let us go, then.” She grabbed his hand as he rose to his feet. “You’ll be there, together again, soon.”

She’d no desire to trek the steep camber, but she was resolved to do all that was necessary.

Fooling the imbecile was an act of kindness.

They’d been climbingfor some time, Ulva’s joints aching as she pushed against the rising wind. She needed a spot high enough to encounter the cliff edge yet far enough away that no one might witness what happened next.

As a gust whipped past them, she gauged they were close to achieving both desires. Viggo said little, which was fine with Ulva, though she did wonder what he brooded on as she steered him upward.

Likely not much if he’s as simple as he seems!

With effort, she held back her mirth as he tripped over a protruding tree root.

Such clumsiness!

The sooner I get Signy married to that jarl of theirs, the better.

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