Page 26 of Summer of the Viking

Merri went white and then red. ‘Don’t take Purebright away from me.’

‘I want the truth, Merri, and then I will decide. Any young lady who is able to look after a pony should be able to keep her word.’

‘Oswald was teasing me three days ago. He said that we were going to have to leave this hall by the autumn because you would never be able to pay the render on time. Lord Edwin had seen to it. So I said you were going to marry an atheling!’ Merri put a hand on her hip. ‘And to think I swore him to secrecy on the bones of St Oswald. Do you think he knows what can happen to oath-breakers?’

‘Three days ago, you told a tall tale.’ Alwynn pinched the bridge of her nose. Sometimes getting to the bottom of Merri’s tales made her feel as if she had stepped into a bard’s tale. ‘But did you also tell him about Valdar? How did Oswy know where to find me?’

‘Oswald called me a liar about the marriage. And I said he’d know the truth when you gave me Purebright.’ Merri patted the pony. ‘Only I never expected you to give me Purebright. So some of it is your fault, really.’

Alwynn put her hand to her head, trying to puzzle things out. Sometimes, with Merri, she could never understand the true course of events. ‘I wish you had warned me.’

‘But then you might not have given me Purebright. And I bet Oswy had gone to check with Gode. Gode always knows what is happening at the hall, particularly with you.’

Alwynn pinched the bridge of her nose. Merri consistently figured out ways to twist everything to her advantage. But it did make sense why Oswy had appeared when he did. Gode often seemed to know what was happening up at the hall before it became public knowledge.

‘Will you be marrying him, then?’

‘Who?’

Merri rolled her eyes. ‘My warrior, of course. Who else? I think I shall call him Valdar the Valiant.’

‘I’m not marrying anyone,’ Alwynn said, attempting to regain control of the conversation. ‘But Valdar will be acting as my steward for the summer.’

‘Hooray! That means he isn’t leaving right away and I can show him all sorts of things.’ Merri sobered. ‘Oswald says that there are Northmen here. A ship with a broken mast.’

All the air seemed to leave Alwynn’s lungs. Northmen here? They could have already started burning and looting. She struggled to keep her composure as her heart began to beat far too fast. ‘Another of Oswald’s tales?’

Merri shrugged. ‘I asked him to show me, but he wouldn’t. He said it was not a sight for little girls.’ She stuck her nose in the air. ‘So I followed him.’

‘Merri!’ Alwynn’s stomach clenched. She wanted to draw the precious girl to her as her mind raced with the possibility of what could have happened to her. Merri had been the only bright part of her marriage. And once they were married Theodbald had basically abandoned the girl, leaving Alwynn to bring her up.

Drawing on all her will-power, she forced her arms to stay at her sides. Merri hated being fussed over. But in her mind’s eye she could see the girl’s broken body. She had heard the tales. She knew the ferocity all Northmen were capable of. ‘Anything could have happened to you!’

Inwardly she winced. The words sounded so weak.

Merri’s eyes blazed with a fire that Alwynn had seldom witnessed. ‘That braggart Oswald was lying. There wasn’t anything at that old inlet. Not one single solitary soul. He just wanted to frighten me. You remember how he cried wolf when he was guarding his father’s sheep. No one ever saw a wolf.’

Alwynn absently rubbed her temple to get rid of the beginnings of a painful head. She should have guessed. Oswald was notorious for seeing Northmen and the like. Three times last summer he had sent Lord Edwin out on wild goose chases. He preferred things lively, was his father’s indulgent explanation.

‘Thank heavens for that! The last thing we need is the Northmen destroying everything we hold dear. I have enough problems getting in the harvest without the added threat.’

‘But if they were here, do you think Valdar would defend us?’ Merri persisted.

‘Why do you think he would do a good job?’

‘His has the best sword I have ever seen. Even better than Lord Edwin’s. Even better than my grandfather’s before my father broke it.’ Merri paused and her eyes took on an excited gleam. ‘Purebright and I could go on a mission with him. We could be highly useful. I know we could. You’ll see. He could draw the sword of Dyrnwyn and it would burst into flames like it is supposed to when the right person draws it...’

‘There is no such thing as any of those treasures. Not the sword or the red cloak which makes you a king.’

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