Page 36 of Summer of the Viking

‘Shall I put these here?’

‘They belong over there. I like things to be tidy and organised.’ Alwynn pointed to a shelf behind her, noticing that her cheeks had suddenly become hot. She hoped that he would put the heightened colour down to working in this stuffy room.

He crossed a bit too close and she was aware of the power in his shoulders and how his body had felt against hers when she had helped him from the beach. And yet he carried the spinning whorls as delicately as if they had been precious glass.

After he had put the bag of whorls on the shelf, he turned back to her with an expectant expression. Belatedly she realised that she had been staring.

‘Are you sure you’re up to it? Going around the estate, I mean?’ She winced as the words left her mouth. They made her sound far too breathless.

‘My powers of recovery have always been remarkable. Kara...’ He stopped. ‘Others have commented on them.’

‘Kara? That was the healer? Yes?’ Her insides twisted. The woman he’d thought she was when he kissed her so passionately. Kissed her as if he’d meant it.

‘I mentioned her to you?’

‘The first day...’ Alwynn gulped. She could hardly confess about the kiss she’d given him.

‘Ah. I see. I wasn’t myself.’ He inclined his head. ‘I apologise.’

For what? For kissing her? For not remembering? Alwynn glanced everywhere but at his face. Finally she cleared her throat to break the silence.

‘Anyway, how do I know you won’t collapse?’ she asked and fixed him with a stare.

‘I laid a new thatched roof yesterday without difficulty.’ He wrinkled his nose. ‘Even if I wasn’t fully fit, I would say I was in order to prevent Gode from insisting on another poultice. The stench turns my stomach.’

‘Gode knows what she is about. She might not be able to grow herbs as well as I can, but she knows their uses.’

‘I will take your word for it.’ He lowered his voice. ‘And I am fresh out of adventure tales for your stepdaughter.’

‘Merri needs to concentrate on improving her weaving and learning how to spin without breaking the thread. She knows enough tales for two lifetimes. She even believes the thirteen treasures of Britain exist, from Diwrnach the Giant’s magic cauldron to Drynwyn the sword.’

‘She swears she no longer needs Clydno Eiddyn’s halter as she has the horse she most desires.’

Alwynn shook her head. ‘You try very hard to keep children from being disappointed, but one day she will be. And it will be worse if you keep stuffing her head full of new tales.’

‘Tales can sustain you when times are hard.’

‘Tales can blind you to reality.’

He caught her elbow. ‘Is that what happened to you? Why did you stop believing?’

‘I grew up.’ She pulled away from him. ‘We can do a quick tour of the hall and I will introduce you to the servants. Not many needed now.’ She gave an artless wave of her hand and hoped he wouldn’t hear the pain in her voice. ‘I lost the hall. The king decided that he would be better served by Lord Edwin controlling the maenorship. And the maerdref became his.’

‘Why didn’t your late husband ensure you were looked after? Or is it the custom in Northumbria not to look after widows?’

Alwynn opened her mouth to give a polite lie, but then she noticed his expression. ‘There were debts,’ she said. ‘I didn’t know how many until he died. But they are paid now. I am hopeful that Merri will have a decent dowry when the time comes. She is the closest thing to a child that I will ever have.’

‘And all this is for Lady Merewynn’s dowry?’ He waved his hand towards the sacks of wool.

‘It is early payment for the quarter rent on the various hides.’ She gave a feeble laugh. ‘Goodness knows what Merri said about you or how Oswald twisted it. But suddenly the farmers are paying their portion before time. And thus far, they refuse to take it back.’

‘Or maybe they want to ensure that they stay in favour with a good landowner,’ Valdar said quietly. ‘Because they have seen what Lord Edwin can be like. I have been listening as well as telling tales to Merri. Gode knows what is happening in the area.’

Alwynn gave him a sharp look as she beat down the fierce sudden hope which sprang within her. Could the explanation for all the early rents be tenants expressing their relief that she intended on staying rather than their fear of Valdar’s wrath? ‘What do you mean?’

‘Fear will only get you so far. Maybe they wanted a sign to prove you intended to stick around. You had not bothered to replace the steward, yet a steward is necessary to run an estate when the landowner is away or unable to collect the debts. In these dangerous times tenants look to men with swords for protection.’

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