Page 61 of Summer of the Viking

She gave a tremulous smile and pulled away from him. She smoothed her gown and straightened her hair. ‘Thank you. It has been a long time since I’ve leant on anyone. I hate the thought of clinging. I hate needing anyone.’

He watched her with a lump in his throat. He wanted this moment to last for ever.

‘Sometimes it is good to feel that someone else is there supporting you.’ He put his arm about her shoulders and pulled her against him. ‘I’m here.’

Chapter Eleven

The sheltered cove where Oswald supposedly spotted the Northman ship was peaceful and utterly devoid of humans except for Alwynn and Valdar. A few gulls skimmed the water.

As they came around the corner and the entirety of the cove was laid at their feet, Alwynn drew in her breath. She’d forgotten how beautiful it looked with the sunlight playing on the water.

If she shaded her eyes, she could make out settlements along the coast over twenty miles away. There was something commanding about the hilltop. The only sounds were the lapping water and the gulls playing on the surf.

‘A good hiding place,’ Valdar remarked once they were down on the sand. ‘The anchorage looks right and there is an advantage to being able to see if anyone is coming.’

A shiver went down Alwynn’s back. Had Northmen camped here? It was so peaceful. She didn’t want to imagine a band of murderers here.

‘You see, no one is here.’ She wrapped her arms about her middle. ‘Another of Oswald’s stories. He is a boy who wants things to be exciting and when they are not, he makes things up. He wanted to see you and ask about how you use a sword.’

She waited for Valdar to laugh with her. He was singularly quiet. She fancied that the colour had faded from his cheeks.

‘There is no ship here now,’ he said. He kicked some charred wood that she’d overlooked. ‘But someone has camped here recently and tried to cover it up.’

Alwynn bent down. The wood was completely soaked. ‘There is no telling when the fire happened. But we haven’t had much rain for days. It could have been weeks ago. Before you ever arrived. People do travel along the shore—shepherds, tinkers and the like.’

He weighed the piece of charred wood in his hand before tossing it into the water. The small plop echoed around the inlet and several gulls rose up into the air, screaming at being disturbed. ‘Possibly.’

‘You sound cautious. I’m sure it was just a story that Oswald told.’ She impatiently tucked her hair behind her ear. ‘I know what it is like to want your life to be more exciting. I used to tell stories, too. I wanted to believe they were true. But I stopped and Oswald will have to do the same.’

His dark gaze seemed to pierce her soul. ‘You said the lock had been forced. Why would Oswald or his father force the lock? What could they hope to gain?’

‘I don’t know, but I can’t imagine Northmen doing that. They would be likely to break the door down and then burn the mill for good measure.’ She forced a laugh. ‘Everyone knows that about Northmen. No manners whatsoever!’

Valdar remained solemn. ‘You have a low opinion of the men from the North.’

‘When have they ever shown that they are civilised?’ She crossed her arms. ‘You have to admit, Valdar, breaking a lock is what an outlaw would do, not a raider.’

‘Are all Northmen raiders? All of them? What if they are not? What if some are like you or me? People trying to lead good lives.’

‘I wonder if Oswald forced the door to make his story about missing grain more plausible.’ Alwynn concentrated on the waves in the harbour rather than trying to fathom Valdar’s mood. Sometimes it was easier to change the subject. After Lindisfarne, everyone knew how Northmen behaved. There was no point arguing about it. ‘Oswy seemed ashamed that you offered to guard the mill.’

‘I would have been happy to keep watch.’

‘He saw that as an affront to his manhood.’ A bubble of laughter rose within her as she thought about how Oswy had reacted like a wet cockerel, spluttering and stuttering at the mere mention of Valdar standing guard.

Her eye caught Valdar’s and a laugh burst from him. ‘I never thought a man could strut as well as a cockerel, but Oswy certainly can.’

‘I know precisely what you mean.’ His fingers reached for hers and curled about them. And the awkwardness vanished as if it had never been.

She curled her fingers tighter and thought how wonderful it was to be with someone who understood.

‘If I was going to build a hall, this is where I would build it,’ he said, pointing to the headland overlooking the cove as they made one last circuit of the bay.

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