‘She died about the time Maer returned to Agthir, from the story I heard. Childbirth. Lord Randolfr disappeared from court for a time. Last I heard of him until today.’
‘What happened to the child?’
Sigmund shrugged. ‘End of my interest.’
‘For someone you threatened to run through, you know a lot about him and his doings,’ she said mildly.
Sigmund tugged at his tunic. ‘One hears things. I don’t want him here, sniffing around, not when negotiations with the petty kings are at such a delicate stage. Until they swear those oaths, anything could happen.’
‘What can he do? The kings will swear on your sword at the feast.’
‘He will attempt to charm them and offer excuses for why they must delay while the high King ponders the notion.’
‘Maybe the high King will welcome a strong overlord on Islay.’
‘His great boots will trample over all the delicate work Astrid and I have done in getting my fellow kings to the table. I want it to be perfect for her sake.’ Sigmund tilted his head to one side. ‘You’ve never met Silver-Tongue, Svanna. I have.’
Svanna made sure she swallowed the truth. ‘I can’t see why the high King would be against it.’
‘Our interests are not necessarily the same as the high King’s, or indeed Rand Fullrson’s. However, some of the kings prefer to think that they can provide an adequate defence, and the greater danger is from their fellows and not the Northmen in Dubh-Linn or indeed further to the North. I don’t think the King of Gruinard is that ill, my dear.’
She understood everything Sigmund was saying, but her long period at the Agthir court had taught her that one should look for places where interests coincided rather than risking giving offence and creating an enemy.
Astrid had taken much time and trouble in explaining the art of peace-weaving when she’d thought that Svanna might have to impersonate Ingebord for the rest of her life, a prospect which had filled Svanna with horror, but she’d done her duty and had paid attention to the lessons.
‘What are you going to do about him and his band of men? They appear to be peaceable. I thought you always offered hospitality to those who came in peace,’ she said, forcing a smile. There had to be a way of making Sigmund see the sense of not alienating the Irish high King’s emissary until they understood the situation in greater detail. Particularly as Maer was now happily married to the current king of Agthir.
A faint smile crossed Sigmund’s craggy features. ‘Me? Nothing. I will leave him to you.’
Svanna took a step backwards. She loathed speaking in such circumstances. Her voice always became sing-song with fear. ‘To me?’
‘You claimed capability earlier. Leave all the unexpected details to me, you told Astrid this morning. I am leaving this minor point to you. Show me what you are made of. Make your foster-mother proud.’
‘What do you want if the fates decide to be kind?’
‘I want him gone before the church service ends. That shouldn’t be a problem for someone like you.’ His gaze raked her form. She wondered if he expected her to use her feminine charm on Rand. She longed to tell him that such a thing was non-existent. Ever since that long ago flirtation with Rand, and the aftermath with the youngest son of the King’s advisor, she’d tried to achieve a reputation of calculated coldness, earning her the accolade of being an Ice Princess, something she welcomed in the hope that any harassment would cease. Unfortunately, some, like Turgeis, had looked on it as a challenge, but she’d persisted in developing that shield.
‘But he will want to speak to you. Surely a few well-chosen words from you will ensure that he is rapidly on his way.’ Svanna held out her hands and willed him to understand. ‘We can consider any request he might make. The high king of Eire could be a valuable ally.’
Sigmund frowned. ‘Whatever Randolfr Fullrson wants or requires, you deny it. Understand?’
Svanna knew she’d have to draw on her training. Hear him out and then choose the best course of action, even if she had to give a bland answer about not being able to make a decision, something Astrid always advocated. ‘Where shall I tell him you are?’
‘The church service is about to start. I can hear the good father ringing his blasted bell of St Fillan for all it’s worth.’
‘You never attend church. You said that the priest was foolish to insist on everyone abandoning their weapons before they entered and you wouldn’t be a party to such foolishness. You and my foster-mother argued about it.’
‘First time for everything.’ The old warrior turned and stomped away before she could object further.
Svanna turned her face towards the oncoming ship and watched the man leap into the surf and start up the shingle towards her. She wished her dog Tippi hadn’t remained in Agthir with Maer as, even at her advanced age, Tippi made her feel braver in this sort of situation. However, she refused to fail Sigmund or Astrid. She would not allow the matchmaking scheme she’d agreed with Maer before she’d left to fall at this small stumbling block.
This was now and she was no longer a young girl, thrilled to be noticed by a beautiful boy and half-drunk on the excitement of defying the suffocating strictures of her life. The man in question would not remember the incident in the slightest.
Chapter Two
Lord Randolfr Fullrson, more commonly known as Rand the King’s Enforcer at the Tara-based court of King Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid, carefully guided hiskarfion to the sloping shore of Sigmund Sigmundson’s steading.
Using the smaller vessel, his crew had made the journey in a short time as they understood the gravity of the situation.
