Godwincursed and, after tossing the kindling into the small shelter on the side ofthe cottage, he tried to pull the splinter out of his palm. He was so intentupon extracting the sliver of wood from his wind-chilled hand that the suddenloud snort of a horse right behind him startled him and he whirled around soquickly he stumbled and fell. As he slowly got to his feet, he stared up intothe grinning faces of Drogo and Serle. Godwin felt a confusing mixture ofelation, caution, and fear. Eada would be happy that Drogo had come after her,but only if he had come for the right reasons. In the back of his mind Godwinwas also painfully aware that he had walked away from a Norman knight'shousehold without permission.
"SirDrogo," he began and hastily cleared his throat when his voice crackedembarrassingly.
"Actually,son, it is now Lord Drogo," drawled Serle, idly tugging forward the extrahorse they had brought with them.
"Oh."Godwin bit his lip, but thoughts of Eada's happiness gave him the courage toask, "I am pleased that you got the reward you sought and deserve, LordDrogo, but have you come here as a free man?"
Drogostared at the youth with surprise and an increasing amusement. Godwin was stilla slightly built youth, and his skin was pink with cold and his own blushes. Hestood firm, however, prepared to protect Eada. The boy had to know how easilyhe could be brushed aside, and Drogo admired his courage as well as his loyaltyto Eada. He wondered if the Saxons in his household would ever be as loyal tohim as they were to Eada, doubted it, and immediately decided that it did notmatter. Once Eada pledged herself to him, he knew she would never turn thatdeep loyalty against him.
"Iam free, boy," he answered. "Very free, but not very wealthy."Drogo decided that the boy deserved the full truth. "I was offered anearldom, Godwin, with all the lands, wealth, and power any man couldwant."
"Anearldom?" Godwin was stunned, and intimidated. "Are you an earlnow?" he asked in a small voice.
"No.I refused it." He laughed at the look of openmouthed astonishment on theyouth's face. "To gain that I had to take the earl's daughter as my wife.There is only one woman I want, and that is why I stand before this meagercottage in the cold and argue with you."
Godwingrinned. "So what did you gain, my lord, besides a fine title?"
"Allthat Eada and her family hold." He frowned when Godwin just grinned wider.
"Eadais within, my lord."
"Thereis one thing we must do first."
Eadafrowned at Godwin as he slipped into the cottage and went immediately to thechildren. "What are you doing?" she asked when he began to put cloakson the children.
"Thereis a lot of kindling upon the ground," Godwin replied. "The strongwinds of last night gleaned a lot of deadwood from the trees. I thought thechildren could help me collect it."
"Doyou wish me to help as well?"
"No,there is no need, and I know that you would not wish to leave the mealunattended." Godwin shepherded the children and her dogs toward the door."It will be good for them to help and to get outside."
"Donot let them become too chilled," she called after him.
Barelya minute had passed when Eada heard the door creak open again. She turned toask Godwin what was the matter and gaped. It took another full minute for hermind to accept what she saw. Drogo shut the door, removed his cloak and tossedit over a heavy chest near the wall, and then sat down next to her. He smiledand reached over to gently close her mouth. Eada struggled to say something.
"Whereis Godwin?" she finally managed to ask, her voice hoarse with surprise andemotion.
"He,the children, and your dogs have gone to Pevensey with Serle," Drogoanswered as he took the wooden spoon from her lax hold and helped himself to ataste of the stew. "Good. I am glad to see that you are not yet in dangerof starving."
Eadagave him a weak smile. She was both elated and afraid. He had come after her,but was he free? As she looked him over with a greed she was sure was reflectedin her face, noticing that his thick, black hair now hung to just below theneck of his heavy jupon, she realized that she felt something else—a strongneed to be in his arms. Although she knew it was a poor time to be seized byher passions, she was unable to push the feeling aside. Since she had riddenaway from him, her thoughts and dreams had been crowded with sweet memories oftheir lovemaking. As it became increasingly difficult to think of anythingbesides how badly she needed him, Eada decided that, at the moment, she neededthe answer to only one question.
"Areyou married?" she asked, startled at how low and husky her voice was, andthe way Drogo's eyes grew even darker told her that he was fully aware of whatafflicted her.
"No.I have no bride," he answered and leaned closer to her, removing the potof stew from the fire.
"Youare promised to no one?"
"No.I am a free man."
"ThenI believe we can do all the rest of our talking later."
"Ihave always considered you the cleverest of women."
Eadalaughed shakily and flung herself into his arms.
Asoft sigh of contentment escaped Eada as she stretched and smoothed her handover the broad, hard chest of the man at her side. Old Edith's bed had neverbeen so comfortable. A brief grin touched her face as she looked at theirclothes strewn all over the room. They had cast them off so quickly andblindly, she suspected that only good luck had kept any of them from landing inthe fire.
WhenDrogo turned, draped his arm around her waist, and kissed her shoulder, shefought to shake free of passion's lingering mists. It would be nice to simplyspend the night making love to each other; but she could not allow that tohappen, at least not until they had talked. Sensing that he was watching her,she cautiously met his dark gaze. The seriousness of his expression told herthat he had come to the same decision.
