Damned emotions weren’t making sense today. She was beautiful, and miserable, and he found it difficult keeping his eyes from her. Yet the more dismal she looked, the more annoyed he became.
It was her wedding day. Brides were supposed to be happy on their wedding day. His bride should have been the happiest of all. It wasn’t conceit that made him think so, but his experience of women and their reaction to him. Yet Erika would not even make a pretense of happiness for the benefit of their guests.
He finally told her, sharply, “This is not a funeral. If you are so uncomfortable, you may return to my chamber—and your place in it.”
Erika flushed, though no one else had heard him say that. And even if he had been overheard, only a few knew that her “place” was a corner on the floor. She should have been only relieved, that that was where she was still to sleep. He was keeping their bargain. So why was she embarrassed and—and she wasn’t sure what else?
That was a lie. She knew what else. But, Odin help her, how could she possibly be feeling disappointment? It had been her insistence that he not touch her—though made for reasons other than the obvious. She was simplyafraid of the passion he had shown her, which she liked too much.
’Tis likely you will come to love him.
His sister’s words had never stopped haunting her. She was afraid of that, too, because he didn’t give her enough reasons to really hate him. He tried, but embarrassments were immediate and soon forgotten.
He has never hurt a woman in his life.
Was it true, then, his father’s contention? And if it was, then what Selig had threatened to do to her today was a lie. He wouldn’t have been able to do it.
She took his permission to leave the hall gladly. She needed to be away from his disturbing presence so she could think more clearly. That he let her go without an escort was a revelation. If the marriage had done nothing else, it had apparently given her back some freedom. And the damned chains were gone…
The damned chains were back on Selig’s bed when she entered his chamber, retrieved by someone who knew exactly whom they belonged to—him—her. Selig probably wasn’t even aware that she had given in to that act of defiance.
The chains went flying out the window again, and it gave her just as much pleasure to toss them out this time as before. Now if she could just find as much pleasure sleeping on the floor on her wedding night.
Chapter 31
RAGNAR MADEKRISTENwait nearly an hour up on the wall before he answered her request for another talk between them. The discourtesy was the prerogative of a superior position, which he thought he still held. The only reason she didn’t lose her temper or simply leave was because of the pleasure she was going to get from disabusing him of that notion.
Royce had less patience. He left and returned three times in that hour that they waited, and nearly dragged Kristen down from the wall the fourth time he stalked off, he was so annoyed with Erika’s brother.
Her mother didn’t bother to join them on the wall, since she spoke no Danish. But her father was there beside her, could have spoken with Ragnar himself, though he declined, knowing how much Kristen was looking forward to it this time.
And Selig, that sot, was no doubt still abed after drinking himself under the table last eventide. If he had been able to consummate his marriage after Royce and Ivarr had carried him up to his bed, it would be a miracle. ButRagnar wasn’t going to know that. By the time Kristen was done with him, he would think his sister well and truly wed and bedded, with no recourse for undoing the marriage open to him. That is, if he ever bothered to make an appearance.
Turgeis came first, alone, to tell her that if she had nothing new to add to what had been discussed yesterday, Ragnar wasn’t going to waste his time speaking to her again. He seemed embarrassed to have delivered that message. But Kristen showed none of the anger it was to have sparked. She felt it keenly, she just didn’t show it.
But she did retaliate in kind by replying, “The only one who might have anything to repeat is your Lord Ragnar. The only thing I have to discuss is his sister—and hernewsituation.”
She also added that she would wait five minutes more and not one minute longer, and if Ragnar hadn’t come forth in that time, thenhecould wait until some other day to find out what had occurred to Erika since last they spoke.
Kristen pitied Turgeis’s horse, having to support that kind of weight at that speed. But he did ride back to camp at a tearing gallop, and Ragnar was back with him in less than five minutes.
“I see now why you call Turgeis Ten Feet the ’giant,’ but you should have taken pity on him,” Garrick said beside her. “He only repeated what he was bidden to say.”
“So?”
“So he is a man sick with worry over his lady, and with no control over what happens here.”
“I saw Turgeis break a man’s neck with a slight twist of his hands,” Kristen replied. “Somehow, that does not inspire pity.”
Garrick grinned at her droll tone. “Yet he is not the one you are annoyed with.”
“True.” She sighed. “I suppose I could apologize to him—afterward. That is, if I have the nerve to get anywhere near him ever again. I tried it once, and would not like to repeat the experience. Up here on the wall, with him down there on the ground, is close enough—”
She didn’t finish, since Ragnar had arrived. He didn’t come as close this time, which would force them both to shout. And he didn’t look the least bit disturbed over the message she had sent back with Turgeis. Confident was how he looked, and arrogant in his possession of the upper hand.
“What say you, Lady Kristen?” Ragnar shouted. “And be quick about it.”
She did say something, a few choice curses that he wasn’t like to hear. Her father pointed out the obvious. “You are whispering.”
