“I’m going to take you up on your offer of a drink, if you don’t mind,” Sven said, straightening to his full height. “I still haven’t broken my fast. Would you have a slice of bread to spare, by any chance?”
The wretched man! He knew she’d been using the cutting of bread to avoid meeting his gaze earlier.
“I do, she said, refusing to dignify him with a glare though she was sorely tempted. “Please sit down while I get ready.”
“Thank you again, Eahlswith. This means a lot to me,” Steinar told her, before barking something at his brother in Norse. It sounded as if he was warning him not to inconvenience her. Had he noticed the tension in her body? She dearly hoped not.
“It’s my pleasure,” she told him.
A moment later Steinar disappeared through the door and Eahlswith was alone with Sven, who was looking at her with eyes aglow with mischief.
“So.” He crossed his massive arms over his massive chest. “It seems that fate decided to be on my side. That was remarkably quick on her part, don’t you think?”
What could she answer to that? Indeed she couldn’t believe that he was back already. It was not as if he’d contrived this meeting as well. It was purely coincidental. Steinar had beencoming to her and had walked into his brother, who was leaving her house.
There was no use fighting fate.
“I will s-see to my clothes,” she stammered, wondering how she would deal with sitting on a horse with him all the way to the village. Could she ask to walk by his side? No, not with her boots in the state they were. Besides, Sven would never agree to it. And if she suggested he be the one to walk, he would refuse.
“No need to change,” he told her. “What you are wearing is fine.”
More than fine, the heat in his gaze said.Except that it hides too much of your gorgeous body.
How could he make her blood sing thus? Eahlswith felt as she would after a cup of particularly strong mead.
“I mean that I should gather some clothes to take with me to the village,” she specified, turning to go to the chest where she kept her meager possessions. The packing wouldn’t take long, as she didn’t own much.
“Of course,” she heard him say with what sounded like amusement. “Do you mind if I help myself to some bread?”
“No. It’s on the table,” she said, though he would know that already, having watched her cut slice after slice earlier.
“Is there any cheese left by any chance?”
Eahlswith gritted her teeth. Had she ever met a more infuriating man? He was taking pleasure in highlighting the connection between them.
“You’ll find it where you put it last night.”
“Of course. Silly me.”
She took as long as she dared to pack her things but eventually, there was nothing left to do. Sven had finished his bread and cheese and was watching her with ill-concealed delight.
Eahlswith took in a deep breath.
“Shall we?” she said, refusing to give him the satisfaction of initiating a conversation which would make her feel worse—or drawing him into another soul-shattering kiss. She wouldn’t make that mistake twice in the same day.
“But certainly. Your wish is my command.”
She didn’t answer. What would be the point?
8
Sven bit back a groan.
He had expected that having Eahlswith with him on Gulltoppr would be sweet torture but this was a hundred times worse than what he had anticipated. A hundred times better. He barely resisted the temptation to steer his horse the other way so as to prolong the ride for as long as possible.
When they finally came in view of the village, he stopped before they could be seen together and jumped down from the saddle. Fortunately, he still had a couple of planks in his bag. He’d been unable to use them as they were too short to be nailed to Osbert’s roof, but they would be ideal for what he wanted to do. Fumbling in the bottom of the bag he extracted a particularly sharp nail and looked up to address Eahlswith, who was watching him, brow arched.
“Tomorrow I will bring you new boots,” he said matter-of-factly. “We have an excellent cobbler here at the village. Bo is a friend. I’ll go speak to him, see what he can do and?—”
