“What kind of man is he?” she asked, settling Liv on her lap.
“He is thoughtful, reliable and caring. He loves his brother’s children fiercely, and they love him just as fiercely. He might seem easy going on first acquaintance, and he is more carefree than most but I would trust him with my own life. When Steinar was arrested after we met, he stayed with me at the hut, making sure no one came to bother me, all without making me feel oppressed or weak.”
This was the first Eahlswith had heard about that. She knew Steinar had been arrested after being wrongly accused of killing his wife, but she had not known Sven had protected her friend during that time. A pang of jealousy stabbed at her gut because she couldn’t think of anyone better suited to play the role of a protector and she dearly wanted him to play that role with her.
“And nothing happened between you during that time?”
“Of course not!”
Cwenthryth sounded, if not horrified, at least shocked that her friend could entertain the possibility. But considering that she, herself, had ended up in Sven’s bed mere moments after having set eyes on him, it seemed all too possible that her friend should have been tempted by the Norseman sleeping under the same roof as her.
“I was already in love with Steinar then,” Cwenthryth specified. “Even though they look eerily similar, I wouldn’t have looked twice at him or anyone at that point.”
“I see.” Indeed, a woman already in love with the man who would become her husband would not have paid that kind of attention to anyone else, however attractive he might be.
“Anyway, as I was saying, he is a good man, but too handsome for his own good sometimes.”
“What do you mean?”
Cwenthryth couldn’t know about the incident with Freydis. So, was she saying that what had happened last night was a regular occurrence, that women tried anything to end up in hisbed? She wouldn’t be surprised if that were the case. Hadn’t she been one of those irresistibly attracted women?
“I mean that it is all people, and women in particular, can see. He attracts them like honey attracts flies but they don’t seem able to get past his appearance, see that he’s not just a wicked lover they could boast about having had. They don’t see that he could also be a wonderful husband, loyal and reliable. Or if they do, they are scared to be married to a man who will have to battle temptation every day. I think this is why he has never had any relationships that lasted more than a few weeks.” Cwenthryth sighed, as if genuinely concerned for him. “Everyone in the village thinks he’s enjoying this dissolute life, for want of a better word, too much to ever want to settle. I thought the same at first but now I know him better and I wonder if it’s that simple. I believe that he is less opposed to family life than people think.”
Eahlswith placed a kiss on the baby’s head to hide her expression and give herself time to think. What should she make of her friend’s assessment? Sven certainly seemed loyal and reliable to her. Could it be that he was trapped by his appearance, unable to convince women he could be trusted not to succumb to the many solicitations he received? Yes… Perhaps he was less opposed to starting a family than people thought. At least he seemed determined to build something with her and despite her numerous hints that she was not ready herself, he was not giving up.
But she could not deny being confused.
She would have understood Sven’s insistence to fight for what they had if they had known one another for a while. But it was not the case.
They had come together in a wild explosion of lust. Neither had considered the other’s character before surrendering to the desire burning between them, only their appearance. Every time he’d reached his release he’d made sure to withdraw and spillhis seed anywhere but inside her. All this didn’t point to a man ready to settle and have children, rather to one with too much experience and control to be caught unawares. One who didn’t want to be forced to face his responsibilities after a night of passion.
Yes… Except that there had been that last time in her house.
In the middle of the night, once they had caught a few hours of well-earned rest, they had woken up at the same time. After kissing her with exquisite tenderness, Sven had taken her in long, languid strokes that had melted her bones one by one and stripped away what had been left of her sanity. And when he had finally followed her into unimaginable bliss, he had not withdrawn. At the time she had been too spent and too lost to pleasure to fully register the importance of the fact, but he had definitely stayed inside her while pleasure overtook him. And he had not panicked. On the contrary. She’d heard him mumble something before falling back to sleep, his arms wrapped tightly around her. She was now wondering if he had not promised to look after her should his lovemaking have consequences.
Dear God.
She had gone to Sven in the summer, thinking that she could allow herself this folly once in her life because a man who responded with such readiness to women’s advances—not that she had done anything to lure him in except stare at him—could never be a threat to her heart or want to be part of her life.
It seemed she couldn’t have been more wrong.
“Areyou ready to go get Sanna?”
“Yes.” Eahlswith took Liv in her arms while her friend put herself to rights. The little girl had just drunk her fill and was half asleep again. It was utterly adorable. “Ready when you are.”
She could tell Cwenthryth missed her daughter, though it had been less than a day since she’d entrusted her into her grandparents’ care. How wonderful it must be to feel such unconditional love for another person. A person you’d created deep inside your own body.
“I will carry Liv if you don’t mind,” Eahlswith said, smiling as she placed her baby against her shoulder. “I love feeling her fall asleep against me.”
It was a new experience to her, and surprisingly soothing to one who had never been in close contact with a newborn before. In fact, she reflected as the little girl’s weight settled in the crook of her neck, she felt very content in the village, more than she had in years. Perhaps she should rethink her current situation. She could not go back to her native village, but with Edwin gone she had no real reason to stay in town.
Well. All that could wait until a more opportune moment. For now they were going to see Sven’s parents and, though they had no idea what she and their youngest son had done together, she could not deny being nervous at the idea of meeting them.
Taking in a deep breath, Eahlswith followed Cwenthryth out of the door.
The day was glorious, the sky blue and cloudless, the air crisp and fresh. Yes. She was happy here, she realized, happier than she had felt since Edwin’s death.
They were reaching Wolf and Merewen’s hut when a woman approached them, a graceful woman that looked uncomfortably familiar. Freydis. Eahlswith’s heart sank, her new sense of peace quickly evaporating. This time it was clear the Norsewoman had come to speak to her, not a midwife.
