“I know how it looks, but it is not her, I swear,” he said before she could say anything else.
He had to admit it was damning, though. Not only did Eahlswith look exactly like her twin sister, but they were riding in the very cart that had ran over the youth. What could the people think other than that he had gone in pursuit and finally caught her? They would think he had brought her back into town to be punished. By the gods, not now! Would they be thwarted, threatened at every turn?
“What is going on?” Eahlswith asked, looking at him and the three Saxons in quick succession. “Could anyone explain?”
By now a crowd had assembled in the street, making any retreat impossible. The only advantage they had was that, sitting on the cart, they were higher up than the hostile mob who could turn violent at any moment. Sven kept an eye on the assembled men and glared at the ones who dared get too close to Eahlswith.
“Go get Richie and his brother,” the woman said. “Someone carry him if need be. They will both confirm this is the culprit.”
While the Saxons organized themselves, Sven leaned over to Eahlswith. “When your sister and her lover left town, they ran over a poor youth, breaking his leg in the process. They never stopped to see what had happened and now the woman is convinced you are her, and will demand retribution.”
“Oh, no, this is awful. Poor man.”
It was awful, but at the moment he was only worried about her.
“Look, it is as I say,” he told the Saxons. “The woman next to me is not the one responsible for the accident. As you can see, she has no idea what you are talking about.”
Predictably, they were not impressed. The man next to the woman, who Sven assumed to be Richie’s father, answered. “Well, obviously she’s going to pretend she has no idea what this is about, so she can avoid punishment. That proves nothing.”
It did not. And yet, they were telling the truth.
“She was attacked and abducted by her twin sister and her lover. That was why they were so intent on fleeing the town. Look at her mouth. Where do you think she got those bruises from?”
The man shrugged. “You? You wouldn’t be the first man to?—”
“I do not hit women!” Sven exploded. “I have, however, been known to hit idiots who refuse to listen to reason.”
“What reason? We saw her clearly when she ran over poor Richie.”
“For the last time, it wasn’t her! I know she looks like her but?—”
“Sven. I can understand their distress.” Eahlswith placed a hand on his arm. “Imagine it was your son who’d been hurt.”
Yes, he could understand their distress. But that didn’t change facts. “You didn’t do anything wrong and I will prove it to them.”
He had hoped never to set eyes on Eahlswith’s twin sister again, but it seemed he would have to get her back. It was the only way to prove her innocence.
“Let us go and see the reeve.”
The man was used to dealing with the Norsemen community. He was not exactly a friend, but he was fair and would listen before acting. The family agreed to the proposition, thinking that their revenge was assured. At their request, the crowd parted to allow the cart to pass. Sven had refused to get down. He had to protect Eahlswith at all costs. Only when they reached the tall building did he allow her down.
Using his body as a shield, he guided her to the door where two men were stationed. They didn’t ask questions when he asked to see the reeve, they just allowed him in. Evidently, they were used to such requests. Once he, Eahlswith, and the Saxon family, had entered the great hall, a dozen more men pushedthrough their way in and spilled into the room, shouting and grumbling.
Sven’s temper was about to explode when a door at the back opened on the reeve, a tall man with a natural authority that would not be denied.
“What is the meaning of this?” His voice boomed though the vaulted room, mercifully putting an end to the chaos.
“We are seeking retribution for our son, Richie,” the old Saxon woman started. “He was?—”
Sven placed himself between the reeve and the Saxon, cutting her short. “I beg your pardon but the woman they are trying to blame is innocent.”
A rumble answered the two declarations. The reeve gestured to the three men by his side, ordering them to usher everyone out save the people involved in the story. In surprisingly little time, everyone was sent out and the door closed. The men placed themselves in front of it, preventing further interference. Sven took in a deep breath. He would be allowed to expose his problem calmly.
Of course the family had other ideas. They all started to talk at the same time, forcing the reeve to interrupt them before too long. “I cannot make sense of this and will have to speak to you one by one. I will hear the Norseman first. Follow me.”
Sven was loath to leave Eahlswith in the company of the family but she nodded to him. “I’ll be fine.”
Before leaving, he glared at the Saxons, signifying they had better not do anything they would regret and followed the reeve into a small room at the far end of the hall. A table occupied the middle of the space. It was covered with rolls and ledgers and there was a single chair at one end. This was obviously where the man worked.
