Realization
After Harud hauledNoelle from the alcove and dragged her across the room kicking, her stomach wallowed. With home incessantly on her mind, she couldn’t concentrate on anything else. And it didn’t help that a pair of foul-tempered Norsemen were escorting Margaret upstairs. She shook her head. Margaret might be out of sight, but never far from her heart. After inspecting the room, she noticed the servants were gone, too—even Brian had mysteriously disappeared. Noelle wondered if this was the chieftain’s way of controlling her. Isolate her from everything familiar so her heart brokebeforethey boarded his ship.
Crates were piled near the doors where the Viking Chieftain stood. She imagined this scene resembled her future, all alone with a legion of warmongers, who scared her out of her skin. No chaperone and no one to provide comfort.
The giant strode across the room as if he reveled in the fact that he was temporarily the master of the keep. He grinned boyishly at her, revealing perfectly straight white teeth.
“Come.” He tugged at her sleeve and she followed him to the hearth. A platter containing bread, cheese, and fruit was on the table. “Are you hungry?”
“A little,” she admitted with cool courtesy, quite intimidated by his hulking physique.
“Woman,” he said dispassionately. “You are in no immediate danger from me.”
She looked at him in exasperated wonder.What was that supposed to mean, in no immediate danger?Dwarfed by his gargantuan body, she thought him daft to think she felt otherwise. Noelle tried to find the right words to express her feelings, but nothing appropriate came to mind.
“Eat,” he said, shoving a piece of crusty bread into her hand.
She glimpsed another smile playing around his attractive lips and wanted to rip them off his face. Being so close to him made her aware of just how dangerous he really was. She mashed the bread in her hand and bit a sizable piece off.
He possessed no manners of any kind, and stared at her lips while she chewed and swallowed. He looked a bit tortured for it. Exhaustion and hunger had finally caught up with her and she reached for another piece.
Rudely, he blocked her hand. “Why did your father leave his lands so vulnerable?”
She could see his self-admiration coming through. God have mercy… Her stomach ached from the first sampling of food. The crumbs had only teased her insides. “Leave me to eat in peace,please.” She eyed him.
“Only if I give consent.”
Frustrated, Noelle slammed her hand on the table.Fools play.Would everything be a competition with him? From the moment she’d met him, an aggravating smile had spanned his face, similar to a court jester’s.
“Go to hell,” she murmured indelicately, praying for patience and the good sense to keep still. She brooded over whether she should ask him what he found so damn entertaining. Women were often the subject of masculine amusements; but surely, a man of his worldly experience knew they didn’t like it!
“Answer my question and I promise you shall eat without further interruption.”
Her blood went hot. She didn’t like being toyed with. There must be limits to his patience, she had limits of her own and considered herself more than fortunate with how well he’d treated her thus far. His kindness must be closely linked to how well she performed—how well she amused him. If she cooperated, he’d continue to reward her with everyday necessities. Disappoint him, and she feared he would withhold often-underappreciated luxuries like food and water. Fortunately, Noelle had never truly felt hunger before. But after only a few hours of her home being under siege, the uncomfortable hunger pangs that were currently stabbing at her gut convinced her she never wanted to again.
The hall suddenly hummed with life around them. She absolutely could not bring herself to answer his question and shook her head. His beautiful eyes held many secrets. And another grin creased his face as he clutched her hand, wrapping strong fingers around her fragile wrist.
“I already know where your father went and what business took him to Ireland. I was just curious to see ifyouknew.”
She snorted and leaned her elbow on the table.
“My father never thought enemy ships would stray so far south this late in the season.”
Hopefully this reply satisfied him.
“Under normal circumstances your father would have been correct, but it’s still a costly oversight on his part.” He relaxed and released her hand, poured a glass of wine from a bottle on the table, and offered it to her.
She refused.
“Drink.” He pressed the glass into her hand, nearly spilling the dark liquid down the front of her dress.
She sipped sparingly. His insufferable personality served no purpose. No need to force-feed her.Cretin. Men are the same everywhere—making meaningless demands simply because they enjoy watching inferiors squirm and jump at their commands. Someday I’ll find my voice of true resistance.For now, the Viking remained in complete control.
After she finished, she scowled at him from behind the empty glass, turning it slowly around in her hand. “Now I have a question for you.”
“I will permit it.”
“What is your name?” She didn’t see any harm in asking. If she was destined to keep company with this stranger, shouldn’t she have the privilege of knowing his given name?
