“I have seen you watching, often when we do guard duty. You’ve been nearby when Tormod and my brothers talked.”
“And… and you thought I was spying on you? For… military knowledge?”
“Can you honestly say you were not?”
“Yes. Mostly when I was watching you… it was because you were watching me, watching Caelin. At first I was worried you meant him harm—”
He gasped, and she frowned at him.
“And all the other times you were watching me?”
She blushed and turned away. “I was not watching to spy.”
“No? Then… why?”
“I don’t know. I… When I first saw you and Ulf on the shore at Car Cadell, when Ylva told you about Björn… your love for your brother was clear. You thought he would die. And you blamed us. But you fulfilled your duty to Lord Cenydd and took us to Kirkjaster.”
Arne nodded. Every word she said was true.
“When Cenydd bowed to me, I could see you were wondering about who I was, but you didn’t ask. Simply took us to Kirkjaster as you’d been ordered. Then when we arrived in Kirkjaster and you took us into the hall, Tormod and Aoife met us there. Caelin and I sat at a table and I saw the moment Aoife told you who I was, how your expression changed, hardened. I heard your mother cry out in anguish when she heard her oldest son was most likely dead. And it seemed like it was my fault, although the battle had little to do with us.”
“For what it is worth, my feelings changed.”
She looked at him in disbelief. “Did they?”
“Björn had no regrets about saving you. And he does not hold you responsible for the battle on the beach. He says it would have happened whether you had been with them or not. It was not about you.”
“Marcant and Wyn had no idea we were on thebyrthing. None of the Britons did. Not even Merfyn who fought alongside your brother.”
“So, the Britons do not know yet that it was Björn and Ylva who rescued you from Alt Clut?”
“They only rescued us after I got myself and Caelin out of Alt Clut itself.” She frowned and pouted.
He grinned at her. “No, so I am told. You confound my expectations at all turns. Yet my own past haunts me and I find I cannot put it aside.”
“Not even for the time we have left here?”
“Perhaps I can do that,” he said.
She stood on her tiptoes and leaned in to kiss him. His arm tightened around her and he drew her close.
“Mama?”
They parted abruptly at Caelin’s voice, and she crouched down beside her son.
“Look, Mama, their eyes are open. Properly open.”
“Let me see.”
Arne knelt beside them and watched as she stroked each of the cubs. Their little noses sniffed the air, and they twisted around, trying to reach her, smelling the food on her fingers.
“You are doing a good job, Caelin. Let us try them with some broth from a spoon. I will bring you one.”
Arne stood and reached for a clean spoon, then handed it to her to prevent her from having to stand up. Their fingers brushed as she took it and a small smile curved her lips. He noticed Caelin staring at them, too, but the boy turned away when one of the cubs yipped, once again more interested in them than in whatever the adults were doing. Arne hoped Caelin would not understand what had happened between himself and Gemma while they were here. He would need to ensure the boy knew never to speak of it.
The last thing he wanted was for her to suffer because of what they had done together. As it was, many would suspect, but few would dare to ask either of them directly. For a moment, he wondered if he should ask her to go to the Norselands with him. They could live well there, maybe even in his former home, and in relative peace and safety. But there was one more option to consider although he kept coming back to the fact she was a princess. Her son was due to inherit substantial lands. Surely they would not want to give those up forever? Especially for a damaged man like him. She had said she didn’t care about his scars and had been patient with him, taken great care with him. Bolsteredhis fragile confidence and let him know he was not as broken as he’d thought. The memory of her mouth on him had an instant response in his groin. He smiled.
“What?” She was watching him and he wondered what she saw when she looked at him now.
