“Are they bigger than you?”
“Aye, even the youngest, who has only seen fourteen winters, has passed me in height, though not by much. He still has some growing to do. Do you have no other family yourself, besides your brother?”
“I did have another brother, but I do not remember him. He died with my father when other Vikings raided. ’Twas five years ago.”
Kristen grimaced. God’s teeth, the Saxon did have reason to hate her and her people. No wonder he had wanted to kill them all at first sight. She was surprised he had changed his mind.
“I am sorry, Meghan,” she offered lamely. “Your people have suffered much because of mine.”
“They were Danes, those others.”
“I do not see much difference. We came here to raid, too, though not your manor, if ’tis any consolation.”
Meghan frowned. “You mean your friends would not have attacked Wyndhurst?”
“Nay, ’twas a monastery farther inland they were after, and that only as a lark.”
“Jurro?”
“Aye.”
“But ’twas destroyed by the Danes five years ago and never rebuilt.”
“Oh, God!” Kristen groaned. “Selig dead and half the others, and all for naught!”
“Was Selig a friend?” Meghan asked hesitantly.
“A friend? Aye, a friend—and brother,” Kristen replied brokenly.
“You lost a brother in the forest battle?”
“Aye…aye…aye!”
Kristen’s fist smashed a pastry crust with each utterance, and when that did not relieve the anguish, she toppled the table. She was halfway to the entrance of the hall when Eda ran after her, trying to grab hold of her arm to stop her.
“Do not do it, wench,” the old woman warned. “You will be punished.”
“I do not care!”
“You will. I heard what you told the young one. I wish I had not stopped to listen, but I did. I am sorry for your loss, and I never thought I would be saying that to the likes of you, but I am. Hurting yourself now will not help any. Go back and clean up the mess you made and none need know ’twas done apurpose.”
Kristen halted and stared hard at Eda before she finally nodded. She turned back to the cooking area. Seeing the shambles there, she sighed. Meghan was nowhere in sight now. Fortunately, no one else was, either, at this early hour.
“The child?”
Eda snorted. “Took a fright when you got violent. She will think twice ere she speaks to you again.”
Kristen let out another sigh.
Chapter Fourteen
Two weeks had come and gone since Kristen was moved into the hall. Thorolf and the others had apparently had no opportunity to escape in this time, for they still labored on the wall. She had not been able to speak to them or even let them see her to know she was faring well. If she got near an open window or door, someone always shouted at her to get back. She seemed to be watched constantly, either by the servants or by Royce’s armed retainers, who were often in the hall.
She had made use of her time to learn all she could of the Saxons. She was treated with an unusual combination of fear and contempt by the servants, except for Eda, who offered a grudging sort of respect now, and what might even pass for liking, though this was hard to discern, for the woman had a natural gruffness about her. But Eda was easily maneuvered to volunteer information without being aware that she was being subtly plied for it.
Kristen now knew a good deal about Wyndhurst and its lord. The manor was self-sufficient, a necessity with the nearest town far away. Royce was a thane, one of the king’s great nobles, and Wyndhurst comprised miles of land. As in Norway, there were freemen, called churls here, who worked the soil and worked also in the manor, many with specific trades. They could own land, but owed dues to crown and church, as well as military service. Royce trained those in his area for the coming war with the Danes. Many were already his personal retainers. He also trained some of his more able serfs, those people not free but bound to the land, supplying them with arms and the opportunity to buy their freedom. He would have a small army ready to join King Alfred’s defense when the time came.
Of Royce in particular, Kristen had learned he was not married yet, but would be later this year. Eda could tell her little about his betrothed, who lived farther north, except that her name was Corliss and she was supposed to be very beautiful. Eda had much more to say about Lord Royce’s first betrothed, the Lady Rhona, and Kristen surprised herself by actually feeling sympathy for the Saxon when she learned he had lost more in that other Viking raid than she had first thought. He had loved the Lady Rhona. No one knew what he felt for the Lady Corliss.
