Kristen’s eyes rounded incredulously. “Would you really?”
“Nay, love, I am only teasing. Why would I want to sail without your father?”
Chapter Three
The seed had been planted and Kristen couldn’t shake it. Her mother had only spoken in jest about stowing away on the ship, but there was that small grain of truth in what she said that couldn’t be ignored. Brenna was bold enough to do it, for she had done wilder things before. Hadn’t she rounded the fjord in the dead of winter to get back to Garrick after she had been stolen away from him before they were married? Kristen could be that bold, too. She could keep her freedom and avoid Dirk in the same stroke, and it would be an adventure. It was the thought of adventure that really sparked her fancy.
There was only one thing wrong with the idea. She had been forbidden to go, and there would be hell to pay when she returned. But in her excitement, Kristen conveniently refused to think of that, or let Tyra harp on it when she told her friend what she was going to do. Tyra had been amazed, but Tyra had lost her love of adventure when she outgrew childhood. Not so Kristen.
The girls were in Kristen’s chamber upstairs, the only place that offered privacy from the farewell feast in progress below. The crew would be sleeping in the hall tonight. Tyra had come with her father to bid her brother Thorolf good-bye, for he had been here the last few days helping with the preparations. Kristen was glad he was sailing, for they were close friends. She had even tried to teach Thorolf some of the languages she had learned when they were younger, though he was not an apt pupil. Thorolf would probably be the only one who would champion Kristen when Selig and her three cousins who were sailing began upbraiding her for her foolishness.
Selig would indeed be angry, as well as her cousins Olaf, Hakon, and Ohthere, the oldest of the three. But as long as they were far enough from land when she was discovered, making it unfeasible to bring her back, then they would all relent after they vented their anger on her. Verbal abuse was all she would receive, for not one of them would lay a hand on her, knowing she was not one to take a beating without fighting back.
“Why, Kristen?” Tyra asked as soon as the plans were revealed to her. “Your mother is going to cry. Your father is going to—” She paused to shiver. “I dread to think what he will do.”
Kristen grinned at the smaller girl. “He will not do anything until I get back. And my mother never cries. She will not worry about me as long as you be sure and tell her where I am. She will suspect what I have done when she cannot find me, but she will still worry unless she knows for certain. That is why I have confided in you.”
“I wish you had confided in someone else. Your father will be furious.”
“But not at you, Tyra. And you must promise me you will tell them tomorrow that I sailed with Selig, before they begin to worry.”
“I will do it, Kristen, but I still do not understand why you want to defy them. You have never wanted to sail with your brother before.”
“Of course I have wanted to, I just never thought to ask before. And as for why, this will be my last chance to sail with Selig. Next year my father will take me south to find a husband—if I do not find one for myself in Hedeby,” she added with a chuckle.
“You were serious about looking for a husband away from here?” Tyra asked in wonder.
“You thought I was jesting?”
“Of course I did. It would mean living away from here, away from your parents.”
“Regardless of whom I marry, I would still be moving out of this house.”
“But if you married Sheldon, you would still be close to home.”
“But not deeply in love, Tyra. I would rather be deeply in love even if I have to live in the Far East. But you forget my father owns two long ships and one smaller one. You think they would not visit me, no matter how far away I move?”
“Nay, of course they will. I did indeed forget about that.”
“Good. So stop trying to change my mind about going, for you cannot. I am going to have a wonderful time, Tyra, and not worry about the consequences until we return. You do not know what exciting places the market towns are, for you have never been. I was young when I went before, interested only in the goods for sale, not the men. But men from all over the world go to these towns. I will find me one I can love and bring him home with me, andthatwill temper my father’s anger.”
“If you say so.” Tyra nodded skeptically.
“I do. Now, come along, or all the best parts of the meat will be gone.”
They entered the noisy hall and presented a pretty picture for the rowdy men, Tyra small and delicate, standing no higher than Kristen’s shoulder, and Kristen looking exceptionally lovely in a blue silk gown that fit snugly to her slim, though generously curved length, with heavy gold bracelets adorning her bare arms.
Sheldon whacked Kristen’s behind as she passed him, and she turned around to stick her tongue out at him. He made to chase after her for her pertness, but she scurried away from him. She wished Sheldon were sailing, too, but he and his brothers were helping their father, Perrin, add a few rooms to their house this summer, as well as seeing to their crops.
Her cousin Ohthere detained her next, grabbing her waist to lift her off the ground, then bringing her down for a wet kiss. “That was for luck, child,” he told her drunkenly.
Kristen laughed at him. He persisted in calling herchildeven though she no longer was one, just because he was ten years older than she. His father was one of her great-uncles. He and his brothers lived with Kristen’s uncle Hugh now. Her first cousin Athol would not be sailing, for he was Hugh’s only child, and her uncle persisted in keeping him close to home.
“You need luck just to trade in the East?” she demanded of Ohthere.
“A Viking always needs luck when he sails, no matter the destination.” He winked at her after imparting that bit of knowledge.
Kristen shook her head at him. He was already well into his cups and the night was young. He would be bleary-eyed when he set to at the oars in the morning. She would pity him while she was safely tucked into the cargo well.
