“At some point, you have to stop referencing me as the enemy,” she said.
He turned quickly to her and grasped her shoulders. “You are quite right, wife. I sincerely apologize.”
“This man has rattled you. I have never seen you like this.”
“Aye, mayhap we will cut today’s tour short and return to the castle.”
“If you wish,” she said. “But I am armed.”
Kissing her forehead, he said, “I never doubted it for a minute. We shall ride back swiftly. Keep your eyes and ears sharp.”
Saga and he mounted and headed toward the castle at a hard gallop. He’d spoken true in that they had taken the long way to the village for the ride home was complete in less than half that time.
As soon as they reached the outer bailey and guard house, Giric dismounted and motioned for the guards.
“Get everyone inside and seal these gates. No one comes in or leaves without my permission, is that clear?”
“Aye, m’lord. Are we under attack, m’lord?”
“Of sorts,” he said. “Someone has sent an assassin.”
“For whom?” Saga asked.
“I do not know, but if he was staring at you, I can make an educated guess.” Then to the guard he said, “Has anyone come through here today you did not know? Anyone? A messenger or someone selling goods.”
“No one, m’lord.”
“That may only mean they didn’t come through the front gates. Someone could still be in the castle. Gather twenty men. Everyone inside must be accounted for and the entire castle must be searched.”
If he’d punched her in the guts, she couldn’t have been more surprised. She did not know this place like he did and so could not do anything but agree to his demand that she enter the castle and go straight to their chamber.
Giric wrapped his arm around her waist. “I will meet you back here as soon as I have my wife and my family secure.”
They entered the castle and she couldn’t help but notice how calm everyone seemed until they spied their lord. All stopped in their tracks at the sight of him.
“Gather everyone in the great hall,” he said. “Now!”
Once all were gathered and accounted for, Giric raised his hands and the hall fell silent. “I have reason to believe we may be under siege. The source may be a single person and so I want each and every one of you to take stock of every person you have seen here in the last two days. If you have any suspicions about anyone you must come to me immediately. Is that clear?”
A few murmurings could be discerned around the hall and it fell silent again. “Anyone here now must stay here until this danger has passed. If we are not already infiltrated no harm will come to anyone. But for now, unless you have a specific duty to attend, you must return to your chambers and stay there until the evening meal. I will have my housekeeper gather servants as necessary.”
“And do we know why we are under attack?” Giric’s brother asked, looking directly at Saga.
“We do not, and we will not make assumptions.”
But she knew. And she hated the look on some of the faces as they regarded her. She’d brought this upon them. It would be so easy to extend this danger from how they must have felt each and every time a Viking raid party was in the area, but she was certain no party ever attacked this castle. They’d need an army.
“May I take the women aside, husband?”
He turned to her, “For what purpose?”
“To teach them some basic skills,” she said flatly.
“Christ’s teeth, aye. And now I feel like a fool for never having thought to do that myself.”
To the crowd, he said. “The men will come with me and help prepare for what may come. The women will stay in the hall with my wife.”
“She will kill them all,” his brother shouted.
