“She has always been loyal to me.”
“So she says, but where was she last night when my cousin attacked your wife? As your sister, she should have been by her side all evening.”
“She claimed to have a headache and retired early. She has a delicate constitution, you recall.”
“Did she? So why did I see her roaming the gardens when I went to bed.”
“Mayhap she couldn’t sleep.”
Osgar shook his head. How do you think you will ever solve this if you do not open your eyes?”
“Are you saying that my sister is behind this?”
“I am saying you need to look closer at whom you trust and why.”
The man made sense. But there was no way his sister had anything to do with this. Mayhap a part of him knew his brother did not either, but his actions were suspicious.
“And you?” he asked. “Only two?”
“Very well. I trust you, your brother, and I trust Vigdis.”
“But you just met her?”
“Says the man who met his current wife on the same day.”
“Aye, but she has married me.”
“That does not mean Vigdis and I do not share the same bond.”
“So we agree we trust the women. Does that mean we do not trust that Gunnar has found another way to attack? In a sideways manner?”
“Nay, Gunnar has as much to lose here as you do. He needs this alliance as much as we do since he has threats from his own people as well.”
Something clicked for Giric. “That’s it then.”
“What’s it?”
Ignoring the question, Giric’s mind raced to catch up to the conclusion. “But how would the Vikings have formed an alliance with the king in order to acquire his assassin?”
“Giric you’ve lost me.”
“Do you recall what Gunnar said about the clan on the other side of the island trying to claim it and drive Gunnar off?”
“Aye, which is why we offered our armies as part of the wedding bargain.”
“But what if the deal had already been struck?”
“With whom?”
“With the king. Not the king necessarily, but someone close enough to him to speak for him.”
The wheels of the scheme turned over in Giric’s mind so fast he could barely make sense of it. Giric had assumed he’d have the king’s blessing to carry his plan through so he had not waited for the king’s reply. What if a resolution had already been struck from the king’s name and in his mind all was already resolved? But whoever resolved the conflict did not reveal that an entire clan would need to be laid to waste in order to instil peace. Surely the king would not condone such actions and so Gunnar’s clan which included Giric’s wife would need to be eliminated. His guts lurched at the thought.
He had to find his wife.
Chapter Eighteen
She was quite pleased with herself by the time her lessons were complete and could see a marked improvement not only in the women’s skill, but also in their attitude. Many stood a little taller and most of them smiled at her as they walked back to their duties.
