Page 115 of The Caged Viking

They all laughed at that, except Hauk who was still scowling. And Gorm, who was frowning with uncertainty. But then Gorm brightened. “Does that mean the jarl is my brudder? Thor’s Teeth! I’m gonna be rich. I’ll have me own longship. When can I get a sword? Oooh, I can’t wait to tell Ubbi.”

Before Hauk could call him back and correct any misconception he might have about his family ties, the boy vaulted off the dais and ran toward the kitchen.

“Now you’ve done it!” Hauk said to her.

“Me? I’m not the one who first mentioned the resemblance.”

“Everywhere you go, there’s trouble,” he grumbled.

She was offended at his easy dismissal of her. “Is that all you think of me?”

His Adam’s apple moved several times as he thought about what to answer. “Nay, that is not all I think of you. I recall a day when I came upon you in the back courtyard where you were talking with Bjorn about an herb garden or some such. Your hand was on his shoulder as you spoke. You were wearing an old gunna of Signe’s…a pale rose color…and your hair was bound high on your head and swished like a horse’s tail when you turned abruptly to look at me. I was discouraged, having come from the barn where everything was in disrepair. But when you smiled at me, all my worries disappeared, and I felt such a warmth rush through me.” He shook his head as if surprised that he’d revealed so much. “A good memory,” he concluded with a shrug.

Before he had a chance to withdraw into himself, she said, “It’s funny how it’s the little things that stick in our brains. The memory that plagued me most when I was gone was of the day when we arrived at Haukshire. We’d just disembarked from your ship and you got your first look at your home after being gone so long. You were looking so forlorn and sad. I took your hand and laced our fingers together. You raised our double fist and kissed my knuckles, looking at me the whole time, thanks in your eyes. Then we walked toward the keep. Together.”

Her words caught him off guard and he said nothing at first. Then he laughed. “That is some memory. I would have thought your favored remembrance would be of me tupping you like a…what did you call it…a jackrabbit.”

“That was my second favorite memory.” She didn’t bother to look at him as she spoke. Instead, she was concentrating on the delicious but messy honey oak cake she was nibbling on, finishing off by licking her fingertips. When she noticed his continuing silence, she glanced his way and saw him staring at her with disbelief.

“What?”

“You say…and do…the most outrageous things.”

She looked at her fingers, realizing what he referred to. “Pfff! It’s not as if I was licking any of your body parts.”

“I have a vivid imagination.”

He seemed to be softening toward her. “Are you still mad at me?” she asked.

“Furious.”

“But that would not stop you from a free fuck, would it?”

He winced at her crude word. “What has one to do with the other? A man has his brutish urges and must slake his lust in some way.”

“Typical man! If you’re going to say that all cats are the same in the dark, forget about it!”

“Huh?”

She shook her head at his hopelessness, or maybe at the hopelessness of repairing their relationship. “Sorry, Charlie, but I’m not making love with a man who doesn’t love me, probably never loved me.”

“I do not know about that. In truth, you missay me at every turn,” he said with a lazy drawl that caught her attention and caused her to look at him suspiciously. “There are butterflies fluttering in my belly. I am assailed by dizziness at odd times. And bilious? I could vomit here and now. In truth, I scarce know whether to oink or bray. Should I laugh or should I cry? That’s how moodsome I’ve become. A sad, sad state for a Viking warrior!” He arched his brows at her as if asking if she understood. Then he got up and walked away.

She frowned, then recalled once telling him about a Cosmo magazine article detailing the symptoms of love. Was he saying he still loved her? And then just strolling off, as if it was of no matter.

No frickin’ way!

“What are you saying?” she yelled after him.

Everyone at the high table and many of them below looked at her and then Hauk to see what was going on.

Kirstin stood and took her goblet in hand, raising it high. “I’d like to propose a toast,” she shouted. “Here’s to strong-minded Viking women.” The women in the hall cheered, Signe loudest of all, and raised their arms in the air, taking long draws on their drinks. “And to the few, very few, rare men who have the talent to hold them.”

The women cheered even louder, and the men not so much, as they peered at each other, wondering if they’d been insulted. Thorkel seemed to be shocked by his new wife’s actions.

Hauk stopped in his tracks, turned to stare at her. “Is that a challenge, m’lady?” he called out.

“That is a dare, my friend. In fact, I double dog dare you.”