Page 31 of The Blue Viking

Now, that was a bit of news he had not heard before. “What mean you? Did her father and brothers not treat her well? Or her husband? Logic says, being the only girl child in the chieftain’s family, she would have been spoiled like a pampered pet.”

“Spoiled? Hah! Her father died when she was little more than a bairn. Raised by her two brothers she was, but they had no time fer her. Two wives each, Donald and Angus had. All four of them died in the birthing and not a whelp to live from the lot of them. Donald and Angus were not unkind to Maire, precisely … neglectful would be a better word. That be why she spent so much time with the old witch, Cailleach.”

Rurik shrugged. Life was hard. Many men from many lands treated their womenfolk so, though Rurik’s friends did not, and he considered their homes more pleasant as a result. “How about her husband? Did he not cherish her, as newly wedded grooms are wont to do?”

“Humph! Kenneth was beastly to our Maire. The man had a mean mouth on him, and beat her on occasion, he did.”

Rurik bristled with outrage. “Beat? How badly?”

“Not so bad. Many a bruise and blackened eye and cracked lip, of course …”

Of course? Of course? There is no natural course in that!

“… but no broken bones … well, except for that one time her arm got broken, but Maire claimed she fell down the stairs. She was no doubt tryin’ to protect her husband from her wrathy clansmen, but we had to accept her word.”

Rurik clenched and unclenched his fists several times to calm himself. He knew it was not uncommon for a man to beat his wife, especially if provoked, but he felt a wild fury at hearing of Maire’s maltreatment. “I thought… well, Maire spoke of her upcoming marriage as a love match. Leastways, that is how I recall it, though it has been five years since last we met.”

Old John shook his head. “Kenneth was not a bad sort afore the wedding … certainly not of the same devilish ilk as his older brother. But he changed. Not just in his attitude toward Maire, but toward the Campbell lands and our whole clan, whose name he’d vowed to take on afore the ceremony. Some people said at the time that his bitterness was caused by…” Old John let his words trail off, as if he’d said too much.

“What?” Rurik prodded, then glared at Old John with the silent message that he’d best continue or face the consequences.

Old John took a long swallow from his cup and then disclosed, “Some said another had gone afore him, if you get my meaning, and this Kenneth discovered in the bridal bed. Virginity matters overmuch to men, if you ask me. Rumor was that it was for the lack of a maidenhead that Kenneth turned sour and punished her thereafter, when the foul mood was upon him.”

Rurik sucked in a sharp breath. Maire had been abused because of lying with him? In his country, women were more free. Oh, a maidenhead was prized, as it was in other lands, especially in negotiating the bride price, but lack of one was usually not such a huge problem… except betimes in uniting noble families. Certainly, it did not warrant beatings.

Now, adultery was another matter. Rurik had traveled to many countries where a husband would be entitled to have his wife’s head shorn of all hair for such an offense. In one case, the man had even cut off the tip of his unfaithful wife’s nose. But single, unattached women were usually given more leeway.

For the love of Freyja! Why had she not said anything?

But then, he immediately chastised himself as he realized that, in a way, she had. That must be why she’d urged him to take her with him, even if only for a short while. She’d known what the repercussions would be.

And how had he helped her? He’d laughed.

Rurik closed his eyes for a moment as guilt overwhelmed him. All his life, ever since he’d been a small boy, beaten and berated by those bigger and stronger than he, Rurik had taken great pains not to behave in a like manner to others … not weaklings, and certainly not women. And now he had to live with the fact that he’d caused the same pain to be inflicted on another person.

How would he be able to live with that?

How could he make it up to Maire?

He brightened suddenly as an idea came unbidden to him. He owned a prized necklet he’d had made especially by a jeweler in the trading town of Hedeby after a recent amber expedition to the Baltic with his friend, Tykir. He’d intended it as a bride gift for Theta, but he could always find something else for a wedding token. Yea, he reflected, smiling inwardly with satisfaction, he could picture the gold chain and oval, amber pendant lying against Maire’s creamy skin. He should probably wait till she was naked before he presented her with the thanks-gift. Definitely. Naked.

“Doona fash yerself over old wounds. Maire survived jest fine,” Old John told him with a pat on the forearm. Apparently, Old John had misunderstood Rurik’s dismay. He thought Rurik was upset over the abuse of a woman. He didn’t know it was much more personal than that. “Besides, we Campbells stick together. We did our best to protect Maire from Kenneth’s tempers. ’Tis amazing how many hiding places there are in such a small keep.” He grinned at Rurik as he spoke.

So, Maire was beaten only when she was caught unawares, Rurik deducted, much like he himself. Small consolation, that. And she’d had her clan to protect her, when they could, just as he’d had Stigand. He had not realized they had so much in common.

“There is somethin’ I been meanin’ to tell ye,” Old John said then. His face flushed red under his wrinkled cheeks, and that surprised Rurik mightily. Old John did not appear to be a man who embarrassed easily.

Rurik cocked his head to the side with interest.

“What you said about us Campbells today … when you was speakin’ to the MacNab… well, ’twas a mighty fine thing … and I speak fer all of us when I say we appreciate it, and we willna forget it, ever.”

“It was nothing, I—” Rurik started to say, but Old John put up a halting hand. Now Rurik was the one who felt his face heat up. “I meant what I said, and I don’t want anyone’s gratitude,” he said gruffly. “Let this be the end of it.”

Old John shook his head. “I willna speak of it again, but gratitude is a heavy burden … fer both parties. Ye must ken what this means, laddie.” Old John was beaming at him. “There’s only one way we can repay ye fer yer kindness.”

The fine hairs stood out on Rurik’s body. He knew … he just knew … he was not going to like what Old John was about to tell him. Still, his wagging tongue took over, “Uhm. What exactly are you referring to?”

Old John puffed out his chest and smiled widely at Rurik.