It was evening before Elswyth was brought before Jarl Vidar to explain her crimes. The Scots had been soundly defeated, thanks in part to the arrival of the Jarl and his fleet of warriors. As before, this attack seemed to be a test. It wasn’t the whole of the Scots horde, but enough to check their weaknesses. It had been a foolish ploy, because far more Scots had been cut down than had escaped—though Domnall hadn’t been among either group, much to Rolfe’s displeasure. They had even taken a few for questioning. The whole of the afternoon had been taken up with dealing with the battle’s aftermath.
Now Elswyth sat at the long table in the hall with Rolfe at her side as she recounted what her family had called upon her to do. Her chestnut hair was pulled back, but left to flow down to her waist, the fire picking up streaks of red and gold. She was beautiful as she fearlessly answered the Jarl’s questions. Rolfe was proud to see that she didn’t shirk her own responsibility—she had after all agreed to spy—but neither did she deny how she had been misled by Galan and, ultimately, her own father. She would never have stolen the jewel without the threat of Baldric’s safety spurring her on.
He believed that now. A strong thread of honour ran through his wife, guiding her actions and judgement. It had been there all along, which is why he’d been called to her from the beginning. Perhaps she would have opened up to him earlier had he shown her that he loved her, instead of allowing Hilde to cast her shadow on their union. He stroked a hand down Elswyth’s back as she finished her story and sat silently awaiting Vidar’s judgement. She seemed to take strength from his touch, notching her chin a bit higher as she met Vidar’s harsh gaze head on.
‘Do I understand you to claim that you never actually gave your family any beneficial information?’ Vidar asked, his brow furrowed as he looked down at her.
‘Nay, my lord. After seeing Alvey with my own eyes, I came to the conclusion that peace would be best. Your forces were too strong to fight, but more than that, I saw how peaceful it was there. With Lady Gwendolyn’s help, I came to believe that we could find that peace here in Banford if given the chance.’
Vidar took in a deep breath as he stared at her, his expression still fierce and hard. ‘Then it appears your only crime is that of theft.’
He raised a brow and she nodded. ‘Aye, my lord. Again, I am very sorry for that. I only took it because—’
He held up his hand, palm out, to stop her. ‘I understand what prompted the theft, Elswyth. I cannot fault you for your intentions, but neither can I ignore the outcome.’
Rolfe clenched his jaw and gently pressed his palm into her back, reassuring her. He didn’t believe that Vidar would treat her harshly, but he had no idea what his friend intended. If he set out to make an example of her... He couldn’t even allow the thought to finish in his mind. Knowing how her family had used her and forsaken her was punishment enough.
‘Aye, my lord. I understand.’ She stiffened under Rolfe’s touch, steeling herself for the punishment.
‘You stole from Rolfe, so I will remand you to your husband for him to mete out a suitable punishment. However, I would urge you in the future to come to us should you or your family need assistance.’
She nodded, but relief was postponed at the mention of her family. ‘What will become of my family?’
No one had seen her family since Rolfe had confronted them outside Alvey’s walls. In the rush to find Elswyth and deal with the impending Scot threat, they had slipped away. Yet with several of the villagers missing along with her family, it could only be assumed that they had wilfully left. Perhaps to join with the Scot cause, perhaps not. The next few days would tell. Rolfe burned to get hold of her father and tell the man what he thought of him and his treatment of his daughters.
‘It’s good that your father and brothers were not with the Scots who attacked. I won’t leave Banford until this problem is dealt with once and for all and that includes finding your father and brothers. I’ll give them the same chance I gave you to answer for their crimes.’
She nodded and Rolfe took her hand in his, giving it a squeeze. She hadn’t given up hope that her family would turn up soon. ‘What of Ellan? She never entertained our father’s hatred.’
Vidar nodded. ‘I’ve already sent for her to join us here. I’ll question her, of course, but if that’s true then she’ll be free to do as she’d like. She can return to Alvey or stay in Banford.’
Unable to wait another moment to be alone with his wife again, Rolfe rose to his feet and pulled her up with him. Murmuring his thanks to Vidar, he put an arm around her waist and ushered her from the building. She smiled up at him when he tucked his fur cloak around her shoulders and let the door close behind them.
‘Where are we going?’ she laughed. ‘We should at least check on Aevir.’
Aevir had been wounded in the battle, but had been tended to hours ago. Rolfe shook his head. ‘You already made him a poultice and he’s resting. It’s time to discuss your punishment, Wife.’
She pulled a face, but he could tell it only hid a smile. ‘I knew you wouldn’t let that go.’
‘Of course not. Jarl Vidar specifically said that I was to punish you. I can’t defy an order.’ He swung her up into his arms and ran with her through the cold to the farmhouse, her laughter floating behind them. The housemaid had left the fire burning in the hearth with a pot of stew bubbling over the flame before she’d left for the night. His stomach growled at the aroma, but it would have to wait. He had another hunger to assuage first and it was for something far more important than food.
After he set Elswyth on her feet, she hurried to the hearth to warm her hands as he secured the door closed behind them. After hanging up his cloak, he walked up behind her, putting his arms around her and drawing her back against his chest.
‘You forgot your gloves in Alvey.’
She shook her head. Her voice was soft when she said, ‘Nay, I left them on purpose. At the time I couldn’t keep them. They were your first gift to me and it hurt too much to look at them.’
He breathed in her sweet scent and ran his lips along her temple. ‘At the time...but not now?’
‘I’m sorry I left the way I did. It was wrong.’ She turned in his arms as she spoke and looked up at him, her hands cupping his face. ‘I want us to always talk going forward. I know that there will be things you have to do that I won’t like, but we can’t allow that to come between us. We can’t forget that we are better together than we are apart.’
Lacing his fingers with hers, he kissed down the tender inside of one slender wrist, smiling when she sucked in a breath. ‘I’m sorry for what happened with Osric. And more, I am sorry for not telling you and being honest with you from the beginning.’
She nodded. ‘I love you, Dane. I love you far more than I could ever hate you, no matter what happens. Please believe that. Always.’
His answer was to press his lips to hers and hold her close. With the bitter winter wind raging outside, treachery and heartache was forgotten as they explored the love that burned between them.
If you enjoyed this story, don’t miss the next story
in the To Wed a Viking duet, coming soon!
And be sure to check out
the Viking Warriors miniseries
by Harper St. George
Enslaved by the Viking
One Night with the Viking
In Bed with the Viking Warrior
The Viking Warrior’s Bride
Keep reading for an excerpt from The Cinderella Countess by Sophia James.
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