Chapter 7
Her father was not quite ready to leave when they reached Wolf’s hut, so Gytha sat on the bench under the tree to wait for him.
Haakon gave her one last nod and started to walk away.
Their discussion had stirred something inside him and he was more convinced than ever that the little Saxon was trouble, only not in the way he’d thought at first. She was trouble for him specifically, because somehow she seemed to be both what he had always wanted a woman to be—independent, alluring, brave, stimulating—and what he had never known existed but appeared indispensable as soon as you’d glimpsed it.
And now he was afraid that nothing less than her beguiling mixture of brazenness and innocence would do.
He was so lost in his thoughts that he did not look where he was going—and walked straight into Edita, who was coming in the opposite direction. They found themselves face to face, only inches away from one another.
He stepped back and maneuvered to make sure he was facing Gytha, who was still sitting on her bench.
Had she noticed his meeting with the woman he wanted to avoid?
From the way she sat up in interest, it was clear that she had.
It pleased him because it showed that she had been watching him.
But he had to make clear who had just put herself in his path.
“Edita,” he said out loud. For good measure, as he said the name, he threw Gytha a meaningful glance above the Saxon’s head.
Placed where she was she would be able to see what was happening, perhaps even hear what was said.
She would understand the woman was none other than the one they had just discussed
“Haakon,” Edita crooned in her usual whiny voice. “It was a beautiful ceremony last night, don’t you think?”
“Yes.” Such an original comment… Nothing like Gytha’s unexpected questions and challenging remarks.
“This Eadhild is a lucky woman. Norse marriages are nothing like the ones I’m used to and yesterday’s ceremony made me more determined than ever to find my own Norse husband.”
“That would be your third, is that correct?”
“Yes.” She didn’t let the comment rile her. Instead she gave an unnerving little giggle. “Believe it or not, three has always been my lucky number.”
To his utter disbelief, she placed a hand over his chest and gave his pectoral a squeeze.
Didn’t she care that they were in the middle of the village?
That anyone, including Arne, could see them?
His friend had given him the impression this morning that he intended this tryst with Edita to lead somewhere.
She, on the other hand, seemed to think it had been of so little importance that she was still free to pursue whoever she wanted.
Him.
Would there be no end to his torment? From her place at the bench, Gytha arched a brow.
She was evidently thinking the same thing.
Either that, or she was wondering if he’d lied to her earlier, and he was in reality flattered by Edita’s attention.
This was the last thing he needed. In just a few weeks, the woman had made his life hell.
“I believe you may have found your future husband,” he said, willing her to remember she had slept with Arne only the night before. What was she doing, behaving so freely with him?
“I believe I may have.”
The look in her eyes made it obvious she wasn’t talking about Arne.
At a loss, he waited. Edita’s hand moved lower.
As if this had been a pre-agreed signal, Gytha stood up and walked straight over to them, determination etched all over her face.
Haakon almost swallowed his tongue in panic.
Had she misinterpreted what was happening?
Edita had been whispering. From a distance the two of them might well appear like lovers agreeing to an illicit meeting.
He knew Gytha was not the shy kind. If she thought he had lied to her she would tell him in no uncertain terms, in front of Edita.
This was a disaster but he didn’t see what he could do to avert it.
When she heard footsteps behind her, Edita reverted to a more seemly distance. Either she thought the person coming their way was Arne or some vestige of modesty was compelling her to act as she should.
Haakon stiffened and braced himself—only to have the surprise of seeing Gytha stop by his side and snake her arm around his. She didn’t appear angry or suspicious. On the contrary, she was smiling.
“There you are, I was looking for you. You won’t believe what Eadhild just told me.
Her father thought you were one of Wolf’s sons when he heard about our betrothal,” she said with a tinkling laugh.
“And he was very put out to be told I was to marry into such a prestigious Norse family, as you can imagine. I’m thinking we should not rectify his mistake just yet, what do you think? ”
“You are—?” Edita started, blinking. Betrothed, she clearly meant to say.
Haakon could not blame her for looking dumbstruck. He was dumbstruck himself. What was Gytha doing?
Her smile widened even further when she addressed the other Saxon. “I’m sorry, I’m Gytha. I don’t think we’ve met?”
“N-no, but, excuse me, you were saying?”
“Oh, yes, that my friend’s father had mistaken Haakon for one of Wolf’s sons.”
Edita waved a hand. “Not that. The other thing.”
That they were betrothed.
Before Gytha could answer, Arne appeared round the corner.
Haakon stiffened further, unable to believe his bad luck.
Was this really happening? Had his friend seen Edita stroke him like a pet earlier?
Had he heard their conversation? Was he about to flatten him to the ground for trying to steal his woman?
Would Gytha’s presence be enough to stop an outburst of violence?
She still had her arm around him, so it did look as if he was involved with her, not Edita, but one could not be sure.
Arne stopped in front of them and took Edita by the waist.
“There you are. I was looking for you.” Those were the exact same words Gytha had told him, which only added to the ludicrousness of the moment.
Then Arne winked at him. “I knew you had a thing for Saxons, you dog. You tried to deny it when I asked if you had your eye on someone earlier, but I see I was right. You’re Eadhild’s friend, aren’t you? ” he asked Gytha, turning to her.
“I am.” Her smile alone would have convinced anyone she and Haakon were indeed a couple and she was proud to be introduced to a friend of his. “We’ve been friends since we could walk.”
“Wonderful.” Having already lost interest in the conversation, Arne lowered his head to Edita. “Shall we? There was something I wanted to show you.”
No prize for guessing what that “something” was or what Edita would be expected to do with it. Haakon breathed a sigh of relief when the two of them disappeared round the hut.
“Thank you for trying to get me out of the woman’s clutches,” he told Gytha, who was still holding his arm. Even though there was no one to see them, he did nothing to disentangle himself. That simple contact felt good. She felt good next to him.
“You’re welcome. You helped me the other day, it was only fair I helped you, don’t you think?”
He stilled, as her comment reminded him of something. He hesitated. Should he tell her what he’d just thought of? Wouldn’t she read more than he intended into it? In the end, he decided to speak.
“You know… My parents met when my mother pretended to be my father’s lover.”
Gytha stared at him with as much disbelief as this declaration warranted. “Why would she do such a thing?”
“To protect him from an accusation of theft. One of the men from the village claimed he had been the one stealing Wolf’s horse in the night.
Though they didn’t know one another, she could not believe he was guilty of the crime so she told everyone that he could not have done the deed, as he had spent the night in her bed.
As if that weren’t enough to put herself in a difficult position, my uncle Bjorn, her brother, was in the group.
You can imagine how he reacted to that declaration. ”
“Yes, I can.” A chuckle, mingled with awe and disbelief. “Dear God, but your mother is a braver woman than I am.”
He smiled at her. “She is brave.”
Brave and loving and fiercely loyal, just like Gytha herself was, he was starting to suspect.
This woman who barely knew him had saved him from another woman’s advances.
Being petted was admittedly not as dangerous as being accused of theft but he considered himself no less lucky than his father had been.
Except that now that he had spoken, Haakon understood why he had hesitated in telling Gytha the story.
Because, funny as it was with hindsight, it felt oddly meaningful.
It made the similarities between what had happened to his parents and what was happening between them glaring.
It even seemed to suggest that he thought the two of them would end up married one day and able to tell their children the unusual way they’d met.
That wasn’t what he was doing.
Was it?
With her hand in the crook of his arm, he was not so sure.
“Well, you have to admit that this confusion between you and Wolf’s sons was too good to not mention,” Gytha said, thankfully oblivious to his musings.
“Yes. Although if I’m honest, I’m not certain that claiming we are betrothed will be enough to stop Edita. Sleeping with Arne clearly didn’t put an end to her views on me. Knowing I’m to marry another woman might not be enough to deter her.”
“No. I’m not surprised.”
“Not surprised? What do you mean?”
It was when Haakon arched a brow at her that Gytha realized she had spoken before she could think.
Everything within her dissolved because she could not answer his question, not honestly, at least. She could not admit that, had she been in Edita’s place, she might well have found it impossible to give up on her hope of ever seducing Haakon, that she’d meant that the woman would be a fool to abandon the fight, considering the possible reward.
She could not speak out loud any of those shameful thoughts she wasn’t even supposed to have thought, or hint at the attraction she felt for him.
“I mean…” she started, floundering for something less damning to say. “Is this Arne a good lover?”
The look on Haakon’s face could only have been described as shocked. But what was hiding behind it? Was it disbelief at her daring? Plain disapproval? Would she even go as far as saying that it was jealousy? She didn’t know. But something was brewing in his eyes.
“Why the hell would you want to know that?” he finally asked.
Good question. Why had that been the first question to cross her mind?
The expression on his face made it clear she had better give him an answer, and fast.
“Well, if he’s not capable of giving her pleasure, it would only be natural for Edita to try and find someone else to see to her needs.”
There, Gytha thought, this seemed rather reasonable.
It was… Except that it made it look as if this was what she, herself, did every time a man did not give her satisfaction.
Earlier she had given him the impression that she was experienced, now she was giving him reason to think that she chose—and discarded—her lovers based on their performances in bed.
Well, too late. Better that than admit she was, in reality, still a virgin.
“I think there’s nothing wrong with Arne’s ability to satisfy a woman,” Haakon said slowly. “But I wouldn’t know.”
Damnation, he seemed to have concluded that she wanted to go see for herself what the man could do with a woman in his arms. She didn’t, but she couldn’t back down now.
She couldn’t let Haakon suspect that she was, in fact, attracted to him, that she was wondering how he behaved in bed with a woman, because he wouldn’t know what to make of this.
She wasn’t sure herself.
Never before had she had such inappropriate, disturbing, downright carnal thoughts about a man.
Never before had she tried to imagine what he could do to her with those long, elegant fingers, or wondered how his naked skin would feel like under her palms, or asked herself if she would be brave enough to let him put his mouth between her legs.
Eadhild had once told her, cheeks aflame, that being licked in that secret place was the most amazing delight a woman could experience.
Gytha had been so shocked to hear that this was something men could do that she had not even asked any questions.
Now she dearly wished she had, so that she could imagine Haakon doing it with all the precision needed.
Dear lord, what was wrong with her? Was she depraved? Or was she normal to wonder? To want to experience the sensations?
“Are you all right, Saxon?” Haakon asked, frowning.
“Perfectly all right.”
Only I was imagining you licking my…well, you know. Just ignore me.
Obviously, her father chose that moment to exit the hut.
Realizing she was still holding Haakon’s arm, Gytha quickly took a step to the side.
It was one thing for Edita and Arne to see them together, quite another to let her father suspect that she and the man helping her friend were more than passing acquaintances
Haakon took a step back himself. Their position now appeared perfectly innocuous. With luck, no one would know she had been picturing Haakon’s head between her thighs, using his tongue in the most scandalous way.
“Send Haakon into town when you have dealt with the slave trader,” she heard her father tell Wolf, who nodded his agreement. “If I’m not there, he can leave the message with Gytha. She has been keeping herself abreast of the whole affair, which is a help.”
“Of course. I will.”
She and Haakon exchanged a glance. It sounded as if they would have to work together in the weeks to come, and this until they found Osberga.
How ironic, if not cruel. For months she had wanted to take part in her father’s investigations.
Now that she had finally been given a chance to join one, she had to collaborate with the first man who made her think all manner of shocking thoughts, a Norse god who set her blood on fire.
Her father spotted her and nodded.
“Gytha, are you ready to go?”
She was. A lively gallop was the very thing she needed to clear her mind of lascivious images involving the blond man by her side.