Chapter Nineteen
Burning Cross
Fear and loathing burned Randvior’s throat as he deposited Noelle on the bed and wrapped her in blankets.
He rushed to the hearth and dropped an armful of kindling, built up the fire until it roared.
He returned bedside and looked deeply into her eyes.
They were wide open, pupils dilated, and she complained of a throbbing skull—considering the force of the blow she’d … Oh god, she was lucky to be alive.
Hours later, she slowly became more aware of the things around her. She’d stopped calling him by her father’s name and had noticed the nasty gash down the side of his shoulder.
She demanded he let her stitch him up before he bled to death in front of her.
Her resiliency astounded him and he pacified her by sitting down on a chair next to the fireplace so she could see.
If she needed to use him as a pincushion to stay alert and awake, his body was at her service.
She poured half a bottle of wine over the wound and stepped away as Randvior cursed the day.
Once the pain subsided, he eyed her speculatively.
Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea letting her handle a needle and thread right now.
Unaware of any formal training she had for surgery, he accepted the fact that he was about to find out.
Medical supplies were always kept in his saddlebags.
He watched as she dug around and pulled out sheep gut thread and a needle.
She sterilized the needle over the open flame and doused it with alcohol, repeating the process twice.
He arched a brow worriedly as she threaded the needle and held it up for inspection.
“Are you ready?” She put her hand on his shoulder.
Practiced fingers sunk the needle under his skin and completed the first stitch.
He flexed his fingers on the other hand to keep his mind off the stinging, nagging pain.
After careful stitching, she counted forty stitches out loud, cut the thread, and knotted the ends together.
Randvior regarded her handiwork and nodded appreciatively.
“It will do,” she said.
“Aye,” he agreed. Forty tiny stitches—small ones left less of a scar. He smiled. If Aud or one of his other men had gotten their hands on him in the field, they might have sewn him together with twenty. What other skills had she hidden from him? “Your talents are endless.”
She mopped her forehead with the back of her hand. “Thank you.”
“Do you feel queasy?”
She looked surprised and nodded. “Aye, how did you know?”
“Serious head injuries can do that, although I cannot explain why you’re on your feet now.”
He had many questions. Like, who taught her how to stab a man in the kidney?
Maybe she had witnessed a fair share of violence in her young life.
But these kinds of questions would only elicit a feeling of indignity in a woman who risked everything to save him.
Instead, he simply gave voice to one. “Why did you intervene? Those men weren’t after you, min lille dukke, they wanted me. ”
“I overheard one say your mother told them where we were. It made me more furious than anything I’ve ever heard. She betrayed you, and I’ll be damned if she’ll make me a widow before I have a chance to live my life with you.”
Her words put to rest any lingering doubts. Before, he had wondered if she had only agreed to marry him to protect her family or to gain forgiveness from her god. He looked her over critically, wanted to make sure she was fit to travel. Injuries left them both weak.
Randvior was determined to make it home before nightfall. If she had been hurt worse, to Hel with his tenants, but he knew she was strong and they were determined to face whatever horrors awaited them at home.
Darkness set in as they met a group of riders halfway home. Noelle lowered her thick collar and stared across the field at the horses tethered to trees. She recognized Brandon immediately. He was alive and well. It gave her hope that whatever had happened might not be as bad as originally feared.
Randvior kissed the back of her neck before he slipped from the saddle. Several riders dismounted and met him near the trees. Noelle could see Brandon and Randvior’s hands gesturing angrily. Bad news. The men broke apart and Brandon followed Randvior back to his horse.
“My Lady …” Brandon bowed formally.
She nodded. “What news?”
He looked up and pursed his lips. Rarely did Sir McNally frown. “I’ll let your husband do the telling. But I’m very happy to see you alive. Randvior told us of your bravery. Once again, you have humbled men of war by showing us purity in spirit.”
She received his praise with mixed emotions. Managed to give him a half nod, before Randvior told her to stay put while they made further plans.
Randvior’s voice boomed across the clearing as she waited.
She couldn’t make out what he was saying, but none of it could be good.
Bored with waiting, and desperate to relieve herself, she wandered into the woods.
No harm with a small army standing nearby.
A faint rustling and a whisper drew her deeper into the forest. It sounded so familiar.
Were the Norse gods summoning her?
For some inexplicable reason she wasn’t afraid. She jerked around at the sound of leaves and twigs being trampled underfoot. And there he was … whether a figment of her imagination or a ghost, her brother, Brian Sinclair, stood only feet away.
Astounded, she recalled seeing him back at the cabin before she passed out.
“Sister …”
Noelle searched for an escape route. But it was dark and Brian was faster and stronger. He extended his hand to her.
“I’ve come to take you home.”
“To what?” She realized he was flesh and blood now.
“To Durham.”
Noelle sank to her knees. Her mind painted a vivid picture of what misery her life would be back home.
“No. I am home.” There was nothing he could offer her to lure her back to a life under the same roof with him.
But Brian didn’t care about what other people wanted. He came at her—and Noelle couldn’t move out of the way in time.
“Life,” he whispered as he roughly yanked her to her feet, “is often unfair. Did you enjoy selling your soul to the devil? Didn’t I tell you I’d hunt you down?”
She gouged at his eyes, but he clapped his hand over her mouth and spun her around so her back faced him. He held her in a death grip and applied so much pressure to her chest she couldn’t breathe. She tried to break free, but he only gripped her harder.
“Help yourself. Come peacefully and I’ll let you live until we get home. Keep struggling and I’ll slit your throat right now and watch you bleed out like a pig.”
At that, she bit the fleshy part of his palm.
“You filthy bitch!” he yelped and shook his hand out while she ran for cover, hiding behind a large bush. Long moments passed, then she heard his footsteps.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are …”
Noelle bowed her head. Good God—how had he gotten here? Her heart jolted. Lauga … Of course, they had a shared hatred in common.
“I’ve been trailing you for days. A touching wedding ceremony, I might add, outdoors for the entire world to enjoy. Did you really think Father would allow you to disappear? Did you think I’d allow you to live happily ever after?”
She could hear him walking around and it frightened her.
“Margaret has been sold off to an English baron and our father is very ill. He met with an unfortunate accident after his return from Ireland, after he tried to banish me.”
This news surprised her. Her father would never do such a thing unless the servants and soldiers convinced him Brian had murdered Ophelia in cold blood. Even Lord Sinclair had his limits.
He threw a bit of rope over the bush and it landed by her feet. “Bind your hands and come out.”
She focused on the air around her and considered her options, fleeing or dying. She would sleep an enchanted sleep having loved so purely and deeply. Death didn’t scare her anymore, but leaving Randvior behind and sailing home with Brian did. She threw the scrap of rope at him.
“I’d rather die.”
Her remark hadn’t quite registered when she faced him again. Before her brother could respond, Randvior struck as deadly as a rabid wolf.
“You’ve gone too far.” Randvior wrapped his hands around her brother’s throat and slammed him to the ground. “I left your home unharmed and allowed you to keep half your wealth. What could have possibly enticed you to risk your life by coming here?”
Brian coughed and struggled to speak. Randvior relaxed his grip.
Noelle knew the answer … There was no other reasonable explanation.
“To kill her.”
With his bare hands, Randvior slammed her brother’s head against the jagged stones that littered the ground. Heaving for air, Randvior let go of Brian’s body and turned. “I heard your fearless words—say nothing—leave his corpse to rot.”
But there was something she needed, someone she wanted. “One thing, my husband.”
He nodded.
“Bring my sister home, I beg you.” She shouldn’t regret begging mercy for her sister’s life. Please my love …
Randvior came to her and took her hand. “If there is a way, I swear I will reunite you with Margaret.”
Tears filled her eyes. Together, they walked back to the horses.
Randvior rode ahead of the guards as they made their way toward home. It took a long while for her husband to speak to her again. When he did, he explained everything.
“Three cabins were burned to the ground last night,” he said ominously. “Four families perished.”
She turned in the saddle. A great sadness made his shoulders sag like an old man’s. Her heart rolled over in her chest. “Why?”