Epilogue
“Iwant Mother.”
Steinar smiled as he placed a kiss on the top of his son’s head. “I bet you do, and I think I know why. Are you hungry, by any chance? Is that why you want to find her?”
The little boy didn’t even pretend to look abashed. “Yes.”
“Well, you’ll have to wait a moment. She’s outside, feeding your sister.”
“Oh! Yes, Sanna! I want to see Sanna!”
Before Steinar could stop him, Rothgar shot out of the door, his favorite rabbit-shaped rag held tight in his hand.
“There you are!” he called out when he spotted Cwenthryth on the bench at the back of the hut, sitting in a spot of sunshine.
She smiled when the little boy threw himself at her. “Good morning, Rothgar.”
“Good morning. I—” He stopped when he saw that the babe in her arms was already feeding. Clearly he didn’t want to disturb either woman.
“Let me guess. Are you hungry?” Cwenthryth asked, brushing his cheek tenderly.
Steinar let out an amused sigh. His son was always ravenous when he woke up, and his wife knew it. He guessed she would have something ready for him. She always did.
“Don’t worry, I made some cakes earlier this morning. You’ll find them on the table, in the basket, with the honey your Faeir found yesterday.”
“Thank you!” He made to rush back inside the hut, then at the last moment turned to kiss her hand and give his newborn sister a stroke on the cheek.
Steinar’s heart melted at the sight of his family.
What had he done to deserve such happiness?
A year after Astrid’s death and their first unpromising meeting, Cwenthryth had gifted him with the loveliest little girl he had ever seen, with eyes as dark as a moonless night and hair to match, a perfect replica of her mother.
The birth had been a deeply emotional moment for both of them.
Cwenthryth had cried when Helga had handed her the kicking Sanna, and he’d known she’d been thinking of the baby she had lost the previous summer, and his own babe.
There had been nothing to do but hold her and murmur soothing words in her ear.
“Ast min.” Steinar kissed his wife then placed a gentle hand on his daughter’s head. “How are you this morning?”
“Never better. Now that Sanna sleeps through the night, I feel like I’ve been given a new life.”
“Yes.” So did he. The last two months had been hard on the new parents. Fortunately, they had been able to rely on their family for help. It now seemed that the worst was behind them. “Here, I guess you’ll be thirsty,” he said, handing her a cup of ale.
“Thank you.”
She took a grateful sip before putting Sanna on her other breast and finishing the cup.
Steinar looked at his two women, a contented smile floating on his lips.
He would never get tired of that perfect sight.
Feeling like the most blessed man in the world, he sat next to his wife and let the heat of the rising sun warm him up.
“You know, Aife came to visit earlier,” Cwenthryth informed him, when she handed him the babe, who had finished feeding. Steinar started pacing up and down in front of the bench, waiting for Sanna to burp.
“Is she all right?” Something in the way she’d said those words had him frowning. Was something amiss with Moon’s sister?
“Yes, don’t worry. But I think… I think she fancies herself in love with your brother.”
Still rubbing his daughter’s back, Steinar slowed down. “Which one?”
“Sven.”
He winced, because this was precisely what he’d been afraid of. “Oh. This should be interesting.”
“Interesting? Why?”
Steinar resumed his rhythmic pacing, hoping to coax the baby into releasing the air she needed to expel. A moment later, she did.
“When Moon started to see Eyja four years ago, we three brothers, er…didn’t take it quite well, shall we say.
We thought he might be merely amusing himself with her before moving on to his next conquest. They had been friends all their lives and we didn’t think he would take the imp seriously.
Of course we were quickly proved wrong, and it now seems odd to think that we doubted his feelings for her but… ”
Cwenthryth chuckled as she restored order to her clothes.
Using the brooch he had given her at the birth of their daughter, she closed her bodice.
It had not escaped his notice that she hadn’t had any jewelry to call her own and he had made sure to rectify the situation.
The finely chiseled band he had placed around her finger the day he had made her his wife had been the first of many gifts he had bestowed on her.
She was even wearing a thin arm ring around her left bicep, just like he was.
The request for one had surprised him, but he’d seen no reason to refuse her.
Saxon or not, she was part of their community now.
“I see,” she said, smoothing down the folds of her gown. “Now you’re worried Moon’s going to think the same thing of Sven and make him suffer for debauching his little sister, just like you did.”
“Exactly. And he would be right to worry. Sven is not ready to settle, I don’t think, might never be.
” Steinar tightened his hold on his daughter’s back.
The little girl had started to go limp against him, indicating she was falling asleep.
“Torsten is serious and reliable but Sven still behaves like a youth of sixteen summers, as I’m sure you’ve noticed. ”
Another chuckle. “I have. It would be hard not to. Well, we’ll have to see, won’t we? It is not for us to decide who can or cannot catch her attention. Though I can’t say I blame her for falling under the spell of one of Wolf’s sons. They are the most compelling men.”
He grunted at the heated look she threw him. “All of them?”
“All of them. But I have a particular fondness for the eldest one, the one made of stone, at least on the outside.” She stood up. “On the inside, I think he’s made of the softest, most delicious honey.”
“Honey?” Really? Bloody hell, he hoped Sven never got to hear this. He would never let him forget it.
“Yes. Honey. I should know,” she purred. “I’ve tasted him often enough. It is the taste I like most in the world. I can’t wait to taste him again. Maybe tonight?”
Oh, was she trying to kill him? They had not made love for months, as the last few weeks before Sanna’s birth had been rather rough on her and obviously her body had needed time to recover from the birth. But if she thought she was finally ready…
“Well, I’m afraid that Wolf’s eldest son is going to hold you to that promise,” he warned his voice dark with desire.
Cwenthryth planted herself in front of him, her dark eyes aglow with happiness and lifted her mouth to him. “I certainly hope he will.”
They spoke at the same time.
“Kyss mik.”
Coming next
Torsten’s Gamble.