Chapter 4
The smell of salted pork simmering with leeks and onions had been torturing Sven for hours, or so it seemed.
Well, it wouldn’t be long before he could stop and taste what Eahlswith had prepared.
The repair could have been finished by now, but he had made sure to work slowly so as to have an excuse to remain in town for another day.
Now that he was here, he would make the most of it.
He had been so very vexed to be told Eahlswith had already left for town when he’d come to visit her the morning after he’d brought her to Steinar’s hut…
For a moment, anger had clouded his judgment, made him fantasize about punishment.
He would make her pay for another disillusion.
Why was she so determined to not be part of his life?
What had he done wrong? Give her pleasure such as two people rarely experience?
Offer her a drink of good ale? Carry her to her friend’s house when she couldn’t walk?
None of these actions could explain, much less justify, her attitude.
She would pay.
Then once he had calmed down, he had seen that he was losing his mind.
Aggression had never been his weapon of choice and would not be the way forward with Eahlswith.
He didn’t want to frighten her away, rather the other way around.
And barging in would achieve nothing but to make her turn from him for good.
He needed to understand what motivated her actions.
She had disappeared, just like she had in the summer, but the difference was, this time, he knew where to find her.
This time, there would be no escaping him; he was now more determined than ever to find her.
When he’d heard Cwenthryth tell Steinar an old man Eahlswith cared about needed his roof repaired, he’d known it was his chance.
Out of his brother’s hearing, he’d asked her where he could find this Osbert’s house.
And the following day, he’d been there, ready to do what needed to be done.
The shock on her face when she’d seen him had been worth the effort, as had the result.
A whole afternoon with her and if his luck held, a second day tomorrow.
Had he gone to find her at any other time, she might have found a way to avoid him, but as the old man indeed needed his roof repaired, she had been unable to do what she’d been itching to do and send him on his way.
His idea of pretending not to be able to talk to her had been a stroke of genius.
It had prevented any arguments, at least while they were in the house.
And now the hole was covered, which ensured the old man would survive the winter.
Yes, all in all, the day had been a success.
He climbed down from the roof, remembering Eahlswith’s urging to be careful. Say what she might, she cared, a least a little. And that smile she had given him as a reward for his work had been… Stunning.
Night had already fallen when he finally pushed the door of the house open.
“Thank you, young man,” Osbert told him, taking his hand in a surprisingly strong grip.
Sven shook his head and gestured at his bag, then at the roof. He waved his wrist in the air a few times. The man just stared at him in incomprehension.
“I think he’s trying to tell us that he’s not quite finished yet and will have to come back tomorrow,” he heard Eahlswith say. Sven barely repressed a smile. They were very good at understanding one another, even without words, in whatever circumstances.
“But we couldn’t put him out thus. Look, the roof has been patched up. What else could the man do?”
She made a helpless gesture. “I am no carpenter but there is probably some consolidating to do.”
There was. Sven had made sure the planks were in place so as to protect the interior in case it started to snow in the night, but he’d left some work for tomorrow, just enough to ensure another day in Eahlswith’s company.
When he turned to her he could see the urge to scowl at him again swirling in her eyes. The effect was most fetching. He almost smiled.
“Well, if he means to come back tomorrow, I’ll have to offer him a place for the night,” the old man started, looking slightly flustered at the idea.
“He cannot go all the way back to his village only to come back again in the morning. But I’m afraid I can’t play the host tonight. I told Wassa I would—”
“Worry not. Sven can sleep with me.”
Sleep with her? That sounded promising. Sven arched a wicked brow at her, confident Osbert could not see him, placed where he was. Eahlswith couldn’t stop the most delightful color from spreading to her cheeks. His cock twitched.
“I mean… There is room in my house,” she amended, for his benefit rather than Osbert’s.
She didn’t want him to get the wrong idea.
Too late. He was already imagining the two of them in bed together.
Moving as unobtrusively as he could, he placed his clasped hands in front of his groin.
If Eahlswith carried on talking about welcoming him in her bed it would not be long before the tingling he was feeling grew into a full erection.
“Are you sure, my dear?” Osbert didn’t seem to suspect anything.
“Yes, I told you he is Cwenthryth’s husband’s brother. I trust him,” Eahlswith breathed. “He will not dare do anything to inconvenience me.”
Sven could only agree. Inconvenience her was the last thing he wanted to do. Nevertheless, as he was supposed not to understand a word of the conversation, he remained impassive.
“Let’s eat then,” the old man decided, gesturing at the table. “I daresay the Norseman will be famished after all he’s done.”
Sven sat down gratefully. Not only was he relieved to hide his lap under the table but he was indeed famished.
His bowl was filled up first and he plunged his spoon in it as soon as everyone was served.
Mm. The soup was just as tasty as the smell had promised, and the bread crusty and fresh.
Sven did not even pretend to refuse when Eahlswith filled his bowl again moments later.
He was too ravenous and the soup too delicious for that.
“Dear me. The man eats for three!” Osbert exclaimed.
His own bowl was still half full. “Oh, what it is to be young and healthy. Mind you, I was never as strong as that man, far from it.” He chuckled.
“But I never got any complaints, if you know what I mean. Some women like a gentler touch. My late wife, God rest her soul, was like that. There was nothing she liked better than being licked and that is something even the puniest of men can do. She would beg me to—”
“Osbert, please stop!” Eahlswith chided, going red to the roots of her hair.
She had stilled at the word “licked”, as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
In truth, Sven himself had flinched. It was not often you heard such talk at the dinner table.
“Really, you shouldn’t be telling me this. ”
Sven worked hard at pretending he could not understand what was being said and busied himself pouring more ale to everyone.
He liked the old man, who reminded him of some of his father’s friends.
And indeed, he agreed with him. Some women liked a gentler touch.
But most liked their lovers to be tender at times and assertive at others, and he was glad to be able to provide both options, as well as a few others.
“Come, my dear. I know you agree with me considering that Edwin—”
“Oh no!”
Eahlswith stood up abruptly and stared at the soup stain on her dress.
Had she dropped her spoon on purpose, so as to interrupt a conversation that was making her uncomfortable?
Sven couldn’t help but wonder. The gesture had seemed particularly clumsy on her part.
But perhaps she was prone to such mishaps.
After all, she had dropped the cask of ale on her foot the other day.
“I’ll have to wash that now,” she lamented, staring at her bodice.
“You will find fresh water in the bucket over there,” Osbert offered.
“No, thank you,” she answered, gesturing that they should leave. This was his cue, seeing as he was not supposed to understand what she was saying. “I think I might as well do that at home now. It’s almost time to go to bed anyway.”
Under the table Sven’s groin manifested its approval.
Yes.
Time to go to bed.
The fire was reduced to embers by the time they reached her house.
Muttering to herself for her carelessness, Eahlswith she set about rekindling the flames.
It would not be too difficult, as she had all she needed, but having had no lively fire for a whole afternoon meant that the house was far colder than she would have liked.
In this season it was not a good idea to let the fire die out.
Why had she not seen to it when she had come to get the salted pork earlier?
Because she’d been distracted by the appearance of Sven, that was why.
Well, she would have to regain her composure, and fast.
She was about to spend a night alone in the same room as Sven.
She would need all her faculties to ensure it did not end in disaster.
In the summer she had surrendered to the violent desire he had provoked in her because she’d imagined it was safe, because she would never see him again.
Since then she had discovered he was her best friend’s brother-in-law.
If she wasn’t careful, this could end badly.
Once she had a satisfactory fire going, she went back outside in search for food to give to Sven’s horse.
Godgifu at the end of the street had an old nag and might give her a bucketful of oats in exchange for the remainder of the spices she had bought the other day.
Indeed, her friend was all too happy to swap the oats for the precious commodity.