Chapter Fifteen
Brynja
Brynja couldn’t wait to show Hildi her find.
The plate of armor made to fit a woman’s body was so beautiful that she was in shock still.
And with Hagen’s help, she’d held it up to her own body and it fit perfectly.
There were straps to hold it on, but it was a little too uncomfortable to wear on the boat, so she decided to carry it back.
Hagen picked it up to carry it for her, then said, “Look, it’s in two pieces, meant to split at your waist.” So she carried the top piece, and Hagen carried the other piece.
Jowell and Paden were surprised to see her find. “Aunt Gwyneth will love it,” Jowell said.
“And so will my sister,” Hagen said.
“Dyna will love it, I agree. And Eli, if she wasn’t carrying a bairn,” Paden added.
“Eli will still try to put it on. I’ll warn Alaric,” Jowell added with a laugh.
Brynja cleared her throat and said, “It’s staying with me. It’s a gift from my mother. It probably came from the land of the Norse, my ancestors.”
Hagen said, “But you agreed to come to Duart Castle if we helped you find the treasure. And we did, and you found a hell of a treasure, so now you must go to Duart Castle with us.”
“Are you ordering me again?”
Hagen growled but said nothing.
She cleared her throat again and said, “Only if Hildi is better.”
They climbed into the boat, setting her discoveries carefully at the bottom of the boat. Hagen said, “That was not part of the agreement.”
Jowell said, “But I think we can allow her a couple of days for Hildi to wake up.”
Hagen made another odd growling sound and said, “We’ll see.”
“Did you just growl?” Brynja asked.
“Nay,” he said, turning his head away from her.
“You did. You surely did growl.”
Hagen ignored her and so did the others. Whatever. She didn’t care. So pleased to have found what she did, she knew that Hildi would be excited at the coins. Their mothers had always promised that if they wished to go north to the land of the Norse, they could find a way.
Here it was, right on her lap. “Is this enough to take us on a big ship north?”
Paden said, “Probably. I’m not sure what coins those are. They are different.”
“Mayhap,” Hagen said. “But probably not enough for what you need, because if you choose to go, you should take guards with you as escorts. Two women alone on a ship full of men would not be good.”
“You always think the worst will happen.”
“It will, in this case. Would you feel safe on a ship with two score men on it?”
She frowned, having not given it much thought before, but he was right. “I don’t know.”
They arrived a short time later, Magni running to help them out of the boat. “What is that thing? It looks like a monster of some kind.” He pointed to the armor in the bottom of the boat.
“Nay, it’s armor built to protect my body.” Brynja lifted it carefully out of the vessel.
Magni stared at the protruding breast plates. “Aye, it would not fit Hagen, would it?”
“Nay, it’s for Hildi or me. Mama buried it for us, and we found it with Hagen’s help. How is Hildi?”
Magni didn’t answer, instead running back to the cottages. “Tenney, stay over here!” The boy liked to play chase, and he giggled until Magni caught him.
“Why are you two awake? Isn’t it Tenney’s bedtime?” Hagen asked.
“We stayed up in case you returned.”
Brynja stopped, remembering her manners. “Hagen, Jowell, Paden, I cannot thank you enough for taking me to Tiree. Hildi and I have always wished to go but never had an escort. I will pay you each a coin for taking me.”
“No need,” said Jowell. “We were happy to help. Just remember the arrangement you made.”
She blushed because she knew this part would be difficult.
Hagen said, “We’ll wait for you to gather your belongings, and to check on Hildi.”
She nodded, knowing full well she had no plans to go with them.
She’d only agreed in order to convince them to take her to Tiree.
It was the only thing in her life that she had to see to fruition.
It was done and she’d apologize, but she was not going to Duart Castle.
There were too many people there and she’d never leave Iona.
Well, unless she was going to the land of the Norse.
She made her way into Beatris’ cottage, trying to be quiet, though Beatris sat at the table. Hildi was sound asleep.
“Is she better, Beatris? Did she awaken yet?”
Beatris started at her entrance, but replied, “Nay, lass. She sleeps on and the bump on her head hasn’t gone down much. I don’t know what to do for her.”
“May I sleep here with her?”
“Aye.”
“We found a bit of treasure. Where would be a safe place for me to hide it?”
“I have the perfect place. My father insisted we build a hiding spot into the hut when the men built it for us.” She pulled a chest out then removed two boulders. “Put it in here. No one will ever touch it.”
Brynja set the box full of coins inside the hiding spot, then closed it up, pushing the chest in front of it. “I must tell the Grants to go home, then I’ll return.”
Beatris asked, “Didn’t you promise to go with them if they took you to Tiree?”
“Aye, but only if Hildi was better.”
“Oh, of course. I didn’t hear that part.”
“I’ll be right back.” Beatris never heard it because she never said it before. But she would now. She made her way straight to Hagen and said, “Hildi is no better. She has not awakened yet, so I cannot leave her.”
Hagen said, “If she hasn’t awakened then this is a perfect time to go. She’ll never miss you. Many people with bumps on their head sleep for a few days. We’ll have you back in two days. Magni will tell her where you went.”
“I’m sorry, Hagen, but I’m not going.”
Hagen settled his hands on his hips. “You never intended to go, did you?”
“I might have, but surely not with Hildi still sickly.”
Jowell said, “We’ll wait for you in the boat, Hagen.” He and Paden disappeared toward shore.
“You lied to me.”
She didn’t like that comment, even if it were true, but she should be used to his overbearing nature at this point. It wasn’t intentional but a slight lie. “Nay, I just forgot to mention that I needed Hildi to be better before I could leave.”
“And if she were better right now, would you leave?”
Now he was just pissing her off, so she might as well tell the truth. If she did, perhaps he’d go home and never return. Her life would be much easier at the abbey if he disappeared. She tipped her head to the side and pursed her lips. “Nay, probably not.”
“Why? Do you have something against me? Or do I just frighten you?”
Hellfire, how had he guessed the truth? But she’d be damned before she’d ever admit the truth to him. He scared the hell out of her because he made her insides do strange things. “I’m not afraid of you.” Another lie.
“Then why won’t you come to Duart Castle?”
“I already told you.”
“Nay, you told me a lie. But the truth is you’ll never come. Why? You at least owe me that much.”
“I don’t owe you anything.”
“We risked life and limb following you to Ulva. And then to Tiree. And you don’t appreciate any of it. You called me spoiled and a fool, but how are you acting now?”
She didn’t know how to argue that, so she resorted to what she did know. “May a venomous viper come through your walls this eve and bite your toes off.”
He snorted. “Norse cursing. I can’t believe you’re resorting to that instead of telling the truth.”
“May a pus-headed toad climb inside your breeches and die.”
He shook his head and moved two steps closer. “You are afraid of me, but not for a reason others would suspect. You’re afraid of how I make you feel.”
“May the shite of four score birds land on your head on your journey back.”
Brynja wished to step back because he was too close.
His heat caused her warmth to increase. She could feel the sweat between her breasts, an odd tingling between her legs, feel the increase of her pounding heart.
It wasn’t just that she was afraid of him.
Going to Tiree brought too many memories back.
The murder of her mother, the stealing away of her and her friend, the situation of being at the mercy of evil men was fresh in her mind now.
He stepped close enough that if she reached out, she could take his hand in hers. But he changed tactics, and that bothered her more than anything. It was as if he could read her mind.
“Who hurt you?” he whispered.
She shook her head, fighting the tears—of exhaustion, of exhilaration, of fear of losing her friend. “May a dung-spattered cur seek out your mother.”
“Who? Give me a name and I’ll make sure you never have to fear him again.” His fingertips traced her jawline with a touch as soft as the fur of a red squirrel.
“My father, for one. I was there when he finally returned to Tiree and asked my mother if I was a lad or a lassie.”
“And?”
Her words came out in a yell that she hadn’t intended. “And he said he wanted no part of a lass.”
“And if you’d been a lad?”
This time it was more of a scream. “He would have taken me with him. Leaving my mother with no one after she raised me alone. Selfish bastard. I was glad he left. I wouldn’t have gone with him anyway.”
“I’m sure that was a painful experience for you, but there’s more, isn’t there? Who was he?”
Brynja thought to deny him, but why not be honest?
She’d never have the chance to tell anyone else.
No one else would care what happened to her.
Now that her mother was gone, the only one in her life who cared for her was Hildi, if she ever awakened again.
“I can’t tell you,” she whispered. “I don’t know his name. ”
“How did he hurt you?”
“He touched me. When we were taken from Tiree to Ulva, the man who abducted us rubbed his hand over all my body. I fought him but he punched me, then punched Hildi. I hate him.”
“Ah, you’re after vengeance then, are you not, lass?”
She nodded.
“Be careful. I hear vengeance can rot your insides. I don’t fault you for it. I would do the same. If you ever decide you’d like some help, I’m happy to be of assistance to you. I’m truly sorry to hear of all you’ve had to deal with. More than you should have.”
Her voice was quiet. “I hate all men.”
“Nay, you don’t, but I can wait for you to figure that out. I’ll be waiting for you, whenever you’re ready.” He leaned over, lifted her chin with his fingers and brushed his lips against hers.
She nearly pulled away, but for some unknown reason, she liked it.
Probably because no matter how she wished to fight it, she liked this man. This man who reminded her of her mother and Hildi’s mom. This man who had gone out of his way to help her.
Help her, not hurt her.
He didn’t say she wasn’t wanted, he didn’t tell her to shut her mouth, he didn’t tell her that because she was a lass that she had no worth, no value.
His lips were soft and warm, enough that she tugged him back for another kiss, and Hagen growled, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close as he angled his mouth over hers. She parted her lips and his tongue met hers. But that scared her. She pushed him away.
“You growled again.”
He chuckled and said, “I did, for a good reason.” Then he leaned down and whispered in her ear, “I’ll be waiting. Whenever you are ready to accept me in your life, I’ll be there.”
Brynja turned away, heading toward the cottage. She didn’t tell him that she thought the man who’d touched her was the other man in the boat, but she wasn’t certain, so she kept that inside. Well hidden from everyone because she would find revenge for what he did to her and to Hildi.
But most of all, she refused to let Hagen see her tears because they were a sign of weakness.
She was not weak.