He tugged at his collar. ‘It will not happen again. I’d...I’d forgotten about the sheep being in there. An honest oversight.’
Alwynn turned towards her new steward. Valdar’s face was implacable and his hand rested lightly on his sword. She was grateful that he was there and willing to back her up. ‘Valdar, I would like a complete inspection of this farm. I want to know precisely what has been hidden. How many other sheep have accidentally made it into this fold. A full accounting will be given to Lord Edwin when he returns. Cleofirth, you go with him. I will see Urien. She is an old friend.’
‘It would be my pleasure,’ Valdar said.
‘I have done right by her, even though she lost the bairn she’d been carrying. Third one since we married and then there was my little girl who died of the fever last winter,’ Cleofirth called out. ‘I swear that woman is cursed.’
Ice-cold fury entered Alwynn’s soul. All the things they whispered about her.
‘The child and your marriage to Urien was one of the reasons why my husband gave you this farm, do you remember?’
The man flushed red, but refused to answer.
Alwynn walked quickly over to the farmhouse.
‘Urien, I’ve come to see you,’ she called out. ‘After all this time...’
Urien stood beside the fire, stirring the pot. ‘My lady. It was me who done wrong with the sheep. I feared the Northmen would come and take them. They have before, like. My man is trying to cover for me. I herded them wrong during the storm and what with one thing and the next, there hasn’t been time. None of them died, like. I knows some of them is not ours, but promise me Cleofirth won’t be punished for something I’ve done.’
Urien burst into tears.
Alwynn went over and put her arm about Urien’s shoulders. The woman was far too thin. Urien shivered slightly and drew away from her. ‘It will be sorted. I believe Owain simply wants his sheep back. He is not seeking to press charges. Neither am I. But the law must be upheld. It will be for Lord Edwin to decide when he returns.’
‘That is good to know.’
‘You should come outside with me. It has been far too long since we sat and talked. I’ve missed that.’
‘I have the supper to be seeing to, my lady.’ Urien gave a quick curtsy. ‘Begging your pardon and no offence intended, but my man likes a hot meal at the end of the day.’
She pointedly went back to stirring the stew pot and keeping her face from Alwynn’s.
Alwynn crossed the small room and looked closely at Urien’s face. The bruising was clear and it appeared at some point she had had other injuries. Alwynn swallowed hard, hating that the woman had not felt able to turn to her. ‘Are you going to tell me who did this? Or do I have to guess?’
Tears filled the woman’s eyes. ‘It were my fault. It happened when I was milking the cows. I’m so ashamed about it. Right clumsy I am. Everyone will think...’ She reached out and grabbed Alwynn’s hand. ‘He is a good man. He has been good to me. Most of the time. And I wanted to let you know that the bairns I lost, they were his...not as some said... I’ve never had another man.’
Alwynn’s throat closed. She curled her fingers about Urien’s. In her heart she wondered if Urien was telling the full truth about her injuries. ‘If I had known about your face, I would have brought some salve.’
‘I’ll mend. I always do.’
‘It is no trouble. I grow my herbs to be used, not to collect dust.’
Urien gave a tiny smile. ‘Your concoctions are always welcome. But send someone else. You will be too busy at the hall. There is always so much to be done.’
Silently Alwynn promised to send Merri to visit in the morning. It was very possible Urien would say something to Merri as Merri could worm a secret out of a snail shell. ‘If you ever need it, you know there is place for you at my hearth. No questions asked.’
The woman gave a tremulous smile. ‘Begging your pardon, my lady, but you have enough troubles of your own without me adding to them.’
‘Hush now.’
* * *
‘Urien refuses to leave,’ Alwynn said in an undertone when she rejoined Valdar in the farmyard. ‘She wants to stay with her man. Goodness knows why, but she does.’
‘Do you believe her story about taking the sheep because of the Northmen?’ he asked.
‘I don’t know what to believe. She certainly seems to fear the Northmen. She could have done it. Owain just wants his sheep returned so he can pay his rent. Cleofirth does have Lord Edwin’s ear. And if it was Urien, how can I demand a punishment? The poor woman is suffering. And if Lord Edwin decides against me, then he would be in his rights to demand compensation for one of his tenants being kept off his land all summer. We will make the king’s tribute, but I don’t want this.’
‘She needs to get away from him.’ He raised a brow and Alwynn knew precisely what he was thinking. There was no way that a woman could have moved all that straw on her own, particularly not a woman who seemed as slight and fragile as Urien. ‘She needs to leave with us.’
‘But I just explained...’
Valdar jerked his head towards where Cleofirth lounged, his face growing smugger by the breath. ‘I suspect he will beat her tonight. Instead of sheep borrowing, we might find she has an “accident” and takes all the blame with her to her grave.’
‘Possibly, but I can’t force her. She is a free woman.’
‘She can stay with Gode until this mess is sorted,’ Valdar said. ‘Sheep stealing is a crime and Lord Edwin is away. There should be a trial. And since she has confessed, you take her to a safe place.’
She blinked up at him and a tiny smile tugged at her mouth. He understood her dilemma. ‘Where will you sleep?’
‘At the hall.’ His face became grim. ‘I’ve seen your retainers. You need protection, my lady, and my arm is strong.’
Something twisted within Alwynn. It had been far too long since anyone had offered protection without strings.
‘Warriors like to be in a household where there is a chance of advancement. They left...after Theodbald died.’
Valdar put his hand under her elbow. The little touch did much to reassure her. ‘Think about it as rescuing that woman from a beating or even from death.’
Alwynn nodded. They made a good team in a way that she and Theodbald never had. ‘I agree.’
She walked over to Cleofirth, who lounged against a doorway, but straightened once Alwynn approached. ‘We are just about finished here. Owain has claimed his sheep. He doesn’t demand punishment or compensation.’
Cleofirth gave her a baleful look. ‘I told you your steward was making a nonsense out of this.’
‘However, Urien is coming with us.’
‘Why?’
‘You have accused her of sheep stealing and she has admitted hiding the sheep, including sheep which did not belong to this farm.’
‘To keep them away from the Northmen,’ Cleofirth said. ‘Many fear the Northmen’s raids!’
‘Since when do Northmen steal sheep?’ Valdar asked and there was no mistaking the underlying steel in his voice this time. ‘They attack churches and take gold, but not livestock. Not even in countries which border their lands.’
‘She will need to stay under my protection,’ Alwynn said firmly. She had to admit that Valdar was right, now she thought of it—while Northmen did take gold and attack monasteries, she had never heard of them stealing livestock to take back up north.
A small voice inside her asked her how he knew such a thing. She ruthlessly silenced it. Where he came from, they probably had the same sorts of problems with the butchering Northmen. He’d said that he had lands back home—perhaps he had also experienced their brutal raids.
She lifted her chin and concentrated on Cleofirth. Now was not the time or place to be questioning Valdar. She knew who the culprit was. ‘When Lord Edwin returns after the law-giving, then we can sort this mess out. He will not be pleased to learn of this. Tenants who commit crimes cannot
go unpunished.’
Cleofirth gulped twice. It was clear that he wanted to object, but didn’t dare. ‘When Lord Edwin returns, it will be cleared up?’
‘Yes.’
‘It might do her good. She ain’t been herself since...’ His voice cracked. ‘I’ve always tried to do right by her, but I won’t be hanged for being a sheep stealer. It was Urien which done it. Not me. I would be willing to undergo a trial by ordeal to prove it as well.’
‘Shall we go?’
As they went away from the farm with Urien carrying her small pile of belongings, Alwynn’s heart clenched. Valdar had rescued Urien. It would be easy to fall for him, but it also would be the biggest mistake of her life.
She had to remember what Theodbald had called her. That she had no right to happiness. All her children had withered in her womb.
She had to stop believing that a hero would come and rescue her. Valdar was not a magical warrior sent to right wrongs. He was a man who stayed because he owed her a life debt and he would be leaving when the autumn winds arrived. The trouble was her heart was having a hard time believing it.
‘You seem very thoughtful. Is there anything else that needs to be done?’
She rapidly composed her face. ‘Owain thinks you are a hero. He doesn’t know of many who would go against Cleofirth. He’s been known to use his fists.’
‘A strong sword arm normally beats a pair of heavy fists.’ Valdar caught her chin between his fingers. ‘And you have my arm.’
Chapter Nine
‘Gode was happy to accept Urien. She thinks you will be better served with me closer now that I have healed,’ Valdar said, appearing in the hall’s garden, where Alwynn was busy tidying the plants. She had retreated there after they returned. Her place of sanctuary where few dared venture. She might only have established the garden after Theodbald’s death, but already it had flourished.
The perfumed air hung heavy and she could almost taste the rain which would surely come.
The entire hall buzzed with talk about Cleofirth’s comeuppance and Urien’s rescue. There would be thunder before nightfall. The shadows were already long, stretching over the beds. Soon she’d have to go back into the hall and face the whispers and gossip.
A number of the women blamed Cleofirth, but she blamed herself. She should have visited the farm and looked properly at the barns after her husband died. She had known Cleofirth and her former steward had been as thick as thieves. All she had done was to allow Lord Edwin to become stronger.
‘Will she stay there?’
‘She understands what is at stake. Gode has promised to look out for her. Gode will find an extra pair of hands useful.’
‘What is that supposed to mean?’
‘Your old nurse is slowing down,’ he said finally.
‘There is little I can do about that. She refuses to move in here and neither will she allow me to examine her. I will always be the pupil in her eyes.’ Alwynn sighed. ‘Cleofirth beats his wife, but it is not against the law.’
‘It should be.’ Valdar also sighed. ‘Right now she wants to return to her home as soon as the misunderstanding is cleared up.’
There was nothing she could do to force Urien without demanding a trial and the inevitable punishment that would follow. She could tell that Valdar was not happy about the situation either.
‘More reason to distrust Cleofirth,’ Alwynn murmured. ‘It is a far worse problem than I suspected. I blame myself. It was very easy to accept his word and I had no wish to intrude on Urien and her grief.’
‘Once you know about a problem, it can be solved.’ His face became hard. ‘We will find a way of keeping her safe. She will be fine with Gode. Gode seems to have a way with injured creatures.’
‘What would you suggest I do?’ she asked, hugging her waist. ‘Edwin will do very little. The sheep have been returned and Urien accepts the blame. I suspect Cleofirth will try to take Urien back and she insists that she wants to go. You saw how she clung to him when we left.’
‘Give her a few days. She may speak out once she feels safe.’
Alwynn concentrated on the rosemary. ‘I hated looking into her eyes. They are so dead now, so unlike the girl I knew before her marriage. Urien was so full of fun. If there was any mischief about, Urien was sure to be in the thick of it. She made us all laugh. I honestly thought she was happy. I hate myself for believing him. But she won’t leave him.’
‘A hard fist caused those bruises.’
‘For now, she swears that a cow kicked a bucket into her face when she was doing the milking yesterday morning. Clumsy, but not unheard of. And she swears that she put the animals there and then panicked when she heard you were searching for missing sheep.’
He raised a brow. ‘Do you believe that?’
‘Until she tells me otherwise, I have to give her the benefit of the doubt.’ Alwynn concentrated on pulling up a weed, rather than meeting Valdar’s eye. She could hardly confess about the rumours which had swelled about Urien before she left. ‘She kept going on about what a wonderful husband he is and how good he is to her. She blames herself for not having any surviving children and she swears that they were all his.’ Alwynn’s voice trembled on the last word. ‘I wish...I could make her stay with us, but the law of the land won’t let me. She belongs to her husband. She swears that she doesn’t want to become a nun.’
‘Where I come from, women can divorce in the event of such behaviour.’
She tilted her head to one side and the tiny seed of doubt stirred again. What sort of Christian country allowed such a thing, except when a woman had a calling to join a religious order? The only pagan countries were across the sea to the north and he wasn’t a demon in human form. Of course he was a Christian. Alwynn pushed the thought away.
‘In Northumbria, things are different.’
‘We will figure out a way to make sure she is safe. I will check the farm tomorrow. There has to be some evidence implicating him as the one behind the sheep stealing.’
‘I had planned on sending Merri with some salve if Urien had still been there. She has sharp eyes and could have reported back. But we shouldn’t go again. He might make things worse for her when she does return.’ Alwynn blinked back tears. ‘I feel dreadful. I should have noticed the barn size a year ago. I should have demanded to see her after I heard about her loss. The Urien I knew wouldn’t turn away from people. She needed people.’
Valdar put a hand on her shoulder. The touch burnt through the layers of fabric. It took all of her will-power not to lean into him and draw strength from him. She wanted to believe that he didn’t judge her.
She concentrated on a clump of lavender just behind him, rather than looking at him directly. If she stared into his eyes, she would do something completely wrong—like kiss him or throw her arms about his neck and seek the comfort of his body.
‘The important thing is that you noticed now and are taking steps.’ His velvety voice rolled over her. ‘We will solve this before I leave.’
Alwynn stepped backwards and nearly stumbled on a tree root. Valdar’s hands were there instantly to hold her up. The now-familiar tingle went through her, pulsating and insistent. But she kept thinking about the great hollow which had opened up within her. She found it difficult to believe how well matched they were, yet he was speaking of leaving. She knew he had a home and lands to return to and it was what she’d told him she wanted. It was the right thing, but she was tired of doing the right thing.
‘My feet are steady now. Your going is still several months away.’ She forced a smile. ‘You promised.’
‘And I will keep my promise.’ He let go of her elbow, but stayed close to her. His eyes creased with concern. Every particle of her being was aware of him.
‘Did your husband ever hit you, Alwynn?’ he asked in a low voice. ‘Is that why you think you should know the signs? Why do you consider you are to blame for this?’
She wrapped her arms about her aching middle.
‘The way he hurt me doesn’t leave physical scars,’ she said before she could think. ‘He wanted to force me into a convent so that he could marry again. Someone who could give him children. I refused to go. I’ve no calling for a religious life. And I stood to lose everything, my dowry and all my land. I couldn’t abandon Merri to another woman. Losing one mother is hard enough. I love that girl as if she was my own.’
Valdar gently lifted her chin so that she met his dark gaze. ‘What did he do?’
‘Names don’t draw blood. Words don’t cause purple bruises.’ She took a deep breath and forced a smile. ‘It no longer matters as he is dead and unlamented.’
‘But they hurt and they leave wounds inside you.’ Valdar touched her arm. ‘Trust me, my lady. I know when someone is hurt and I can guess who did it. You are worse than a nervous horse. Until you forgive yourself, you allow him to have power over you.’
She glanced up at his face and knew he’d guessed some of it. The words tumbled from her as she sought to explain. ‘Theodbald blamed me for being barren. He called me all sorts of things. I desperately wanted children. Twice I thought maybe, and once I thought there was a quickening, a little flutter of movement, but I was proved wrong two days later when I lost the babe. Oh, how I wanted them. At first, all was sweetness, but as the months and years went by, he became more and more cutting until in the end he avoided my bed. There was a rumour he was going to force me into a convent, but he had an accident and died before it happened.’
‘Did he have any other children? Besides Lady Merri?’
Alwynn frowned and turned her head away. She refused to listen to a tiny spark of hope. Could it have been Theodbald? ‘Not that I know of. There was some talk about Urien right before the marriage, but today she said that she’d only ever been with her husband and I have to believe her.’
Alwynn stared at the thyme. She had encouraged the match between Urien and Cleofirth as she had been jealous that Urien might have a child, her husband’s child. It had been wrong of her and Urien had been abused.
‘I should never have allowed the match. There were rumours about his fists. He drinks far too much ale.’
Summer of the Viking Page 13