Page 19

" G one? What do you mean, gone? Where the fuck has she gone? And why? What happened here?"

Gunnar glared at Weylin and wondered, not for the first time, why he should not merely throttle the man now. The Celt's devotion to duty was not in doubt, but did he have to look quite so fucking pleased with himself?

"The boy is a thief, master. We discovered his wrongdoing and his guilt was beyond doubt. Rather than allow you to address the matter in a way which you might deem appropriate the mother believed she knew better. She left, took the boy with her, and the baby.”

"Thor's fucking hammer." Gunnar actually growled as he tunnelled his fingers through his hair.

He strode across the central aisle of his hall and entered his sleeping chamber.

The evidence of recent occupation was obvious in the dishevelled pelts strewn across the raised dais he slept on, and the now greying embers in the small fire pit.

He knelt beside the cinders and held his hand above them.

The meagre hint of warmth still rising from the doused fire told him what he needed to know – his flame-haired captive was not long gone.

Gunnar left the longhouse at a sprint, yelling for Steinn as he charged across the settlement toward the crude outbuilding which served as a stable.

"My horse, now. We leave at once."

Men came running, their brief homecoming at an end but none questioned their chief.

"Jarl, what has happened? Where are we going?" Steinn threw a bridle over his horse's head and tightened the buckle as he spoke.

"Mairead has fled. We will track her, bring her back."

"Fled, Jarl? Why would she do that?"

Why indeed? A child's mischief was no cause for such a desperate act. There had to be more to this and he intended to know what that was. Provided he got to his Celt before the wolves did.

"Where is Ormarr? His tracking skills will be needed." Gunnar swung into his own saddle as Weylin fussed about him.

"Jarl, she is but a thrall, there is no purpose in such haste. Eat, rest, I shall?—"

"You shall shut your fucking mouth unless it is to tell me exactly when she left and what direction she took."

The servant fell silent under his master's withering glower. It was Aigneis who stepped forward to offer the information he required.

"She left soon after dagmal , Jarl. Your man arrived and told us that you would be returning this day, with the stolen sheep.

I ordered food to be prepared in readiness and Mairead said she would take Donald to harvest fresh turnips for the broth.

I did not think to seek her out until much later, when she did not return for the noon meal. "

The woman wrung her hands, her concern etched across her kindly features. Gunnar softened his tone. "Did she take anything with her?"

"I do not think so, Jarl. She has few possessions and there is nothing gone from the larders. And no horse is missing either."

"Fuck, " he muttered again, under his breath. She was out there, alone, in danger, with no food, no protection, and two small children, one of them a babe barely a month old. Had the woman not the sense she was born with?

"Jarl, there is more." Aigneis dropped her gaze, her next words barely audible. "Mairead saw Ferris."

He narrowed his eyes. He was aware that his new thrall had witnessed the punishment. Had Mairead spoken with the man since then?

"Ferris? What has he to do with this?"

"It is my fault. Mairead was... upset by the whipping.

It frightened her and she asked me about it.

I told her Ferris was a thief and that he had earned his punishment.

I said that all must obey the law. When Donald was discovered to have stolen from others here, perhaps she thought.

.. I mean, might she have expected that you would. .. would...?"

"She believed I would have her child whipped? Or even do it myself? By Odin, why would she imagine that?"

The woman did not reply, but her glance toward Weylin said all that was required. Gunnar leaned down from his saddle and beckoned the man to him.

"Look at me, Weylin and mark me well. If harm comes to Mairead, or to either of her children, you will answer to me for it."

"But—"

"You had better hope I find her in time." He straightened and lifted his arm to gain his men's attention. "The woman is on foot and carrying a baby. She will not have got far. Ormarr, you will go ahead and find her trail."

"Jarl?" It was Aigneis again, close to tears now.

"There is more?"

The woman nodded. "Two days ago, Mairead asked me the distance to the closest town or village. I thought nothing of it then, merely that she might be wondering about a market, a place to purchase medicines..."

Medicines? Questions clamoured for answers but Gunnar was focused on one goal right now. "What did you tell her?"

"I told her that you usually go to Drafnsund to trade, about twenty miles north of here. I am sorry, I never imagined?—"

"I know. It is not your fault. Ormarr, you will start with the route to Drafnsund, check if she headed north."

The man set off at a canter as Gunnar leaned down to speak again with Aigneis. "Why did she have need of medicine? Is one of the children ill?"

"No, Jarl, nothing like that. Mairead is a healer, she wished to build a stock of herbs and the like, in order to be able to help us here.

We collected some plants, things which grow hereabouts, but there were others she wished to acquire.

I believe she meant to suggest that you purchase the items.. ."

He nodded. It made sense. When he took her from Pennglas he had found Mairead in the house of a man who was sick. Perhaps she had been there as a healer. There was much he needed to understand about his newest thrall, but first he must get her back and teach her the folly of her actions.

A shout from Ormarr caught his attention. The man was waving from the far end of the settlement, beckoning his chief to follow.

"We have a trail. Come." Gunnar kicked his mount into a gallop and they were off.

"These tracks are fresh, Jarl. They passed this way less than two hours ago.

One small adult, and a child." Ormarr settled on his haunches beside the track, his gaze on some pattern in the dust which the karl could discern and Gunnar could not.

Ormarr had led them to his missing sheep, he saw no cause to doubt the man's skills now.

"It has to be them, " breathed Gunnar. "Only two hours? We will overtake them soon." He waited until Ormarr remounted, then the Vikings fell in behind the tracker.

"There! See, Jarl, see there." Ormarr pointed at the sloping meadow perhaps two miles ahead of them.

Squinting against the sun which was now low in the sky Gunnar peering in the direction indicated by his warrior.

He could make out the two small figures struggling up the incline, the larger of the pair stopping frequently to wait for the smaller one.

"They are tiring, moving slowly," offered Steinn.

"Yes. You are with me," Gunnar ordered. "The rest of you, follow at this distance. Keep us in sight."

Gunnar set off at an easy canter, Steinn in his wake.

It was not long before the sound of their hoof beats reached their quarry.

Mairead turned, grabbed at Donald and tried to drag him along faster.

Her renewed haste made little difference, and in just a few minutes the men on horseback closed the gap.

Mairead sank to her knees as Gunnar rode up alongside her.

She clutched her baby in her arms, and a white-faced Donald flung his arms about her neck.

Gunnar hauled on the reins to halt his stallion. "Steinn, you will tell Mairead that?—"

"Let us go. Please, please do not hurt him. Please..."

Gunnar gaped at her. "You speak our tongue very well, Mairead. I am impressed."

"I have been learning. I thought to please you, but..."

She did please him, but now was not the time to dwell upon that.

"But instead you decide to take off alone.

Do you not realise the penalty for absconding?

You are my property, all of you." His stern gaze encompassed the children too.

"You had no right to leave Gunnarsholm without my permission.

Do you care to explain to me why you chose to do so? "

"I... I... please, I will make this right, I swear. He is but a child, too small to... to... Donald meant no harm."

She was stammering, almost incoherent in her fear and grief. This had to stop. Now.

Gunnar dismounted. "Donald, you will go with Steinn, back to Gunnarsholm."

The boy would have obeyed him, but Mairead grabbed at her son's arm and held him fast. "No, you cannot do this. Please, I beg you."

"He will not be harmed, but the boy needs to return home now. He is tired and hungry."

"My children must remain with me. I will not let you take him."

The reality of her situation was stark. There was not a thing this female slave could do to prevent him taking her son and they both knew that, but Gunnar preferred to persuade rather than force the issue.

"My quarrel at this time is with you, not your boy.

I know of his stealing, and will address that issue in due course, though I suspect not in the manner you clearly expect.

You should have trusted me to know the difference between a lazy, dishonest servant who has been warned countless times and a frightened, confused child.

Viking justice can be harsh, but it is also fair.

Your boy will not be harmed, you have my word. "

Mairead stared at him, hope flaring in her stormy gaze. "Do you...? I mean, will you not...? I saw what you did, to that other slave."