Page 13 of Seduced by the Viking (Bound and Betrothed #5)

CHAPTER 12

The fifty-first day of the men’s sojourn on the island

There were only so many places a man could be locked up. Under cover of darkness, Rutger had worked methodically to discover where Rangvald was being held—a woodstore beside the main longhouse, barely large enough to allow a man to lie down.

How long Rangvald had been imprisoned there, Rutger had no idea, but ‘twas a wonder he hadn’t run mad. Rutger had thought being restrained in his own quarters was bad enough.

“The door’s bolted and chained, but I can easily prise the lock on one side, splintering the wood. I’ve brought tools with me,” Rutger kept his voice at a whisper.

“Nay! I deserve my punishment. Leave me be!”

Rangvald’s reply was not at all as Rutger expected.

“I can hide you up on the hillside,” Rutger persisted. “There are plenty of places no one would think to look. Eldberg’s angry, but he has other things to think about. If we’re to get you free, now is a good time.”

“You know what happened?” Rangvald pressed closer to the chink in the door.

“Only what our jarl has told me. What possessed you, Rangvald, to attack him like that?”

Rangvald made a scornful sound. “I regret nothing on that score—only that my clumsy blade injured one infinitely more admirable than our jarl. I might have killed her! My Elin!”

“She’s hurt?” Rutger had heard nothing of it.

“Bothild is tending her in secret. Eldberg knows, and that wench of his, but no one else. ‘Tis for the sake of maintaining peace. If these women believe us dangerous, who knows the outcome? It may not be me alone they turn upon.”

Rutger took a moment to ponder that before shaking his head. “Eldberg is too strong to be restrained, as are J?rgen and I. Even Gunnar and Viggo could defend themselves.”

“You'd fight back, would you? Injuring women? You think your own woman—Grethe, isn’t it—would forgive that?” Rangvald’s tone was one of resignation. “In any case, they aren’t stupid. They’d take you while you were sleeping. We may be strong physically, but women are cunning. Try protecting yourself when your arms are already tied!”

“So, you prefer to stay here, simply waiting for what may happen?” Rutger was incredulous.

“What choice do I have?” Rangvald’s reply was weary. “When Eldberg leaves, I’ll remain. After the dust has settled, Bothild may release me. I’ll do what I must to earn these women’s trust and to prove myself worthy of Elin. ‘Tis her I live for now.”

Rutger was dumbstruck. Never had he thought to hear Rangvald speak so .

“Go now.” Rangvald hissed through the door. “If you feel anything for your woman, tell her, and whether you take her with you or remain, guard her happiness. All else is of no matter. Learn from me, Rutger, and do not make the same mistakes. My hatred burns bright, but I was wrong to let it rule me. Love is stronger. Don’t waste it.”

‘Twas late, and they should have been abed, but Grethe was glad of her cousin’s company. She’d come to join her in a mug of mead, and one had quickly become two.

Now, Grethe was loath to let Signy leave.

She was starting to feel she’d misjudged her, or perhaps Signy was changing. Without her mother to contend with, she appeared more assured. Mayhap the man sharing her bed had something to do with it.

Certainly, Signy was a good listener. Grethe had thrown caution to the wind, taking Signy into her confidence regarding her argument with Rutger—and all that had preceded it.

To Grethe’s annoyance, her cousin seemed barely surprised to learn of the men’s plans to depart.

“Of course, you should speak with Bothild, making sure she knows everything.” Signy sipped her mead. “But I doubt she’s entirely without suspicion. It’s understandable the men should think of returning to their homes, and only fair that we allow them to do so. Has Rutger asked you to go with him?”

“He did, but only as some afterthought.” Grethe threw another log into the firepit, giving it a savage poke. “No doubt, he’d find it convenient to have me keep house for him. Not once did he consult my feelings nor consider what I’d be leaving behind.”

“Is there really so much holding you here? Just because it’s all we’ve known doesn’t mean it’s the only place we can be content. After what’s happened, I don’t know if I want to stay. I keep thinking of the final moments on the cliff…” Signy looked wistful. “Leaving may be the only way to find peace.”

“You want to go with this Viggo? He’s still half-blind Signy! Be sensible!”

Hurt flashed in Signy’s eyes, but Grethe couldn’t bring herself to apologize. In love the two might be, but love wasn’t always enough, was it?

“His sight is returning, little by little. We’re both hopeful.” Signy held her head high. “I’m not frightened of what the future brings as long as we’re together. But what of you, Grethe? Something is holding you back. What are you frightened of?”

Grethe was about to protest that Signy was speaking nonsense when the door swung open, banging full against the wall.

Agneta tumbled through, with Hevinda upon her heels.

“Oops!” Hevinda bared a grin, which was more gum than tooth. “Agneta, what are you doing on the floor?”

Signy rose to help. “Are you alright? No one’s hurt, are they?” She looked worriedly at the two women.

“Nay.” Agneta straightened her skirts. “‘Tis mead we’ve come for. Hevinda and I were celebrating, and our supply ran dry. Grethe, you’ll fetch some, won’t you? Hevinda had ten ducklings hatch today, and she’ll give you one of your choice.”

“One puny duckling! Three would be more like it.” Grethe folded her arms.

“Ten ducklings are certainly worth celebrating.” Signy closed the door and led the women to the fire. “Here, Agneta, take my stool. Grethe will give you hers, Hevinda.” Signy shook her head. “Really, Grethe, you ought to have more than two. ‘Tis hardly hospitable to have guests sit upon the floor. You have more mugs, I suppose?”

Begrudgingly, Grethe vacated her seat. “Actually, I haven’t. There’s?—”

“‘Tis no bother.” From her apron pocket, Hevinda whipped out a wooden cup.

Agneta was already proffering hers.

Signy took up the pitcher, filling their vessels, as well as her own and Grethe’s.

“A toast to you both, young pretties that you are!” Hevinda waved her mead aloft. “May Freyja bless and ripen you! And may you enjoy all the hearty swiving that comes along the way.”

“And a toast to the mead!” Agneta took a hearty swig. “Which the rest of us shall make do with since we’ve little chance of swiving .”

Grethe rolled her eyes. How much mead had they partaken already?

“A toast to big, fat, girthy cocks!” Hevinda cackled .

“And men who know what to do with them!” Agneta grinned saucily.

“Some decorum, ladies!” Signy appeared to be suppressing her own amusement. “Don’t tease us. Grethe is feeling love-wrought.”

“I’m nothing of the sort!” Grethe glared at Signy.

“A problem in the bed furs, is it?” Hevinda stroked her chin, from which a single wiry hair sprung. “He’s too quick in the tupping? Or his man-part goes limp at the crucial moment?”

“Not at all!” Grethe felt heat rushing to her cheeks.

Agneta sucked her teeth. “Then what’s the difficulty? You ought to be moon-eyed with all that bed tumbling.”

Hevinda nodded. “I recall when I was first wed, so well-tupped, I barely remembered my own name! Walked about in a daze, I did.”

“Don’t think I could walk much at all.” Agneta gave a hoot of laughter.

Freyja, help me.

How am I going to get rid of these two?

“There’s naught amiss. It’s only that… I’m… I’m not in the mood. Just for the now.” Grethe wished the floor would swallow her up. “‘Tis the tiredness… from all the tupping I was having… before I stopped wanting it.” One thing she absolutely wasn’t going to do was let on that Rutger was planning his escape—from the island and from her.

“I should get some sleep.” Grethe gave an exaggerated yawn. “That’ll put me right.”

The older women made no sign of taking the hint.

“You’re sure you’ve the hang of it?” Agneta had a definite air of suspicion. “And your man knows what he’s about?”

“He gives you the tingle, doesn’t he?” Signy added, trying to be helpful, no doubt.

“A woman needs more than tingles! A throb is more like it. If he’s doing it right, he should make you tremble all over,” Hevinda said.

“Trembling and throbbing and tingling. All those are good.” Agneta nodded sagely. “With the kissing and licking, you should be wild with lust by the time he gives you his cock. The rest takes care of itself.”

“As I said, it’s fine.” Grethe was clenching her jaw so hard, a headache was coming on. “Entirely satisfactory.”

“You don’t look very satisfied.” Hevinda squinted at her.

“Mayhap, ‘tis her man who needs stirring up a bit.” Agneta leaned closer. “A finger up the arse usually does the trick. Have you tried the finger?”

“Or a bit of tongue.” Hevinda stuck hers out, as if Grethe didn’t know what a tongue looked like!

“Enough!” Grethe clamped her hands over her ears. “Sex isn’t the answer to everything.”

Hevinda and Agneta looked astonished. Even Signy appeared vaguely bewildered. All three exchanged worried glances.

“I ought to be getting back to Viggo,” Signy rose. “I’ll look in on you soon, Grethe.”

“We’d best be off as well.” Agneta stood.

Hevinda drained down her mug before following the others out the door. “I’ll bring that duckling on the morrow in exchange for the mead.”

Grethe nodded wearily. She couldn’t be bothered to haggle anymore.

They were right about one thing. She wasn’t satisfied. Not a bit of it. In truth, she was miserable, and not only because her bed was empty—though that was hardly helping. All this talk of throbbing and tingling had put her in mind of how she missed having Rutger at her side.

Not just because of his sex skills.

She missed him grabbing her about the waist unexpectedly, sending a bolt of excitement through her body. She missed how he pulled her close, even after they were both spent, wanting her to relax in the crook of his arm. She missed the way he kissed beneath her ear and breathed in deep to gain the scent of her hair.

She liked that he looked at her properly when she spoke, as if she was worth listening to, and she liked his low, rumbling laugh, even if his jokes were sometimes at her expense. She liked meeting his eyes and seeing how he gazed back at her.

She slumped onto the bed.

Rutger had protested he wanted her, had sworn that he’d had it in mind all along not to leave her behind. But, if that was the case, why hadn’t he said something sooner?

She knew full well why .

I may be of value to him, but so are plenty of other things , and I want to be the most important of all—foremost in his mind from the moment he wakes right up until his eyes close in sleep.

Just as I think of…

Grethe shut off that thought.

She was being unrealistic. Men didn’t think or behave the same as women. They used the word ‘love’, but it didn’t have the same meaning for them. Not from her experience, at any rate.

She’d promised herself never to fall into this trap, yet here she was, pining over a man who didn’t deserve it.

Worse still, she’d let other people see.

There would be no end now to their looks of pity.

Why does Rutger have to be so…

Annoying? Smug? Arrogant?

Grethe bit her lip. Sven had leveled the same insults at her long ago and worse besides. He’d said her menfolk had died because she hadn’t done a good enough job looking after them, that she was selfish and only capable of loving herself.

She’d hated him for it, but she’d also known that the accusation was partly true. She had loved her brother and father, of course, but not enough. If she’d felt more tenderly, pouring her love into their care, mightn’t they have recovered?

It was too late for them now.

Too late for myself?

She hoped not.

Signy believed in her. Perhaps Rutger did, too, even though he’d seen her at her worst.

She wasn’t perfect, but neither was Rutger. He’d lied to her, stolen from her, and made plans to leave. The worst of it was that he hadn’t wanted to bring her into his confidence. He hadn’t trusted her.

Not that she could really blame him.

She hadn’t trusted him either, had she?

‘Twas all a horrible mess, and she could see no way to make reparation. She only knew that if he came to her door now, she would go to him—despite the betrayal and the hurt.

Because I love him.