Daughters Of The Storm (66 page)

‘Bluebell,' he said, his voice soft, ‘I am your father. I ask you as my daughter. I don't order you as your king.'

She dropped her head and he stood and came around the table. One hand on her shoulder, his free hand under her chin turning up her face to meet his gaze. In his eyes she saw his love, his strength, but also his humanity. He had made mistakes. He didn't always know what was right.

And yet, she didn't have the give in her to excuse his behaviour. The way he had treated Yldra and Gudrun had made her doubt him. She didn't want to be in a world where she doubted her father, but doubt him she did; and that made life smell different somehow. She felt uncertain, and he was at the heart of that uncertainty.

She forced a smile. ‘I am glad you are well again, Father,' she said.

‘You will go to Netelchester for me?'

‘Can I drink too much at the ceremony and disgrace myself?'

He laughed softly. ‘Of course.'

Bluebell nodded. ‘Then, yes,' she said, ‘I will go for you.'

Gudrun was woken by thumping, dogs barking. She sat up, pulling a shawl around her shoulders and listening fearfully.

Finally, the door to her bower opened. ‘My lady,' a voice said.

‘Yes, Othilaf, what is it?'

‘A young woman stands at the entrance to the house. She won't speak to anyone but you.'

Gudrun rose and came to the door of her bower. The dogs still barked. ‘A young woman?'

‘She won't tell us her name.'

Gudrun shouted at the dogs to be quiet. ‘Stay close by me,' she said to Othilaf.

‘I will.'

Across the cold floor and past the cold hearth. The open front door let in icy air. There would be snow before long. Outside stood a woman, her hood and cloak covering her from view. Not tall enough to be Bluebell. Gudrun let her body relax. Maybe she would eventually come to believe that Bluebell wouldn't one day hunt her down to kill her.

‘Who are you?' Gudrun asked.

‘Make your guard go away.'

‘I ...' She turned to Othilaf, gestured him away with her head, but noted with comfort that he stood a short distance away, under the beam to the kitchen. ‘He's gone,' she said to the girl.

The girl pulled back her hood with one hand. Gudrun recognised her at once.

‘Willow?'

‘I am not alone,' she said.

Gudrun peered out into the frosty darkness. ‘What do you mean?'

And with her free hand she unfolded the front of her cape. Nestled in the crook of her arm was a tiny infant.

‘Oh! A baby!' Gudrun breathed. ‘Come in. Come out of the cold. The poor thing must be frozen.'

Willow came into the house and handed Gudrun the infant, then collapsed to the floor and sat, rocking, holding her knees. The babe began to mewl. It was so very young. Weeks old, perhaps even days.

‘Is this your baby?' she asked Willow, adopting the familiar rocking motion she had used nearly twenty years ago with her own infant son. A liquid pang, remembering he was gone.

Willow looked up and nodded. ‘Yes, but also yours, in a way. That is to say ... this is Wylm's child.'

Gudrun's heart stood still.

‘Will you help us?'

‘Of course,' Gudrun said, words falling over each other. ‘You will both live here with us and the truth will come to light in its own time. My son! Oh, I am happy for the first time since I can remember. But nobody knows about the child but me? You haven't told?'

Willow stood again, shaking her head. ‘No, nobody knows.'

‘Only as my grandchild, as Wylm's child ... this baby couldn't be more vulnerable.'

Willow smiled a hard smile, which gave Gudrun a moment's pause in her joy and excitement. The younger woman peeled off her cloak and let it pool at her feet. Around her waist, she wore a sword-belt. ‘No, not vulnerable at all,' Willow said, drawing the sword in the dim firelight. ‘For here is her father's sword.'

This book has had a long and arduous voyage and it's difficult for me to remember the many well-wishers along the way.

Jack Dann and Jonathan Strahan gave me a forum to first write about Thyrsland in
Legends of Australian Fantasy.
Crucial advice on the drafts came from Deonie Fiford and Paula Ellery. Valuable research assistance was provided by Heather Gammage, Marcus Harmes and Janine Haig. The people who loved the story and brought it to publication with their enthusiasm include Drew Keyes, Jo Mackay, Sue Brockhoff and Stephanie Smith.

The support of the Australian SF community cannot be understated. These people are my tribe, and I am so happy to count them as my friends. My writing group has provided me so much encouragement and so many laughs: I love you, Bek, Charlotte, Fiona, Meg, Nicole and Sal. Mary-Rose MacColl is probably not even aware of how important she is in keeping my spirits up, in all things. I owe much to my family (especially Mum) and extended family, including various in-laws, exes, children, and pets. Because children look for their names in books, I'm going to particularly thank Luka, Astrid, Caitlin, Otis, Charlotte, and Pixie.

Special mention must be made, as always, to Selwa Anthony, who has been the Pole Star by which I have navigated my career. She never gave up on this story, she never gives up on me, and I love her for it.

I've dedicated the book to my lovely Oliver, because he has made me so happy.

Connect with us for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!

Subscribe to our newsletter

Share your reading experience on:

Harlequin Books

Facebook

Twitter

Watch our reviews, author interviews and more on
Harlequin TV

ISBN: 9781488742651

Title: Daughters of the Storm

First Australian Publication 2014

Copyright © 2014 Kim Wilkins

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilisation of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the permission of the publisher:

Harlequin Enterprises

Level 4, 132 Arthur Street

North Sydney NSW 2060

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

MIRA and the Star Colophon are trademarks used under license and registered in Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, United States Patent and Trademark Office in other countries.

For questions and comments about the quality of this book please contact us at [email protected].

www.harlequinbooks.com.au