Viking: Legends of the North: A Limited Edition Boxed Set (38 page)

She edged into the darkened space between two dwellings, following the boy who had led her. “Nina?” she whispered.

“My dear child, what a pleasure to see you again,” Nina drawled, stepping out of the shadows. The jewels on her fingers flashed in the moonlight as she waved the boy away. “You certainly took your time. I
do
have better things to do than wait for you all night, you know. And the air is taking on a chill—”

“I am sorry for the delay.” Avril darted a nervous look behind her.

“I take it you have decided at last that I am worthy of your trust?”

“Mayhap,” Avril replied uneasily, not about to reveal the truth.

I have no one else to turn to
. Her throat threatened to close. She prayed that she could trust the woman. That Nina truly meant to help her rather than harm her.

“Do not fear, silly
utlending
.” Nina sighed dramatically. “I would not have gone to this trouble, and come all this way to see you, if I meant to do you ill. My friends and I have been enjoying a private gathering in my
vaningshus
this evening—”

“Private gathering? You did not attend the celebration?”

Nina laughed as if the very idea were ridiculous. “
Nei
. I am playing hostess to some of my fellow
innfodt
women who chose not to attend tonight’s celebration.” She crossed her arms. “Because we see no reason to celebrate.”

“I see,” Avril said warily. “And you have left them in order to speak with me.”

“I told you when we last parted that I would be willing to help you in any way I can.” Nina paused. Her lashes swept downward to conceal her gray eyes, and for a moment, the frost melted from her voice. “I may not be a mother, but I can imagine how you must feel, being separated from your little one.”

Avril finally recognized the emotion that tinged Nina’s voice, the one she had not been able to identify before.

Envy.

“You do not have children of your own?” she asked gently, her heart filling with sympathy for the older woman.

“Do not pity me,
utlending
.” Nina looked up sharply, her gaze once again cool. “I am quite happy with my life. I am an adoring aunt to my nieces and nephews, I have my work as a jeweler, and I may even have a husband one day—if the best men of Asgard would give up this foolish tradition of bringing home foreign brides.”

“Do you mean you can only choose among the men of Asgard?” Avril asked in confusion. “The women here are not free to venture out and seek foreign husbands?”

“Women are hardly capable of kidnapping men,” Nina scoffed.

“A woman as beautiful as you would hardly need to resort to kidnapping to attract a husband.”

Nina’s red lips curved in a smile. “I do adore flattery. But unfortunately, there are laws and traditions that prevent such—”

“Laws that apply to the women and not to the men?” Avril shook her head. “That is unfair. Mayhap you and your
innfodt
friends should start a new tradition.”

Nina arched one auburn brow. “What bold ideas you have, little
utlending
.” She looked away, musing half to herself. “Women going on a Claiming voyage. Mayhap...” Then she flicked one bejeweled hand in an impatient gesture. “This is all most interesting, but you and I really do not have time—”

“Aye,” Avril agreed, glancing over her shoulder again. “As soon as Hauk realizes I have left the festivities without him, he will begin searching for me.” She returned her attention to Nina. “We need to make plans. I want you to take me to Hauk’s boat on the morrow—”

“That may no longer be necessary. As I started to explain, before you began asking so many questions, I discussed your plight with my friends this evening. And one of them told a tale you may find of interest.” She smiled, looking quite pleased with herself. “I believe I have found you another boat, my dear. One that is much closer at hand than Hauk’s.”

Avril gasped, overcome with surprise. With hope.

“Well, do not stand their gaping.” Nina motioned for Avril to join her and started down the street. “We may have little time to spare. Let us be on our way.”

“You mean to take me there now? Tonight?”

“Aye, unless you prefer to take your chances in the western forest.” Turning, Nina planted her hands on her hips. “
I
for one have no desire to end my days as a wolf’s toothsome tidbit.”

Avril moved forward a step, then paused, looking back. She could still see the glow of the celebration that lit the night sky, could hear the distant strains of music and laughter.

Nina released an exasperated sound. “Do you wish to escape or not?”

“Aye,” Avril said, her voice wavering, before she repeated it more firmly. “Aye.”

“Then come along, my dear.” Nina turned to lead the way through the darkened streets. “If all goes well, you will be leaving Asgard tonight.”

“I do not believe I have ever seen you clean-shaven, Valbrand.
Ja
, that is what seems different about you.”

“Can a man not change one aspect of his appearance without half of Asgard making comment?” Hauk grumbled, wishing everyone would stop noticing.

Hamar, the ale maker, laughed heartily as he refilled Hauk’s cup. “
Nei
, not if he has worn a beard for as long as you have.” He scratched at his own thick red whiskers, winking. “But then, a married man must think of his wife, must he not? Ladies are so accursed reluctant to kiss a man with whiskers.”

Hauk muttered an oath into his cup while Hamar moved on with his jug of ale. His uncle Erik, standing beside him, chuckled.

Hauk took a long drink and slanted him a glance. “I am so glad I amuse you, Uncle.”

“So am I,” Erik replied, in an unusually light mood tonight. “I had forgotten how enjoyable an evening such as this could be.”

Hauk scowled, wishing he were having so pleasant a time. It had been torture to sit beside Avril during supper, burning for her while she remained cool and remote and resisted all his attempts at conversation.

If he had dared think he might eventually persuade her to accept her life here, she had disabused him of that notion today. She would never accept Asgard. Or him.

He had taken her away from her child, an innocent little girl who would grow up an orphan because of what he had done—and for that, she could never forgive him. Not that he could blame her.

“You cannot begrudge everyone being happy for you,” Erik commented. “You have lived a solitary life for far too long, out on the cliffs. Our people are surprised and pleased that you have brought a new bride to Asgard. That you might at last have a family of your own.”

Hauk did not reply, seeing no need to explain that there was little chance of
that
happening. He was not about to discuss the real reason behind his churlish humor tonight, not with his uncle.

Erik Valbrand was normally aloof, stoic, and a rare visitor to such festive events; he was present tonight only because he needed to introduce the English girl, Blythe, to the island’s unmarried men, so that she might choose a husband.

At the moment, Blythe stood beside Keldan’s bride, who was cheering Keldan on in the wrestling matches that had begun after the strength competitions.

Hauk took another swallow from his cup. “My mind has been on my
duty
tonight, Uncle, not on courting my wife. I should think that would please you.” All night he had been watching the crowd for Thorolf, concerned that the black-eyed knave might come here to cause trouble. But thus far there had been no sign of him.

His uncle turned to regard him with a more serious expression. “You and your new bride seemed to be getting along well enough during supper.”

“We managed to be civil,” Hauk said curtly. “We are not getting along.”

“Indeed? And when do you intend to remedy that?”

Hauk bit back an oath, which only would have been drowned out by the cheers and shouts that rose as Keldan pinned yet another opponent to the ground.

Hauk winced as his bruised and battered friend rose and immediately motioned for the next challenger. Kel was trying to exhaust himself into unconsciousness. Which, as Hauk had tried to point out, would not help at all.

He should know, he thought ruefully—he had tried all day to do the same.

Only Josette would be able to ease poor Keldan’s suffering.

“You must give your wife time,” Erik advised. “Show her care and gentleness. And affection.”

Hauk pierced his uncle with a glare. “That is strange advice, coming from you.”

Erik Valbrand had shown precious little care or gentleness or affection while Hauk was growing up. He had always been determined that Hauk should be strong enough and tough enough not to repeat his father’s mistakes.

Not to chase his father’s dreams.

“Men can change,” Erik said, meeting his accusing glare without flinching. “You can change. You must have a son one day. There must be another Valbrand to carry on the tradition—”

“By all the gods,” Hauk swore, “
that
word again.”

“
Ja
. Tradition. One day you may wish to turn your attention to other pursuits, and there must be another ready to take your place and serve as
vokter
.”

“Are you so dissatisfied with how I have carried out my duties, Uncle?”

“
Nei
, that is not what I meant.”

“I have no intention of abandoning my post,” Hauk said flatly. “I am not my father. And as for my wife—”

He glanced behind him, to where Avril had been standing the last time he saw her, visiting with Marta and her family.

But she was no longer there.

Turning, he looked around, alarm slicing through him.

She was nowhere to be seen.

“H
ow am I to know what Thorolf would be doing with a boat?” Nina said in an impatient voice. “Do we really care to pause and ask questions at this moment?”

Avril stood blinking in the moonlight, barely able to believe what lay before her on the rugged strip of shoreline. She stared, speechless, her heart soaring at her good fortune.

Nina continued throwing aside branches and underbrush to reveal a small sailing vessel—single-masted, shallow-keeled, with a curving prow and stern. Mayhap a fishing boat, or a pleasure craft meant for rivers and lakes. It was about twenty paces long, sitting partly in the water. And it looked new.

“Mayhap Thorolf wished to take up fishing. He is always searching for some new way to amuse himself.” Nina found a heavy anchor stone that had been used to keep the boat from drifting out with the tide. “My friend sometimes comes to this secluded stretch of beach with her”—she flicked a look at Avril—”favorite companion, and she mentioned that the two of them saw Thorolf here late last night.”

As Avril moved closer, Nina started tugging at the rope knotted around the stone. “My friend said that Thorolf kept looking around nervously, as if afraid someone might see him. She could not think of what a man like him would be doing sneaking about the shore at such an hour, unless he was breaking one of our laws—”

“Such as the one against leaving Asgard.” Avril pulled back a length of canvas flung over the stern, uncovering a jumble of supplies. “Look at all of these barrels and chests, and baskets of food and...” She opened the lid of one trunk, to find it gleaming with jewels and coins. “He has a king’s ransom in riches here.”

“Is there drinking water?”

Avril uncorked a flask. “Aye. But what could he—”

“Good. That is all you will need for your voyage.” Nina tossed the anchor rope aside and placed both hands on the stern. “You must promise me you will not tell anyone about Asgard, little
utlending
, or ever try to return here. You must keep our secret.”

“Aye, of course, you have my word. But I cannot go
tonight
.” Avril was paralyzed by fear as she looked out across the black sea, toward the distant fog and those towering rocks that stood ready to block her way. “I will leave in the daylight, on the morrow—”

“The boat could be
gone
by the morrow. There is no telling when Thorolf might move it. Whatever his purpose, he would not risk leaving it here for long—”