Viking's Love (22 page)

“
We shall see.”

“
How is it a noble female takes up
swords and knives? That is not a normal pastime for English
ladies.”

Allisande snorted rudely. “You should know,
Viking, having forced me to defend myself.”

“
Your father must have been a weakling
to teach his women to fight,” Joran taunted, desiring to know more
about his enchanting slave.

“
My father paid me no heed since the
day I wasn’t born a son, Viking,” Allisande answered and shrugged.
“My mother found her peace in her chapel, and neither knew of my
interest, if you must know, only my brother, Collin.”

“
Your brother trained you to use a
sword?”

Allisande chuckled, her violet eyes filled
with amusement. “You could say we trained each other.”

“
Why are you yet unwed? You are old
enough to marry.”

“
Let us just say, I found no man worth
marrying,” Allisande said stiffly, uncomfortable with his
questions. “Why do you ask me all of this?”

Joran shrugged. “Why do you get angry I
ask?”

Allisande didn’t understand why she felt
defensive. She realized how odd it must seem for her to be unwed at
her age, and her skills with a sword. She recalled the mockery of
Collin’s peers at court and expected the Viking to laugh at her
too. Why was it so hard to believe a woman didn’t wish to depend
upon a man for safety and security? She’d seen where it got her
mother. If not for her God, Lady Edwina would be miserable in her
life.

Allisande petted the wolf. She ignored Joran
as the meal was served and several of his men joined the table. She
did not have to worry for his attention was drawn to Grogan, who
was outlining the details of the next raid, much to her delight as
she listened closely.

“
We should take the long ships in
through the bay to the left of Luxtley’s holding, and sneak in
through the woods to hide our arrival.” Grogan went over possible
strategies. “They will not be able to see our approach and sound
the alarm.”

“
You have forgotten the village which
separates the woods from the keep,” Joran pointed out as he cut off
a piece of gristle off his meat and tossed it to Thor. “We would
have to pass through there first, alerting Luxtley of our
presence.”

“
We will have to be quiet,” Grogan
muttered and grinned. “Until after we batter down their doors, that
is.”

Joran shook his head and gazed down at
Allisande, who appeared to be feeding his animal, but he was aware
she listened to every word. He gestured to his companion for
silence and they quit the discussion.

Allisande smiled as she petted the wolf.
Luxtley was an old ally of her father’s. If she succeeded to
stowaway aboard the long ship and managed to get off Joran’s ship
when they made shore, she could run ahead of them to warn her
father’s old friend, before they raided the holding. She smirked
when she thought of Joran’s anger when he met English steel outside
the gates of Luxtley.

Allisande had plenty of time to pick up their
strategies in the next weeks. Men often disregarded women and spoke
loosely. Joran would not believe she had the nerve to stowaway
aboard his ship when he went on a raid. They would not be looking
for her. There would be many places to hide during the journey.

She was feeling better about her situation as
she picked at her meal that night once her plans were fully formed.
She had months to prepare. She would need food and other supplies,
as well as warm clothing, remembering the freezing air during their
passage into Norway. She bit her lip when she realized she needed
weapons as well.

She knew Joran had her sword kept somewhere,
but hadn’t seen it since they arrived. Her brother made for her
years before when he tired of her using his. She vowed she would
not leave it behind.

Just thinking of Joran’s reaction when he
returned to his longhouse after the failed raid to find her gone
made the evening pass pleasantly. She was yawning when she felt a
hand upon her shoulder.

She looked up and saw the look in his eyes
and was startled by it. His eyes were darkened with longing as he
rose and drew her up with him. She marched ahead of him, and could
almost feel his breath upon the back of her neck when they arrived
to his room.

She stepped inside and expected him to pounce
upon her.

He merely undressed and lit a candle as he
added more wood to the fire in the hearth. She removed her gown and
got into bed. There was no point in denying him, for she couldn’t
fight the pleasure she found in his arms. It was disconcerting,
this passion she felt for the Viking she claimed to hate. She
pulled the fur skin about her as he joined her in the bed.

He jerked her back into his chest and his
strong arms held her close to him as he curled around her. His lips
nestled in her hair at her neck, and inhaled the sweet fragrance
there and he sighed.

“
You make it hard to stay angry at you,
Wench.” Joran placed a slow lingering kiss at her nape, making her
shiver as gooseflesh spread over her shoulders. His hands wandered
over her freely. She ignored the stabs of pleasure when he stroked
her full breasts. Her nipples hardened and tingled in expectation
of his caresses.

“
You make it very easy to stay mad at
you, Viking,” Allisande returned softly as he buried his face in
her hair. He chuckled warmly at her words. His hands were caressing
her with disturbing intensity, setting her limbs afire.

“
My name is not Viking. Can you not
call me by my name?” Joran enjoyed the feel of her lush nudity
against him, liking the way her body pressed closer to him despite
her constant denial of him out of his bed.

“
Mine name isn’t Wench, either, Master”
Allisande murmured in a scathing tone. He laughed softly and nipped
playfully at her shoulder, making her yelp as he grazed her tender
flesh with his teeth, more in surprise than pain.

The lips that met hers were once again
determined.

She tried to force herself to lie still as he
explored her with soft kisses and touches, but soon it proved
impossible. She moaned as his finger found the hard bud of her
desire, and soon she was trembling in his arms.

Joran held back his ardor. When he rolled her
beneath him and entered her, she cried out in delight and arched
under him, meeting his driving body with matched eagerness. He
smiled in the darkness as he brought her to pleasure first,
enjoying the way she clung to him. He shuddered as he soon joined
her, marveling at the passion between them. When she wasn’t
insulting him and making him angry, she pleased him as none ever
had.

Allisande slept in his arms with her leg
lodged between his. She looked so beautiful in the firelight; he
could only stare at her. He brooded as he wondered if he could let
her go come spring when the ransom arrived for her.

Joran could afford to give up the ransom, but
his father would demand it of him. Ivar wanted no reminders of
Harold’s betrayal. The baron’s daughter remaining with him
indefinitely would be an issue with his sire should he think to
keep the girl for his own.

He frowned fiercely as he thought of giving
her up. His arms tightened around her possessively. He found little
pleasure in thinking of her ransom these days. Every day that
passed reminded him of what he would lose in the spring.

Joran didn’t want to feel this softness in
him for Allisande, but it began on its own. He tried to deny it,
but he knew the girl had gotten under his skin. Sleep came some
time later.

Allisande was reliving the terror of the
siege in her dreams. She felt the horror and whimpered in her
sleep. She saw herself again forcing her mother behind the false
cabinet, and felt the despair as the doors to the keep crashed
open. She saw Joran and his men entering, and heard their howling
war cries. She saw her father’s remaining retainers fall in vain
attempts to protect those in the keep.

Ragged sobs tore her throat as the two giant
Vikings backed her into the corner in the outer bailey, their eyes
wild. She saw herself killing them again, and soon her screams
brought her upright in the bed.

Joran sat up and attempted to comfort her.
She sobbed and pushed away from him, her face buried in her hands,
shuddering with the horrors of that day. Joran’s face was grim when
he heard her words before she woke. He knew she was reliving the
terror of the keep being taken.

When Allisande pushed away from him, he felt
her sorrow acutely. When the sobs wracked her shoulders, she flung
off his comforting hands. He sighed and lay back down. Knowing he
was responsible for her pain and deserving of her hatred did not
set well with him, despite her father’s treachery.

The innocent people who perished at
Lockwraithe that day paid the price for Osgood’s misdeeds. There
was nothing he could say or do to make her feel better, for he had
caused the tears that streamed down her cheeks in a hot
torrent.

She soon quieted and lay as far away from him
as she could in the bed. He lay awake for some time feeling the
huge chasm between them once more. He was aggrieved the fates had
made her his enemy’s daughter.

Collin sat in the hall playing chess with the
Earl of Ulsted and wanted nothing more than to be on his way home.
The man seemed determined to keep him there. Ulsted was a very
handsome man with his dark curls and long-lashed pale blue eyes.
The ladies in the hall watched them both with covetous glances.

Collin grew bored at court. The king and his
entourage were leaving soon for his other castle in London. Ulsted
was questioning him about his sister. He was growing irritated at
Robert’s interest in Allisande after he spurned her.

“
You have renounced her as your bride,
Robert,” Collin said tightly and his violet eyes flashed warningly.
“What do you care how she fares in the company of the Vikings? Had
you any thoughts of her welfare, you would have given me the
ransom. As it is, she is the property of Joran the Stonehearted,
and it is doubtful the Berserker has left her chaste. Why do you
ask what I plan to do with her when I regain her freedom? It should
not concern you. I have heard you have another heiress in mind for
your bride.”

Robert smiled in an unfriendly way and moved
his pawn appropriately. He wanted nothing more than to reach out
and strike the handsome baron off his chair for addressing him so
impertinently, but he needed information only Collin of Lockwraithe
could supply.

He grew rich ferreting information to
Lockwraithe and Luxtley over the years about the shipments of gold
and other riches intended for the royal coffers. He feared
Allisande would learn of his involvement and expose him should she
ever return.

It was to his benefit for the girl to remain
with the Viking and not back in England to expose him as one of the
conspirators. He folded his hands beneath his chin and composed his
features in a look he hoped conveyed pain. “You judge me harshly,
Collin. It is your sister that I wanted, not the Lancaster girl. I
won’t put out the coin for the Whiltshire heiress the king offers
me,” he said mournfully and shook his head. “I cannot take
Allisande to wife now. It is impossible, given her abduction by the
Viking. I propose another solution to you.”

“
And what might that be?” Collin braced
himself for the earl’s words, trying to control his
temper.

“
Do not pay the ransom. Let the Viking
keep your lady sister. If you bring her back, she will be
ostracized by all. What if she brings a bastard back with her, what
then? The king has said he is looking to find you a wealthy
heiress. Think of your own future, Baron. It pains me to think of
Lady Allisande in the company of the Viking, but no noble family
will want the taint of what has happened to her to mire their noble
names.”

“
It is no fault of hers! You go too
far, Ulsted!” Collin hissed low, anger causing his face to flush.
“I will do what I must to save my sister. You insult me by
suggesting I think of my own welfare right now. I do not care what
others think! Allisande saved our mother! She killed two of the
Vikings before she was taken. She doesn’t deserve to be vilified by
you or any other!”

“
You don’t have the funds to rebuild
the keep,” Ulsted said in sympathy. “We both know you have to wed
to gain the ransom. I was but thinking you would be better served
to use the dowry to fortify your home. You must think of your
future heirs, Baron, and not your loyalty to your sister, for it
will cost you all in the end.”

Collin pushed the chess board away and stood
up and spun on his heel without another word to Ulsted. He retraced
his steps back to his chambers. His retainer, Ugauld, was there. He
bade him pack for Lockwraithe. He had enough.

He couldn’t argue Ulsted’s words. Bringing
Allisande back would no doubt ruin them all, but the pain of
leaving her with her captor enraged him. He learned this day that
the king found a rich heiress for him.

The Duke of Lancaster’s daughter was rumored
to be lovely and wealthy. He despised Ulsted for pointing out he
had little choice but to marry to rebuild his home, and forget
about reclaiming his sister.

Collin pulled the fur-lined cloak about his
shoulders and left for the stables to get his horse. He rode and
simmered with rage as he recounted his conversation with
Ulsted.

The man wasted little time in trying to find
another bride, and openly renounced his sister following news of
the siege. Collin despised himself for the choice he must make. He
had to wed, and soon. Ulsted was offered both of his choices for
bride first. His pride was tweaked when they bandied words in the
king’s hall. He learned Meghera of Lancaster and Ambryn of
Whiltshire had been offered to Robert first, showing Alfred’s
favoritism. Collin felt like he received Robert’s cast-offs
now.