Viking's Love (52 page)

“
Did you know of it?” he demanded
sharply. “Was that your way of keeping me in your army?”

“
Do you have such a low opinion of me?”
Ivar said sadly and cursed under his breath as he met his son’s
sardonic glare directly. “I suspected he was up to something, and I
knew he showed back up here with no explanation of where he had
been for weeks. He was throwing gold around that he couldn’t have
gotten honestly. I put a whore from my brother’s house on him to
learn where he has been. Janice learned little except he claims to
have been doing a bit of raiding on his own. I did not know of
it.”

Joran believed him and looked around the room
and grew angry when he realized the man he sought had fled York
recently for parts unknown. Or maybe it was known, and it was
highly likely Ivar knew and was once more protecting him.

“
Where is he, Father?” Joran glanced at
him sideways to see him look away and sighed in irritation. “You
cannot keep me from killing him this time! After what Ulsted did to
my wife, I will find Wulfstan and I will kill him, and I do not
care that he is your son.”

“
He is your brother as well, Joran,”
Ivar said tiredly and knew the choice he made now would set the
course for his future relationship with his eldest. “I see I cannot
appeal to your sense of family loyalty here. Very well, he has gone
to Denmark.”

“
I can already guess that was your
doing as well?” Joran cursed as his father looked away
guiltily.

“
I knew he did something very bad, but
had no idea what.” Ivar shrugged and gazed at him directly. “You
have a son now. What would you have me do?”

“
Wulfstan has never done one honorable
thing in your name. He has never been deserving of your love. I
have watched you cover his actions for years and always wondered at
it. Why is he so special to you? If it was me who did this thing,
you would have taken a sword to me!”Joran growled and grabbed a
tankard off a passing tray.

“
You would never have done anything
like this, so we are talking of apples and oranges, Joran!” Ivar
said sharply. “I have never questioned your honor or your loyalty.
I have often questioned your choice of mates, however. Do you love
her so much? Is that what it is?” And his eyes flared with anger
when he met his son’s.

“
Aye, I love her!” Joran snarled and
met his glare without blinking. “I cannot live without the woman!
She is the air I breathe, and I do not care if you think me soft
for it! Had you any love in your heart for a woman, you would
understand how I feel! I will not apologize for loving her, or for
leaving you!”

Ivar considered his son’s words moodily and
his thoughts were his own, for he did not deny or confirm those
words. He rubbed his beard and eyed Joran shrewdly and knew
something about him had changed in the months since he had seen
him, and it was obviously the English wench.

“
Oh I have loved women, my son, and I
have seen the folly of it!” he said with a bark of laughter and a
bitter gleam in his eye. “I loved Wulfstan’s mother since we were
children and she spurned me for Danik’s sire. I loved another woman
and she stayed with her monstrous noble husband, rather than be a
raider’s wife! I understand love all too well! It is not something
that lasts! You will see that for yourself!”

Joran had never heard these things from his
father before, and stared at him in consideration. He was unable to
understand his feelings for Allisande due to his own past sorrows.
His gaze softened when he saw the vulnerability lurking beneath his
steely countenance. “You loved Wulfstan’s mother enough to protect
your son. I see that now,” Joran said softly and met his gaze with
understanding. “I have no choice in this! This insult to me cannot
go unanswered. You will have to make a choice as well, for I will
not fight you over it too.”

“
I will not lose you both!” he said
coldly and shook his head. “I am too old to make a choice at all.
You know where he is, and he will return. Do what you
will.”

Joran nodded and withdrew to see to his wife
who sat at a table with the Vikings in their group and was speaking
with her brother in low tones. Collin looked up at his approach and
looked disappointed at the look on his face, for he had been
looking forward to slaying this Viking who insulted his sister not
once, but twice, and remained alive. He watched the play of
emotions on Joran’s face and let out a curse.

“
He is not here!” Joran snapped and
gazed at the young hothead with a raised eyebrow. “If it is a fight
you want, Collin, than stay with Grogan and the others this night
and you will find one. I am taking my wife back to the
ship!”

Allisande did not hear what her brother said,
for she rose and approached her father-in-law where he sat at the
high table. He kicked a serf out of the seat next to him, and
patted the seat for her, smirking as she glared at him and sat next
to him.

Allisande gazed at the man who caused so much
havoc in her life and was weary of fighting him. Making peace with
Ivar seemed better than being at odds, besides she had a message
for him. Her violet eyes twinkled when she thought of his reaction
that Lady Luxtley resided at the abbey in Lockwraithe, and her
former husband had put her out. She dearly hoped the news had the
desired effect.

“
I would not have any enmity between
us, Ivar,” she said stiffly, the words coming hard for the pride it
cost her to hand him an olive branch. His response was to belch
loudly, and slam his tankard for another round. She glared at him
and waited for his reply.

“
So you wish to put aside your hatred
of me, do you, Girl?” he asked with an amused smirk. “If you mean
what you say, than exact some influence with my son in regard to
Wulfstan.”

“
I cannot do that and you know it!” she
hissed and gazed at him with anger. “Wulfstan has gone too far for
even me to rein Joran back from what he is about.”

“
A pity, and here I thought you wished
to be allies,” Ivar said smugly and she fixed him with a frown. She
did not know what Leonie had ever seen in him, but she would not
see that fair beauty languish at the abbey for the rest of her days
if there was a chance he would go back for her.

“
Speaking of allies, I have recently
spoken with Lady Waltham,” Allisande said brightly and was
disappointed no emotion betrayed him as she continued. “She bears
you no ill will of the past, and is content with her life at the
abbey in Lockwraithe these days.”

“
What say you, Girl?” Ivar barked and
his pale eyes narrowed to hear this. “She has left
Waltham?”

“
He put her out not long after the
raid, and annulled their marriage. She has resided at the abbey and
is quite happy, by all accounts,” Allisande said innocently. “If
she can forgive as she has learned to; I found it inspirational in
approaching you this night.”

“
Yes, well, I do not need her
forgiveness,” Ivar said in a much softer tone and she could tell he
was absorbing what she told him.

Joran watched the exchange and saw
Allisande’s smile and frowned. What was the girl up to now? “Are
you conspiring with my father, Wench?” Joran teased as she returned
to their table and pulled out her chair for her to sit.

“
I had thought to try to mend our
differences, but he seems to enjoy it,” she said ruefully and was
interrupted by a giggle and turned and gazed at her brother in
alarm. Collin had a most comely serving wench in his lap, and
looked to be quite entertained as the girl stroked his long raven
locks and her other hand disappeared under the table.

Allisande turned and glared at Joran. He
smiled and shrugged, leaning near her to keep her brother from
hearing them. “He is a grown man, Wife, leave it alone,” he said
and nibbled at her ear. “You cannot stop him from sowing his wild
oats.”

“
He is married, Joran!” Allisande
slapped his hands from her. “Or have you forgotten our new
houseguest for the next five years is his wife?”

Joran eyed Collin and the maid with amusement
and turned back to his wife who glowered at him so darkly he felt
it prudent to intervene. “We set sail at dawn. I am taking
Allisande back to the ship. If you are coming, we leave now.”

There was little enthusiasm to leave.
Allisande could do nothing as her husband helped her up and steered
her away from his men and her brother. He could feel her anger and
as soon as they were outside, she turned on him.

“
I can see you tried very hard to keep
him from being unfaithful to Meghera!” she cried and stomped down
the road as he hastened to catch up.

“
Allisande, your brother is not a
child, but his wife is! What would you have me do? I cannot jerk
him up like a naughty boy, and make him do right, and neither can
you. Why are you angry with me?” Joran grabbed her arm and pulled
her to a stop. “What has this to do with us?”

“
What if it was you who had that woman
upon your lap? I would hope my brother would show more concern for
my feelings than you obviously have for Meghera’s!”

“
You make absolutely no sense!”Joran
shouted down at her. “I would never have a woman upon my lap! Why
are we fighting about this?”

“
You think because she is a child still
that his behavior does not wound her, but you are wrong! She did
not run away that day when none of us could find her. She hid in
the keep so he would worry over her, Joran. She loves him. I know
she is too young to be a proper wife, but I cannot watch him
disregard her as he does,” Allisande said sadly, her violet eyes
meeting his with dismay.

“
Are we not leaving, woman?” Joran
fumed and pulled her to the other side of the road as they made
their way back to the docks. “Grogan will keep him out of trouble.
You worry about much you cannot control, Allisande. Collin sees her
as a child and he is a man! It is obvious he has no intention of
remaining chaste until his wife is old enough, so what problem is
that of ours?”

Allisande did not understand why it bothered
her Joran didn’t find Collin’s behavior reprehensible and ignored
him until they got back to the ship and gave him warning look when
Meghera ran to the top of the plank and looked about, obviously for
Collin.

Joran smiled up at her and propelled
Allisande ahead of him. He helped his wife aboard and noted
Meghera’s searching gaze and felt a pang of guilt suddenly when she
demanded to know where everyone was, meaning her husband. Allisande
gave him a triumphant gaze and marched to the enclosure and tended
to the baby while she listened to Joran cover for Collin’s
dallying.

“
The men remained behind with my
father, little one,” Joran lied and cursed his wife for knowing how
badly he felt for lying to Meghera now. “He wanted to know about
Ulsted and our journey. They will be here by the time we
sail.”

Allisande didn’t hear Meghera’s reply as she
fed her son, and ignored him when he entered the enclosure. She
looked up as he stood before her and she knew he felt miserable for
lying to the girl now.

She said nothing as she smoothed her son’s
soft downy golden hair and smiled as he looked at her drowsily
before closing his eyes and going back to sleep. She got up and put
him in the makeshift bed on the floor of the ship and turned to
Joran who stood over the boy and eyed him lovingly before he looked
at her closely, a grin on his face.

“
I would never have another woman on my
lap with you in my life,” he whispered and she smiled and slid to
his side, her nails grazing his chest slightly.

“
See that you don’t,” she said with
acid sweetness. “I’m a very jealous woman, Viking.”

****

The Vikings returned within the hour and
Collin wasn’t among them. Meghera stood at the railing and stared
out over the water morosely, tears in her eyes as she waited for
him. She waited for hours and every time she heard a sound she ran
to the railing, but he did not appear. Joran and Allisande lay upon
their sleeping mat and listened to her crying. Allisande could
stand it no more. She pulled back the furs and Joran’s arm slid
around her like a steel band, holding her fast.

“
Stay out of it, Wife, and let him deal
with her,” he said tightly and was relieved when she slid back into
bed and snuggled back up to him.

They were awoken later by a loud curse, and a
resounding splash. They jumped up and ran out onto the deck. Joran
grinned as he saw his brother-in-law treading water twenty feet
from the boat and his child bride standing in the middle of the
deck fuming, her wings up under her gown, and flapping by the looks
of them. Allisande rolled her eyes and went back to bed.

“
What the devil is wrong with you,
Meghera?” Collin shouted as he swam to the dock and floundered to
swing himself up. “You could have killed me!”

“
You smell like a cheap dockside whore,
Collin! I know you have been with a woman this night!” Meghera
shouted angrily and pointed her finger at him threateningly and he
jumped back into the water to dodge her. Joran chuckled despite
himself and grabbed Meghera by her shoulders and pulled her away,
allowing Collin to get out of the water. “You’re an unfaithful,
lying wretch!”She shouted furiously over her shoulder as he pulled
her to the hold. “Come near me and I will burn off all your man
parts!” This last caused all the Vikings no end of mirth, and their
jests continued throughout the scene that was playing out for their
entertainment.