Page 14 of Her Viking Saviour
Wynflaed looked back at her companions, who all watched her curiously.
“Nothing. I am fine, truly.” She plastered a smile on her face and turned her focus back to them.
Chapter Fourteen
There was laughter, singing, and many a conversation around him, but Torben had blocked out all the noise when he focused his attention on Wynflaed. She was acting oddly this evening. She would not meet his eyes, and her responses had all seemed . . . unnatural. Very unlike her usual forthright self. The whole interaction had left him feeling disgruntled. All he wanted to do was pick her up, take her somewhere they could be alone, and kiss those maddening lips until she lost all her senses and forgot whatever she was mad about.
“Torben, are you with us?” asked Ragnav, who waved a hand in front of his face to try to gain his attention.
“What is it, Ragnav?” he said irritably, turning his head to his younger brother.
“You said you had something to share with me?” His smiling demeanour was unchanged by Torben’s short tone. It was rare to find Ragnav in ill humour.
“I have considered your request to start breeding horses. I think it is a good idea. It shows me you are thinking, growing, and looking to make wealth outside of raiding.”
He added the last part because he knew Ragnav was frustrated by his limited raiding experience and had only gotten to hear the tales of heroes before him.
Ragnav nodded to show he understood the thinly veiled message, but he grinned excitedly at the prospect of pursuing his goal.
“Thank you, brother, thank you! I will not let you down. I have so many ideas, so many plans.”
“I know you do. See Leif for any coin you need, and we will plot out some land to expand the stables. Ask Cola if he is interested. I watched him with the horses earlier and he has a natural skill with them.”
Ragnav wasted no time and ran off to Leif. Torben smiled when Leif turned around with a scowl after Ragnav thumped him hard on the back to gain his attention.
He turned his awareness to the people who had lined up to talk with him and gestured them forward one by one to give them his ear. They brought him news of good harvests–carrots and cabbage in abundance–and crops of rye ready to be collected. Apples had also grown plentifully, and wild bilberries and hazelnuts had been foraged. One of his farmers brought bad news. A wolf, judging from the tracks, had attacked his herd of sheep twice, making off with two and leaving one dead. Torben patted the older man's shoulder in commiseration and offered the bulk of his newly returned men to hunt the wolf and watch over his herd at night till it was caught. The farmer’s plot was close to the settlement and having a rogue wolf this close was a danger lest it get too confident and attack a human. Torben hailed Sven and gave him the news.
“Why did the old fool not tell me while you were gone?” Sven swore angrily.
“He told me he did not want to be a bother. I guess he needed to swallow some pride to ask for help at all, but he must haverealised the situation had gotten out of his control.” He tried to appease Sven who, like Leif, was quick to temper.
“I will make sure that his sons and a few other men are placed on the task, and I will oversee it myself.”
Torben had been so busy with his people he had not set his gaze on Wynflaed in some time. When he realized this, he turned to where she had been, but he could not spot her. Freydis was still there, however, so he walked over to her.
“Where did Wynflaed go, Freydis?” He cut off her conversation with Hilde mid-sentence.
“She was overcome with tiredness and we urged her to go to bed.”
“Alone?” he asked in a raised voice, which caused both Freydis and Hilde to jump.
“Yes, Torben. She knew the way back.” Freydis frowned at his line of questioning.
“But I said I would escort you all home.”
“Since when do I need an escort, Torben? Wynflaed is a strong-minded girl and she will be fine. And you have been busy.”
He barely refrained from spitting out a vile curse in front of the women and calmed himself. He would go and ensure Wynflaed had returned safely.
“Thank you, Freydis,” he said between gritted teeth and stormed out into the night.
He followed the path Wynflaed should have taken to reach the longhouse and did not spot her.Perhaps she has already made it to her room, he thought, as his feet led him to the door. He could hear movement inside and that should have been enough to allay his fears. But he wanted to see her, to hear her.
He tapped softly on her door.
“Wynflaed, it is Torben. I just wanted to check that all is well with you.”
“I am well.” Her terse reply did not deter him.
