Page 63 of Paying the Viking's Price

‘That is because you are a woman and know naught.’

Edith crossed her arms, counted to ten and tried to keep her temper. Athelstan had no right to speak to his wife that way. Neither did he have a right to pass judgement on her, but losing her temper and storming out would hardly solve her immediate problem of how to get rid of him without endangering everyone else.

‘Athelstan,’ she began, making a supreme effort to keep her voice even and steady. She made sure it contained her most commanding tone. ‘I have very little time. What is between Brand and me is private, but it benefits everyone on these lands. You must trust my judgement on this. You have not been here. You have not seen the improvements he has made. This estate must have an overlord and he should do right by it.’

‘Any man can repair a building or plant corn.’ Athelstan scowled. ‘I want to know the measure of him. He must prove himself worthy. Nothing I have seen or heard of him makes me think he has one ounce of honour in his body.’

‘In what manner should he prove himself?’ Edith asked. ‘What do you want him to do?’

‘He should do the decent thing and marry you,’ Mary burst out. ‘Then I will say to everyone what an honourable man he is! And my husband will as well.’

‘How many times do I have to tell you to be silent, wife?’

‘Mary is entitled to her opinion.’ Edith shook her head and started for the door. ‘Brand Bjornson’s decision to marry will be based on his king’s wishes, not his own. I will have no more said.’

Athelstan raised his hands in supplication. ‘I deserve my say, your ladyship. Simply because you dislike the words is no call for them to remain unsaid.’

Edith halted. She was behaving worse than Hilda. Unlike Hilda, she didn’t have the luxury of giving in to impulsive behaviour. How often had her parents scolded her for doing that? ‘Very well, speak your piece.’

‘Your father was well respected. Unlike the man who now calls himself our jaarl, he never brought dishonour to the name of lord in these parts. Brand Bjornson’s name is used to terrify children. Nurses whisper that he will come to get them. Have you ever asked him why he has that scar? It is a hanging scar.’

‘You are overly harsh.’ Edith tapped her fingers together. She’d forgotten that Athelstan considered himself her protector. Neither did it give her the right to break Brand’s confidences. ‘Brand Bjornson has not done anything dishonourable. Give me one example, one thing other than his liaison with me that makes him unworthy in your eyes. Rumours and tales told around a campfire only show that he was a warrior. Warriors have all manner of scars.’

Athelstan raised an eyebrow. ‘Do you know how your husband died? He was foully murdered under a parlay by the man who sits in the hall, stuffing his face on honest food. I know that for a fact. I was there. I saw your husband’s body and the bodies of his guard. Dismembered. Even now they haunt my dreams. I stood there, saying a prayer when I heard voices, Norsemen. I hid myself, waiting for them to go, but I overheard one of them, the largest one, bragging how he’d caused the truce to be broken.’

‘And you are sure that this was Brand Bjornson?’

‘How could it be any other? He carried a bloody axe.’ He clenched his fist. ‘I’d run him through if I had the chance.’

Edith put her hand over her mouth. Brand had killed Egbert in cold blood, rather than in battle? It seemed out of character for him to do anything like that.

Her stomach churned. However, it was not out of character for Egbert to break a truce. She wished Brand had told her the full circumstances of the final battle, but it made sense now why he’d been given this particular earldom.

‘Are you sure of your facts?’ she asked when she could control her voice.

‘Aye, I’m sure, my lady.’ Athelstan made an ironic bow. ‘I was there or near enough. Six of them went out on a winter’s morning and none of them returned. The Norsemen fell on us like ravenous wolves afterwards. We had been sitting about the fire, eating our porridge, waiting for Lord Egbert to return. We were all unprepared for the attack. I took a blow to my shoulder and then to my head. I thought I was a goner for sure and feigned death. I must have passed out, but came around later. Everyone had departed, save the corpses and the crows.’

‘And how do you know how my husband was killed, if you were not with him?’

‘I saw the bodies afterwards. Hacked to pieces, they were. I heard it whispered that the great Brand Bjornson was there. Then he gets these lands and I knew I had to come back and do something. Such a man could not be allowed to hold sway of these lands.’

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