Page 22 of Her Dark Viking
And whatever the vile thrall might like to suggest, she would find another way to protect her son from the wrath of the Viking chief.
7
"Gone? What do you mean, gone? Where the fuck has she gone? And why? What happened here?"
Gunnar glared at Weylin and wondered, not for the first time, why he should not merely throttle the man now. The Celt's devotion to duty was not in doubt, but did he have to look quite so fucking pleased with himself?
"The boy is a thief, master. We discovered his wrongdoing and his guilt was beyond doubt. Rather than allow you to address the matter in a way which you might deem appropriate the mother believed she knew better. She left, took the boy with her, and the baby.”
"Thor's fucking hammer." Gunnar actually growled as he tunnelled his fingers through his hair. He strode across the central aisle of his hall and entered his sleeping chamber. The evidence of recent occupation was obvious in the dishevelled pelts strewn across the raised dais he slept on, and the now greying embers in the small fire pit. He knelt beside the cinders and held his hand above them. The meagre hint of warmth still rising from the doused fire told him what he needed to know – his flame-haired captive was not long gone.
Gunnar left the longhouse at a sprint, yelling for Steinn as he charged across the settlement toward the crude outbuilding which served as a stable.
"My horse, now. We leave at once."
Men came running, their brief homecoming at an end but none questioned their chief.
"Jarl, what has happened? Where are we going?" Steinn threw a bridle over his horse's head and tightened the buckle as he spoke.
"Mairead has fled. We will track her, bring her back."
"Fled, Jarl? Why would she do that?"
Why indeed?A child's mischief was no cause for such a desperate act. There had to be more to this and he intended to know what that was. Provided he got to his Celt before the wolves did.
"Where is Ormarr? His tracking skills will be needed." Gunnar swung into his own saddle as Weylin fussed about him.
"Jarl, she is but a thrall, there is no purpose in such haste. Eat, rest, I shall?—"
"You shall shut your fucking mouth unless it is to tell me exactly when she left and what direction she took."
The servant fell silent under his master's withering glower. It was Aigneis who stepped forward to offer the information he required.
"She left soon afterdagmal, Jarl. Your man arrived and told us that you would be returning this day, with the stolen sheep. I ordered food to be prepared in readiness and Mairead said she would take Donald to harvest fresh turnips for the broth. I did not think to seek her out until much later, when she did not return for the noon meal."
The woman wrung her hands, her concern etched across her kindly features. Gunnar softened his tone. "Did she take anything with her?"
"I do not think so, Jarl. She has few possessions and there is nothing gone from the larders. And no horse is missing either."
"Fuck, " he muttered again, under his breath. She was out there, alone, in danger, with no food, no protection, and two small children, one of them a babe barely a month old.Had the woman not the sense she was born with?
"Jarl, there is more." Aigneis dropped her gaze, her next words barely audible. "Mairead saw Ferris."
He narrowed his eyes. He was aware that his new thrall had witnessed the punishment. Had Mairead spoken with the man since then?
"Ferris? What has he to do with this?"
"It is my fault. Mairead was... upset by the whipping. It frightened her and she asked me about it. I told her Ferris was a thief and that he had earned his punishment. I said that all must obey the law. When Donald was discovered to have stolen from others here, perhaps she thought... I mean, might she have expected that you would... would...?"
"She believed I would have her child whipped? Or even do it myself? By Odin, why would she imagine that?"
The woman did not reply, but her glance toward Weylin said all that was required. Gunnar leaned down from his saddle and beckoned the man to him.
"Look at me, Weylin and mark me well. If harm comes to Mairead, or to either of her children, you will answer to me for it."
"But—"
"You had better hope I find her in time." He straightened and lifted his arm to gain his men's attention. "The woman is on foot and carrying a baby. She will not have got far. Ormarr, you will go ahead and find her trail."
