"Oh."
Gunnar watched his wife's features, saw her complexion pale as the implications of his account sank in. "He... he attempted to rape her?" Mairead's voice had dropped to a whisper.
"From what Steinn and Weylin have said I must conclude that he did. You understand I cannot allow this to go unpunished?"
"No, of course not." Gunnar was relieved that she appeared to agree with him, at least on the need to mete out justice. "What happened?" she demanded. "When..."
"This morning. Edyth was on an errand for Aigneis when she encountered Ferris returning from the lower meadow. It seems the man has been declaring his admiration for the wench since she first arrived here, but I am given to understand she does not return his interest. On this occasion, Ferris was not prepared to take no for an answer. There was an argument, then he dragged the girl into a stand of trees and attempted to take her by force. Luckily Weylin and Steinn were inspecting rabbit traps nearby and heard the commotion..."
"How... how far did he get?" His wife’s voice was breathy, her shock clearly profound.
"Edyth's clothing was torn, and there is much bruising about her shoulders and breasts. Her face, too."
"He... he slapped her? Beat her?"
"Aye, it looks like it. By the time Steinn and Weylin came upon them she was on the ground and Ferris was lying on top of her. She had ceased to fight him. It is just as well my men were close enough to stop him in time."
“It is my fault…”
“Nay, love, it is Ferris’ fault and he shall be made to pay.”
“It is my fault,” Mairead insisted. “I knew… I should have told you…”
“You knew? What did you know? That he lusted after Edyth? To be fair, most of the males in Gunnarsholm lust after the lass but Ferris was the only one who?—“
“No. I knew what he was like. Ferris is a violent man who threatens women” She wriggled in his arms so that she was facing him. “He… he threatened me once.”
“He did what?” Gunnar could not believe what he was hearing. “How did he threaten you? When?”
“S-soon after I arrived here. It was while you were away, chasing the raiders who stole your sheep.” In short, stumbling bursts she confided to him the details of her conversations with Ferris. Gunnar grew more livid with each syllable.
“And why am I only now learning of this?” He had promised her a spanking for doubting his fidelity but this was worse. Much worse. By Odin she would not forget this day’s punishment any time soon. “All these months you have been afraid of him?”
“No. No, I was not afraid. I… I thought him harmless, an embittered fool, full of threats but powerless to hurt anyone. It seems I was wrong.”
“You were. You were wrong about Ferris and wrong to keep this from me. I would have ensured he could harm no one.”
“With your whip?”
“Aye, with my whip. He deserves no less.”
Mairead was silent, but he did not make the mistake of interpreting this as acquiescence. “There is more?”
She nodded.
“Tell me. Now.”
“He wanted to kill you.”
Gunnar snorted. “I daresay.”
“He wanted me to help him.”
“What?”
“He wanted me to murder you while you slept. He… he thought I might because I was also a slave and by killing our master I would be showing loyalty to my people.”
“I have to assume your loyalties were more complex than he believed.” Or so Gunnar fervently hoped.
