The Reluctant Viking Read online

  "Who goes there? What do you in Thork's bedchamber?" Linette screeched as she sat up groggily, pulling a sheet over her naked breasts. "Are you the bothersome thrall Thork brought from Jorvik? Do you spy here, too?" Her sultry eyes narrowed viciously. "Or mayhap you sneak into Thork's private chamber to poison his wine."

  This was all too much for Ruby.

  "Why, you ignorant bimbo... ," Ruby started to berate Linette, then waved her hands in disgust. What was the use! She swiveled and ran from the shrieking Linette.

  "Come back here, you ugly wench, or I will have you beaten," Linette threatened to Ruby's retreating back. "Disobey me, will you? Just wait, thrall, you will learn to heed your betters."

  Ruby didn't care what they did to her. Her eyes had been opened that morning, and she didn't think she could be hurt any more than she already was.

  In her chamber, Ruby's body shook with wild weeping. She wept for the brutality she'd witnessed in the bailey. She wept for Thork's "adultery" with another woman. Then a long-delayed reaction to Jack's desertion set in. The pain of her upcoming divorce racked her, as well as the loss of her old life and exile to this cruel, foreign land.

  Ruby finally cried herself out and realized that her binge of self-pity had jump-started another reaction. She was angry. Who did these people think they were—Thork, or Jack, or Linette, or the whole bunch of stupid Vikings—to trod over her roughshod?

  I am Ruby Jordan. I am not going to sit down and die. I am a survivor. I will get through this nightmare.

  Ruby couldn't believe her sojourn in this time warp was a permanent one. All she had to do was stop making waves and wait out her time here, she reasoned. She had no one—absolutely no one—on whom she could depend. She knew that for certain now.

  Kinship with the Duke of Normandy was her strongest protection. She must convince these people that he was, in fact, her "grandfather" so they wouldn't dare harm her. It would be impossible, though, if she kept letting her emotions get in the way.

  Face it, girl, you were starting to fall in love with the damn Viking.

  Ruby curled up in a ball on her little bed and slept away her weariness from the trip and the mental anguish she'd suffered that morning. She awakened several hours later, thankful that no one had disturbed her. They were probably too busy killing people, Ruby thought, her lips curling in disgust.

  Pouring the entire pitcher of water into the bowl, Ruby gave herself an all-over wash with a square of linen and soft soap. Then she searched her new Viking wardrobe for something presentable to wear down to the great hall for dinner. She chose a cream-colored velvet tunic with dark green braiding to be worn over a jade, long-sleeved chemise. Gyda had been generous in allowing her to alter clothes that no longer suited Astrid. Over her neck, she slid the magnificent emerald Byrnhil had given her, then realized she had forgotten to return Thork's dragon brooches. With absolutely no guilt, she pinned them on the shoulders of her garment, vowing to keep them until asked for their return. Maybe she would never give them back.

  The three girls came in, talking excitedly until they saw Ruby, and then they turned strangely silent. Ruby helped them find more water and to dress, all the while puzzled by their aloof attitudes.

  "What has happened? What have I done now?"

  The girls looked at each other sheepishly but wouldn't answer. The only thing Ruby could think of was that Linette was causing trouble.

  Well, so be it, Ruby thought. It was her against the Vikings, it seemed. All of them! Actually, it fit in with her new plan to form no attachments with these people.

  They went down to the crowded hall together, then parted. Ruby went to the end of the table, well below the salt, hoping to be as inconspicuous as possible, while the girls joined their parents closer to the dais where Dar, Aud, Thork and Linette sat with several hesirs and their wives whom Ruby hadn't met.

  Ruby knew immediately that some new trouble had landed at her door. Everyone turned from her coldly.

  Ruby ate in peace, ignored by the lowly hesir at her side. She hadn't eaten since her meager breakfast and was famished. But a clock ticked in her head the whole time. She knew it was only a matter of time before she would be informed of her latest crime.

  Ella, her Rhoda-like acquaintance, gave her the first clue, whispering in Ruby's ear, "The prisoner confessed," as she filled cups of ale along the table. Ruby looked up sharply, then realized that Ella didn't want to be seen speaking to her. Ella fussed, stacking some empty wooden bowls in front of her, then murmured hastily, "They came from Ivar. Some traitor in our midst informed Ivar of the traveling route." With those words, Ella left, carrying a load of empty trenchers to the kitchen.

  Ruby glanced quickly to Thork, wounded once again, even though she'd vowed not to care about him or his people. How could he think she would hurt Dar? When Thork stared down at her in stony censure, Ruby's heart dropped. He thought just that.

  * * *

  Thork had watched Ruby enter the great hall before the meal, shaken by the day's information and renewed in his determination to keep his distance from the mysterious wench.

  All clues pointed to her as the informant, but he could not believe she would deliberately harm his father or the boys she likened to her own sons. Mayhap the plan had gone beyond her control. Mayhap Ivar's men had been directed to kidnap Thork but had been unable to do so. Then they had chosen Dar instead, without Ruby knowing of the change of plans. But that would mean that Ruby plotted his own downfall. Thork's spirits plummeted. Could Ruby care so little for him? Truly, he upbraided himself, why was he surprised by the ever-constant duplicity of women?

  Dar and Olaf wanted her tortured for information, goaded on by Linette's claim that Ruby had entered his chamber that morn, intent on murdering him. She told a convincing story.

  Then Thork and Dar had gone up to Ruby's chamber to confront her with their suspicions and found her rolling back and forth on the pallet in a troubled sleep. The words that had spewed from her mouth in sleep condemned her even more, "Dead! They killed those poor men! Oh, my God! The cruel barbarians! So much blood! So unnecessary! Forgive them, God. Please... please... make them stop!" In truth, the wench had condemned herself.

  Thork and Dar had let her sleep, exiting the room silently to discuss this new information in private.

  I mislike this whole affair," Dar had said. "All clues point to the wench, and yet I am not convinced."

  "Nor I."

  "It seems so reasonable, and yet I still doubt she is a spy."

  A part of Thork wanted to believe Ruby innocent. Had she flummoxed them all? His head pounded with all the conflicting information it had been fed that day.

  During the evening meal, Thork's eyes shifted to Ruby often, taking in her fine attire, highlighted by his own jewelry. He smiled wryly. The bold wench waded neck-deep in the most serious danger, and she brazenly flaunted his borrowed ornaments, like a bloody queen. Sitting at the bottom of the table, she waxed more regal than the proudest royalty.

  "Will you torture her?" Linette whined, hanging on his arm. "Will you, Thork? Will you?"

  Thork shrugged her clinging hands off distastefully. He'd slept with Linette the night before and made good use of her body, but something rankled. Already he'd lost interest, as he did with all women. Her irritating mewling hastened the process.

  " 'Tis my decision to make, not yours," Thork snapped. "Halt thy waspish tongue! No more do I wish to hear." Linette turned peevishly to the hesir on her other side.

  When the tables were dismantled and folded neatly away into their wall enclosures, Ruby stood alone, ignored by those around her who made rude remarks loud enough for all to overhear. Thork ground his teeth at his fellow Vikings' ill treatment of Ruby. A part of him wanted to jump to her side so she would not be so defenseless. He restrained himself with a reminder of the maid's hypocrisy.

  "Shall we call her forth and interrogate?" Dar asked.

  "Nay, I will handle this myself," Thork answered with resigned fore
boding.

  All eyes followed Thork as he walked purposely toward Ruby. He held her haughty eyes the entire time, challenging her to bolt in fright or crumble in fear. To her credit, she did neither.

  "Come," he ordered when he stood in front of her. His heart slammed miserably against his chest at the wide, hopeful eyes she turned on him like a damned doe. Bloody hell! What did she expect of him? Forgiveness? Angrily, he took her arm and led her toward the courtyard door, turning once to those who would follow, commanding, "Alone. We go alone."

  Outside, Thork drew Ruby toward the two dead prisoners who still lay on the ground, their lifeblood already soaked into the ground. Ruby scuffed her feet in reluctance.

  "We are surely watched from the windows. Do naught to shame me or yourself," Thork advised through gritted teeth.

  He dragged her toward the bodies and told her to look at the men. When she refused, he took her chin in pincerlike fingers and made her look down. The eyes of the two men bulged wide open in horrified agony, even in death.

  Ruby gagged and vomited at his feet, spattering both of their leather shoes. Still Thork would not let her go.

  "Do you know these men?" he grilled her, forcing her to look down again.

  Ruby pulled her face out of his grip and glared at him coldly, her green eyes glazed with contempt. She refused to answer his question. Instead, she asked softly, as if afraid of what he might answer, "Did you do this, Thork?"

  "What? Kill them?" he asked in surprise. "Yea, I did. They were trying to escape."

  She blanched at his words and retched again.

  "Do you sicken over the fate of your friends? Or were they your lovers?" Thork tasted bile in his throat. Somehow he could not stomach the thought of Ruby with another man. Holy Freya! he chastised himself. The woman was making him weak.

  "No, I'm just revolted that you would do such a barbaric thing," Ruby replied, regarding him sadly as she wiped spittle from her lips with the back of her hand.

  "Barbaric?" Thork exclaimed. "These are my enemies. They tried to kidnap my grandfather. They would have, no doubt, killed him."

  "They are human beings first, Thork. For you to do this"—she indicated with a wave of her hand the two corpses—"makes you less human."

  Coldly, defensively, Thork told her, "No man threatens my family and goes unpunished. It is the Viking way. I would be less the man to do otherwise."

  Ruby's icy eyes stabbed him accusingly.

  "These men came from Ivar," he said defensively.

  "I know?"

  "You know?" Thork roared. He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. "You know! Your words condemn you, wench. Know you that?"

  Ruby's upper lip curled contemptuously. "Your Viking justice stinks, Thork. I know they came from Ivar because Ella told me so."

  "Ella?"

  Ruby sighed. What difference did her explanations make? They wouldn't believe her anyway. "A servant in the hall."

  Thork blinked. She had an answer for everything, the cunning wench did. "If you know they came from Ivar and you are already accused of being a spy, then you must be aware that all in Dar's hall think you guilty and would have you killed, as well."

  Fear flickered in Ruby's eyes for a moment, but she quickly masked it with lowered lashes. "Would you kill me, too?" she asked softly with strangely saddened eyes.

  Thork's heart hammered loudly in his chest. Could she hear it? He searched her face for answers she hid too well. Ruby was the accused, and yet he felt oddly guilty.

  "Mayhap," he finally admitted wearily. "Mayhap you would force me to do so."

  Ruby's eyes filled with tears. She opened them wider to stem the flow. Devastation wracked the weepy wench, and tore at Thork as her fragile heart seemed to splinter at his cruel words. Like his own, damn her soul! What had she expected of him? Protection? Betrayal of his people? Bloody hell!

  "I don't know you, Thork," she whispered bleakly.

  " 'Twould seem you never did."

  Chapter Ten

  "Defend yourself, damn you," Thork demanded, raising his voice in exasperation when Ruby stubbornly refused to answer questions hurled at her by Dar and Olaf. She stood defiantly before her accusers in the privacy of a small chamber off the great hall.

  Ruby glared at him obstinately. "Why should I? Would any of you believe my innocence?"

  The deep greenish-gray pools of her eyes clouded with tears, and Thork felt he could drown in their murky depths. Thor's blood! He could not be so foolish as to allow himself to surrender to the sea witch's seeming innocence!

  "Never have I condemned a man—or woman—unjustly," Dar fumed indignantly.

  "And yet you would believe the lies that black-haired spider spins in her web—despite a lack of evidence?" Ruby jeered. "What proof has she that I carried poison?"

  "Do you claim Linette missays the events of this morn?" Dar asked with narrowed eyes. He drummed his fingertips pensively on the arm of his chair.

  "I say she is a bald-faced liar. I'm surprised she doesn't have to pin her nose to her forehead with one of those infernal brooches you Vikings favor."

  "What is your meaning, wench?" Dar demanded to know.

  Thork explained tonelessly, with no humor, Ruby's story of Pinocchio.

  Dar reddened and stood abruptly. In a fit of temper, he slapped her hard across the face, causing Ruby's neck to snap back. She faltered and almost fell. Thork had to willfully restrain himself from going forward to help her.

  "Your insolent remarks bode ill for your fate, wench," Dar warned. "Lest you convince us otherwise, I see naught we can do but torture the information from you, then confine you bodily till the Althing meets."

  The unexpectedness of Dar's slap after his earlier kindness seemed to have caught Ruby off-guard. She gazed at Thork's grandfather with hurt confusion—those miserable, piercing doe eyes again!—probably trying to understand why her light remark about liars would provoke such strong reaction.

  After witnessing her sympathy for the two men in the courtyard, however, Thork had to share his grandfather's condemnation of Ruby. All facts pointed to her guilt.

  Truly, he should not be surprised. Most women Thork had ever encountered proved deceitful, self-serving bitches in the end. 'Twas the nature of the female breed. He had not really expected more from Ruby. Thork combed the splayed fingers of his right hand through his hair in self-disgust. In truth, though, he admitted with a sickening lurch in his stomach, he had expected more of Ruby.

  Finally, unable to take any more self-recriminations, Thork lashed out, "Lies! All lies! Lay not your lying tongue on Linette again. Much has she suffered since her husband's death. Naught does she have to gain in your disfavor, I assure you."

  "Perhaps that part of your body you cherish so well blinds you to Linette's true character." Ruby's upper lip curled in contempt as she turned on him.

  Thork lurched forward and almost backhanded Ruby across the other cheek for her insult. He halted abruptly at the sight of white fingermarks from Dar's blow still highlighted against the flushed skin of her cheek. She'd expected his blow, as well, indeed had provoked it, but, instead of cowering, she held on to the back of a chair and glared back at him in challenge. Thork grabbed her by the upper arms and lifted her off the floor, shaking her until he heard her teeth chattering.

  "Thork," Ruby whimpered imploringly, and he dropped her like a hot coal. Holy Freya! The wench drove him to madness.

  "Stupid bitch!" Thork snarled as he turned away, raking his fingers through his unruly hair once again. He forced himself to sit back down, flexing his fists tightly to bring his emotions under control. What was it about this wench that sparked his emotions afire so quickly?

  "Were you in my sleeping chamber this morn?" he asked stiffly, once he had his temper banked.

  "Yes."

  "Why?"

  "I didn't know it was your room. I was running... looking for my room... and got lost."

  "Why would Linette missay you carried poison?"

/>   "She fears I will replace her."

  "How so?"

  Before Ruby could answer, Dar interrupted, clearly disturbed by the direction their interrogation had taken them. "Linette is a guest in my home, much as you were. She is the widow of my faithful hesir, Godir. Why would having another guest in my keep threaten her?"

  "Perhaps she fears I'll bump her from your bed," Ruby sneered, looking directly at Thork.

  The eyes of all three men widened in understanding at the same time before they burst into laughter.

  The gall of the brazen wench! Thork thought, not unimpressed by her arrogance.

  "Nigh every man who enters this keep asks to wed or bed the fair Linette, whether they have five wives or none already," Dar said, explaining their laughter. "Her charms be known far and wide." He chuckled aloud and added, looking Ruby over from head to toe and obviously finding her wanting, "Nay, Linette fears naught from your competition."

  Thork also scrutinized her boldly, not quite so sure that Ruby would come out on the short end in a comparison with Linette. He would not let her know that, though. Instead, he mocked her: "Think you I would choose you—bony arse and all—over Linette? I am not yet in my dotage!"

  Dar and Olaf snickered, nodding in agreement.

  "Men! You're all the same." Ruby lifted her chin contemptuously, putting her hands on her hips. "Put a pair of bosoms in your faces and that's as far as you can see!"

  Her earthy language disconcerted them all.

  " 'Twould not take much to see past yours," Thork choked out insultingly with a quick sweep of his hand toward her small, pert breasts.

  "You were anxious enough back in Jorvik." Her flashing eyes challenged him.

  "I must have been desperate."

  "Hah! If I wanted you, I could have you just like that," Ruby boasted with a sharp snap of her fingers.

  "Why, you arrogant little baggage!" Secretly amused by the wench's overconfidence, Thork wondered if she truly thought she could seduce him if she chose. Probably! He'd behaved like a horny goat thus far. 'Twould be amusing, though, to see what tricks she would employ. His eyes narrowed speculatively.