Quarrie did.
But even if she could go back,Freyalay up on the shore. And the season swiftly drew to a hard close.
*
After a fortnight,the babe had settled down inside Hulda and decided to thrive. Food went down more easily, and she did not feel quite so tired. The work onFreyahelped. She hated having idle hands, which allowed her mind too much room to run. Better to feel she accomplishedsomething.
She did not venture back to the main settlement, but to be sure, word came from there. Ivor’s ships had not yet returned, which made her uneasy. Ja, he had gone to raid in Ireland.
Or so he’d said.
Once the idea was in her mind, she would not let go of it. She andFreyahad acted the part of the hundr and chased the wolf away. Once the hundr had gone, would the wolf return?
If so, she had to trust in the man she loved. Quarrie was a careful leader of a strong settlement.
Ivor was a monster. At least, he could be when he attacked. The kind of man who showed no mercy in victory, he woulddestroyfor the sake of it.
And he wanted, still, revenge for Jute’s death. At least, that was the banner under which he flew. In truth, he might kill for the sake of it.
Whenever Hulda thought on that, she grew sick to the heart, so she tried to thrust it away. But nei, it refused to be gone.
One afternoon, when a sky that looked more winter than autumn loomed over Frode’s little bay, Garik came to her.Freyaneared the end of her repairs, but Hulda would not let herself think of that either. To sail, she needed a crew.
Garik took the place at her side where she stood staring out over the sea.
“There is a boat,” he said.
“Eh?” That surprised her enough that she stared at him.
“It is poor and small and battered, but Frode insists it is seaworthy, and I think the owner will sell it to us.”
“We have a boat.” Helda gestured toFreya, unnecessarily.
“But theFenrisis already in the water. We could leave at once.”
Hulda’s heart leaped. “We?”
“It is a small boat, as I say. More an overgrown færing than anything else. I think you, me, and Helje could sail.”
Hulda gaped at him in astonishment. “What are you saying?”
He turned to face her, his eyes bright. “I am worried. Ivor has still not brought back his fleet. In my bones, I am afraid—”
“He has returned to attack Murtray.”
“Ja.”
Hulda lifted a brow. “And this worries you so—why?”
“Morag is there. I care for her.”
Oh.
“And I seem… I seem to have put down some roots. I do not know if a girl like Morag would consent to marry me—”
“Ach, Garik!”
“—but I am willing to go back and ask her.”
