Now he must become the chief. Seize the power available to him. This he had not done since Da’s death. Aye, he had stepped into Da’s boots. He had not walked far in them.
He maun make his own path. It was bound to be a stony one. But since holding Hulda in his arms, since kissing her—och, God, the way they had kissed—he did not think there was a force on earth that could turn him from it.
He needed to see her again. Needed—not wanted—to gaze into her eyes. To touch her. To lie with her the way a man lay with a woman, needed it the way he needed to breathe.
He could not let anything,anythingget in the way of that.
He made the announcement starkly, once the council had gathered, his ma again present among them. He left no room for quibbling or quarreling. The thing was done.
“I ha’ forged an alliance wi’ the leader o’ the Norse band. They will be sheltering at the inlet north o’ here, given their boat will tak’ so shallow a berth. I ha’ pledged we will no’ harass or worry them while they are there.”
Staring faces met his announcement. A sweeping glance on Quarrie’s part showed him shock, disbelief, and some anger.
“But—” old Morchan began.
“The decision is made. There will be no further discussion o’ it.”
Borald, who had come straight from the shore, narrowed his eyes. “Wha’ do we get in return?”
“Safety from attack by their—”
“We do no’ need safety fro’ them!” exploded an old warrior. “We could defeat so small a band wi’ one hand bound behind our backs.”
“—and fo’ any other marauding bands that come fro’ the north. Mistress Hulda has assured me they will interfere wi’ any o’ her countrymen who do threaten us.”
“Mistress Hulda!” someone hissed.
“It costs us naught but a temporary lend o’ a bit o’ land we are no’ using,” Quarrie concluded.
“Ourland,” Morchan objected, “given over to those savages.”
“Wha’ if they will no’ leave again?” asked another of Da’s friends. “Wha’ if they call in others o’ their kind and destroy us? Tak’ the whole settlement. They ha’ strongholds in the east, ye ken. And in Ireland.”
“That will no’ happen.”
A number of voices howled, “How d’ye ken?”
“I trust her. I trust Hulda Elvarsdottir.”
That surprised them so much, they actually fell silent. For a few short moments.
“Trust her?” Borald exclaimed then.
“Trust her?” Kalen roared. “The Norse are a scourge upon the world. Upon our land. And ye would afford them house room? Wha’ when they sally forth and attack our neighbors? Wha’ then?”
“I mean to further negotiate with Mistress Elvarsdottir to spare those wi’ whom we ha’ alliances.”
“And be damned to the rest o’ Scotland? Where is your conscience, man?”
“Ye maun go back and tell this woman ye ha’ changed yer mind,” said Morchan.
Quarrie looked him in the eye. “That will no’ happen. I ha’ given my word. The alliance is made.”
“Then ye maun be mad—”
Quarrie surged to his feet. “I am yer chief. Ye ha’ sworn fealty to me. If ye ha’ a problem wi’ that”—he narrowed his eyes—“ye are free to tak’ up yer possessions and go.”
Absolute silence met his words. A few of the men exchanged looks. No one accepted his offer.
