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His voice had a certain finality about it.
She swallowed hard and started again. He didn’t seem to understand how hopeless she was as a woman. She paused. If he cared anything for her, he would have understood that being a warrior was part of her.
‘I hope you have found everything in order,’ she said when she trusted her voice. ‘Nothing is hidden. You may have the keys and inspect everything at your leisure, but you will want to get your men settled. We pride ourselves on our hospitality. They will be well entertained.’
‘In good time.’ His fingers brushed her elbow and his breath tickled the back of her neck. Her body tingled from his nearness. ‘You seem to be in a hurry suddenly. Stay.’
Despite everything, her heart began to race, much faster than when she navigated her way through the blockade. ‘You would not believe the list of things which requrie my attention. Because I had just returned from a voyage when the situation with Blodvin happened, there is even more to be done than usual. The land must be productive if another voyage is to be avoided.’
She finished, breathlessly aware of her frantic babbling. Hopefully he’d take her word and she could find reasons why they needed to be apart. In time they could settle for being companions and comrades.
She was the worst kind of idiot to think he wanted anything more. Her lands and the loyalty of her people were one thing. Her person was something else and she couldn’t bear to be humiliated in the way her stepmother had predicted she would be.
‘Those are excuses to run away.’ His low voice penetrated her misery and pinned her to the ground, mid-flight. ‘And you deliberately misunderstood me about my daughter. She enjoys womanly pursuits like sewing and weaving. I won’t have her being forced into other activities.’ He sighed. ‘In Rus when I tried to get her interested in a sword, she could barely lift it and she cried.’
She spun around and nearly collided with him. She took a hurried step backwards, kicking over a bucket. She scrambled to right it, holding it in front of her like a shield. He stopped in midstoop, watching her every move.
‘I’m merely trying to be efficient and I know how a girl is supposed to be brought up,’ she said, knowing she must seem anything but. And she wasn’t trying to run away. It was simply if she stayed much longer, she’d do something stupid like kiss him again. And there were many reasons why she shouldn’t, starting with her pride. ‘There is nothing worse than prolonging an inspection when all the other person desires is a horn of sweet wine and a few songs from the skald. My father was very clear on that.’
His face turned speculative. ‘Somehow I doubt you ever sit down with a horn of wine. And I’m not your father, not even remotely close.’
‘You don’t know me very well, then.’ Sayrid snapped her fingers. ‘I often sit down in the evening when I’m home. I know how to listen to the skalds and play tafl. I’m a very good tafl player.’
‘What I know intrigues me.’ He gave a half smile. ‘I’m counting on you to be a good tafl player. All of my women before you have been poor tafl players.’
Her breath hitched. Intrigued him. Her body became infused with a light fizz, but just as quickly it vanished.
Damning with faint praise. In her mind she heard the echoes of her stepmother’s cruel laugh to one of her father’s more poisonous quips about her lack of femininity. She pinched the bridge of her nose. And Blodvin had already proclaimed that she thought tafl to be the sport of men when she first arrived. ‘Will your daughter learn?’
‘I’d never considered it. Perhaps when she is older.’ He nodded. ‘Yes, it would be a good thing. You will have to play me and we can see who is the most appropriate teacher.’ He stroked his chin. ‘We can consider a wager…unless you think your skill will be less than mine.’
‘You haven’t said what you think about the estate,’ she said, forcing her voice to be bright as she firmly changed the subject.
‘You prefer to speak of the estate.’
‘A far better topic for conversation. You will soon see how I react to feasts and that I am more than capable of listening to music and drinking the appropriate number of healths.’ She gave a small cough. ‘I look forward to beating you at tafl, even though I probably shouldn’t.’
‘Why shouldn’t you?’ He appeared genuinely perplexed.
‘My father hated being beaten at anything.’
‘Little honour in winning if your opponent deliberately loses.’ His eyes flashed. ‘If you ever do that, you will know my anger.’
