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‘Virvir, see, I made it down and I do have a father,’ Rurik called out.
‘I’m sure he never doubted it, your lordship.’ Gudrun dropped another curtsy, but not before she gave Virvir a cuff on the ear. ‘If you don’t mind me asking, where have you been, your lordship? These past seven years?’
‘He has been in Viken, Gudrun,’ Kara said with an edge to her voice. ‘Ash has returned a hero. He was involved in the raid on Lindisfarne which has been on everyone’s lips lately. He will tell the tale where everyone can hear so there can be no mistakes or embroidering. I think you had best take Virvir to the kitchen where he can do his job.’
Ash struggled not to smile. Kara obviously had dealings with Gudrun’s trade in gossip.
‘Does your uncle know you are home, my lord?’ Gudrun asked, stopping in mid-waddle. ‘He will be overjoyed to see you. I can remember how close you once were.’
Close once. Had he been as naïve as Rurik with his hero-worship? He could recall Kara berating him for it. He should have listened, but with a young man’s arrogance he’d seized the opportunity to prove his worth with both hands.
Ash inclined his head. ‘My uncle was there when I made my presence known...at the wedding, which was cancelled for obvious reasons.’
‘Mor, you are not marrying Valdar?’ Rurik’s voice sounded shrill. ‘Why?’
Ash kept his body still and waited. Kara was fully capable of not telling him what she was thinking, but he doubted she would lie to their son. Her cheeks flushed.
‘How can I be when I am married to your father?’ Kara’s eyes pinned him to the spot.
Their son seemed to accept the statement at face value, but a cold prickle ran down Ash’s back.
An answer, but not the emphatic one he desired. Another scrap of comfort, but he wanted more, particularly now that they were back in Jaarlshiem. He would show her that he was the right sort of husband for her and that she should give him a second chance. The key to her was through Rurik. He felt certain of that.
‘I want to have a look around the estate,’ he said to prevent the urge to pick Kara up and take her somewhere and seduce her into agreeing. Patience. ‘Perhaps you would care to show me, Rurik, as you have been looking after things in my absence.’
Rurik flushed. ‘It is Mor. Mor runs everything.’
Of course, Kara would. Who else? It was obvious from the state of the outbuildings that the estate prospered. ‘I am sure your mother will allow you to show me. She will have things she wishes to do or she may come with us.’
He waited for Kara to say that she wanted to join them. Absently he rubbed the knot in his left leg. The climb had done more damage than he’d thought it would. It had never been right since that fight with the Ranerike three years previously. Ivar the Scarred had done his best to set the bone, but he was no healer. If he asked Kara to look at it, she might start questioning why he hadn’t come home then. The longer he was back here, the more the guilt rose in his throat. Ash attempted to push it away. He could not change the past. The less said, the soonest mended.
‘What do you think, Kara? Is Rurik capable of showing me around the estate? Or he is too young?’
Kara’s face was a study in self-control, utterly expressionless except for the firming of her mouth. Her stubborn expression, her mother had called it. Ash smiled. He could remember things.
‘It is good of you to ask Rurik,’ she said stiffly. ‘There are things I must attend to.’
‘A bath?’ he enquired softly. ‘You mentioned it earlier.’
She rolled her eyes. ‘Please grant me a little intelligence. I’ve a list of things that has to be done before I can consider looking after my own needs.’
‘Or maybe you are waiting for me to join you in the bath?’
‘Go!’ She pointed, but her cheeks flamed bright red and she made no attempt to contradict him. The thought made him absurdly happy. ‘Rurik, make sure you show your father everything, but no more climbing.’
Rurik promised and they started off. Ash came down far too heavily on his left foot on the third step as he adjusted his stride to keep pace with Rurik. He winced at the bone-jarring pain.
‘Wait! What have you done to your leg, Ash?’
‘An old injury. It will pass.’ He forced a smile. ‘One would almost think you cared, Kara.’
She tapped her foot on the ground. ‘It doesn’t look old to me.’
‘I strained it a bit during the climb. We rode a great deal without stopping. My muscles always seize up. The walk ought to ease it. Movement seems to help. Always.’
