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He shook his head at his folly. It was the exhaustion, rather than feeling for this woman. Had to be. He’d spent the night searching for hidden cavities in the hall, knowing she was safely tucked up in his chamber where she could do no damage.
‘And you prefer the final word.’
She tilted her nose up, but her cheeks coloured prettily. ‘There is nothing wrong with that.’
‘But I’ve found the perfect way of silencing you.’ He gave a hearty laugh.
‘The household is beginning to stir.’
His hand traced a line down her shoulder. ‘I will allow you to escape this time, Edith, but we are far from finished. In fact, we have not yet begun.’
He watched her backside with appreciation as she turned, her skirt swinging. The exhaustion melted from his body. She would make a good bed-partner when the time came.
She hadn’t gone thirty paces when she gave a stifled scream.
He crossed the yard in a few short strides.
‘What is wrong, Edith?’
With a trembling arm, she pointed. ‘There in the mist, a man is hanging. What goes on at these feasts of yours?’
‘How do you know it is one of my men?’
‘I don’t.’ She wrapped her arms about her waist. ‘The one thing I had hoped to avoid was bloodshed.’
‘You have no idea what it is.’ Brand put a hand on her back. ‘Shall we go and investigate?’
‘Together?’ she squeaked.
‘Unless you’d rather I do it on my own.’
Her white teeth nibbled her bottom lip. ‘It is kind of you to offer, but I want to know as well. It startled me, that is all.’
They walked in silence towards the figure. Halfway there, Brand’s shoulders relaxed. Not a body but a childish trick, a set of clothes, stuffed with straw. But a challenge to his authority as lord. The perpetrator had to be found and punished before other incidents happened. He’d witnessed other men’s authority ruined when they overlooked such petty tricks.
Edith saw it an instant after he did. She let out a shuddering breath and the colour drained from her face. ‘What is that?’
‘A straw man.’
‘We won’t have to bury anyone at the crossroads, thank God.’ She shivered. ‘It is always awful when that happens.’
A deep-seated anger filled Brand. The petty trick had unnerved Edith. He wondered briefly who she had buried at the crossroads. ‘I assume you know nothing of this.’
‘Why should I?’ Her eyes flashed fire and she became more like the woman he had encountered before. She glanced down at her skirt and tried to brush off the straw. ‘I was in the stables earlier. Someone had spilt hay everywhere. I went to see how my mare fared.’ Her hand faltered. ‘You must believe me.’
‘Did anyone see you?’
‘No one else is awake.’ She balled her hands into fists. ‘I would never do a cheap trick like that! Ever! It is cruel beyond imagining.’
To his surprise, Brand believed her declaration. Her face had been far too shocked and white when she first spotted the figure hanging in the tree. She was not that good at mumming or play-acting. ‘I believe you.’
Her tirade stopped. She opened and closed her mouth several times. ‘You do? Why?’
Whoever had done this failed to consult Lady Edith. Interesting. ‘Is there some reason why I should think you are telling less than the whole truth?’ he countered.
Slowly she shook her head. ‘When I was young, I discovered my aunt hanging like that. Her mind had become unhinged after she lost her baby to a fever. Even to this day, there are times I wake with dreams. There have been others over the years. I have had to arrange for the burials. The priest will have nothing to do with it. And my husband also refused.’
‘I’m sorry.’ He put his hand on her shoulder and felt her quiver. ‘Should it happen for real, I will deal with it. They should be treated with dignity.’
‘What are you going to do?’
‘Cut it down. Discover who did it and why. An air of suspicion hanging over the estate serves no good purpose.’
‘How are you going to do that?’ She put her hand on his arm. ‘I deserve to know. If you punish everyone, you will only breed resentment.’
‘You deserve nothing, but know it is my estate and I will handle it my way.’ He shook off her arm.
He crossed over to the straw dummy, withdrew his knife and, with a single stroke of the blade, the figure tumbled to the ground. Brand saw, to his disgust, that whoever had done this had somehow managed to acquire a Norseman’s helm.
