AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘That much is true, my lady,’ one of the stable hands called. ‘I discovered him curled up like a dormouse in the hay loft.’
Brand crouched down, so his face was on a level with Godwin’s. This lad had seen something. He could feel it in his bones. In an odd way, Godwin reminded him of another boy back in Norway. Brand had a clear memory of hiding beneath a table so that he could see his father feast. Godwin had seen something. Edith might protest but he knew it was the truth. ‘What did you see, young man? Which of the Northumbrians did this?’
‘It wasn’t a Northumbrian, sir. He was unknown to me.’
Brand stood straight up. His stomach twisted. He hated the thought. One of his men? The lad had to be mistaken. None of his men would dare. ‘Not a Northumbrian? Explain. Do you mean a Norseman did this?’
Godwin gave an almost imperceptible nod. ‘I think so, sir. Aye, I’m sure so.’
‘You are going to allow this lad to accuse us?’ Hrearek shouted. ‘You should punish the Lady Edith.’
The other members of the felag rattled their swords and axes against their shields. Brand frowned. Hrearek’s words were far too quick and undisciplined.
Brand held up his hand and instantly the Norsemen fell silent. ‘I wish to hear the boy speak.’
‘Who did you see, Godwin?’ Edith put her arm about Godwin’s shoulders. ‘Don’t be afraid. Tell the truth and shame the devil.’
‘I saw...I saw him.’ Godwin raised his hand and pointed toward Hrearek. ‘He did this and now he seeks to punish you, Lady, and that is very wrong.’
The big Norseman turned crimson and began to bluster. ‘Me? Why would I do that? I’ve been searching for my helm. It was why I was late. I’ve never been in the stables. Me? I don’t even like horses.’
‘Do you have any proof, Godwin?’ Brand asked. The significance of it slammed home. Hrearek. Over the past few weeks since he’d been honoured by Halfdan, Hrearek had become more and more insolent, bordering on insubordinate, but not quite. Would Hrearek truly attempt to undermine his leadership in this way? Things like this happened in poorly run felags. He prided himself on running a good felag, just as Sven had done before him.
Brand clenched his jaw. He desperately needed proof. Hrearek and he had been together for far too long for him just to accept this boy’s word. But he knew deep within his gut that Godwin was telling the truth. He had seen Hrearek. It explained about the helm.
‘It is a big thing to accuse a warrior.’
The boy swallowed hard and tears filled his eyes. Brand was taken back to a time when he was a little younger than Godwin. He had faced his father and told him the truth about how his wife was bullying Brand’s mother and setting her up. No one had taken his part. He’d been beaten for lying, but later, after his mother died, the truth had emerged.
‘I know that, sir, but I couldn’t allow Lady Edith to get hurt.’
‘He accuses Hrearek? A mere boy? That is a brave boy!’ some of his men called.
‘Are you going to stand for this? One of the felag! Where’s the proof?’ others retorted.
Brand’s shoulders tightened as the noise behind him grew. The worst of all possible outcomes. Hrearek enjoyed great popularity with a certain section of the men. And the last thing Brand wanted to do was to split the felag and force his men to choose sides.
He would have to find a way to get Hrearek to reveal his hand. If, in truth, Hrearek intended on challenging for the leadership, he needed something solid which would enable him to act at a place of his choosing. The sagas were littered with men who had waited too long and lost everything.
A faint glimmer of tears showed in Godwin’s eyes. ‘He didn’t speak...’
‘I see. No proof.’ Brand nodded. ‘Could you have made a mistake? No doubt the stable was very dark.’
‘There was a full moon last night,’ Godwin said. ‘I could see. And I know who I saw. He walks with a slight limp and smells of hair oil.’
‘Godwin,’ Edith said, kneeling down. ‘You can’t just accuse one of the Norsemen. You couldn’t be sure, not in the darkness. Brand Bjornson needs something he can hold or see with his own eyes. Did he make a mark or do something?’
Godwin tilted his head to one side. Silently Brand urged him to remember something of significance. Godwin’s face brightened.
‘I do have this brooch. I found it on the floor after he went.’ Godwin dug his hand into his pocket.
