“Let me stop you right here. You can and you will. I’m certainly not going to wear them myself.”
The thought of this fierce man with the dainty golden earrings dangling from his ears wrenched a smile out of her. “But?—”
“But nothing.” The raised hand was not to be ignored. “I refuse to carry them back home so they will have to remain here. If you don’t wear them, then don’t. But then the exquisite work will just be wasted. This burden will be yours to carry.”
“You’re not making it easy for me to refuse, are you?”
“No. And why should I?”
She didn’t have any good reasons to offer. So she said nothing. Instead she thanked him. “I love them. Thank you.” As she spoke, tears sprung to her eyes.
Fortunately, Haakon pretended not to see them. “Do you want to put them on?”
Trust him to assume that she had at last been brave enough to do what she had wanted to do for years.
“I would but I still haven’t found the courage to pierce my ears,” she admitted, covering her earlobes in a move betraying her nervousness. Would he not be too disappointed by her lack of courage? She hoped not, because his opinion mattered to her.
“It’s no issue.” The smile he gave her was tenderness itself. “I know you will find the courage to do it one day. And perhaps having the earrings ready will give you the incentive you need when you think the right moment has come.”
Dear Lord, how did he do that? Make her feel special and brave and ready to face the world head on. Suddenly there was no doubt in Gytha’s mind thatthiswas the right moment.
“I will do it now, if you…” She hesitated. He likely had other things to do than watch a woman drive a needle through her earlobes but she had to at least ask. “Will you stay with me?”
To her relief, he didn’t even blink. “Of course.”
“Thank you.”
She led the way to her room and he followed as if it were the normal thing to do. As they entered, she saw his gaze flick over to the place where he had pinned Oswald against the wall the other day.
“What happened to him?” he asked before she could even close the door behind her.
“As you know, my father went to see Leofric to explain what had happened. The two brothers never got on and this, I fear,was the last straw. He was ordered to leave town and we know he did the following day. I don’t think we will ever see him again,” she concluded.
There would be no more talk of marriage between them. The relief that assurance brought was overwhelming. But Haakon didn’t seem so easily appeased.
“Mm. As long as you don’t. If you ever catch a glimpse of him, or hear that he has been spotted in the vicinity, you send word to me, you understand? I say he got away too lightly for what he did.”
Since she had no idea what he had done to him—and didn’t want to know—Gytha didn’t comment. She was convinced she had seen the last of Oswald and that was all she needed to know. She stared deep into Haakon’s blue eyes, trying to still the beatings of her heart. That he wanted to take her defense moved her more than she could say.
The way he was looking at her sent flutters to her stomach. Was he about to kiss her? Had he come to her room to have his way with her at last?
“So?” he said softly. “Are you ready to do it?”
Ready? Gytha blinked. He really was about to surrender to the desire burning between them. Then she understood. He was talking about the earrings, nothing more. He hadn’t come to her room to tumble her into bed. More’s the pity.
“Yes. I’m ready.” Ready as she would ever be, at least.
Before she could change her mind, she reached for her sewing box. The beautiful, intricately carved object had once belonged to her grandmother. It seemed fitting that something belonging to the dear woman would be used to aid her in her enterprise. After taking a moment to stroke the lid as she always did, and run a finger along the familiar pattern, Gytha selected the thickest needle she could find. The earrings Haakon had hadmade for her were delicate but she wanted to be sure the hole was wide enough to let them through without any problem.
“This should do it.”
“I think so.”
Satisfied, she brought the needle to the brazier. There was just enough of a flame left to heat it and ensure it was free of impurities.
When she was done, Haakon guided her to the stool. “Here, you’d better sit down.”
She obeyed, agreeing that she needed to be as still as possible. Then she placed the earrings on the bed next to her and positioned the tip of the needle against her earlobe before she could lose her nerve.
