Page 36 of The Very Virile Viking

"Hamr," was all his father said, but it was in a level, angry tone.

Just then Lida woke up. Rolling over to her back, she sat up agilely, wiped her eyes with her two tiny fists, smiled toothlessly at them all, and said, "Goo!"

As far as Angela was concerned, that about said it all.

Chapter Six

On the road again…

They had been driving in the van for about five hours, with two stops along the way to eat and use the resting rooms, before Angela finally turned the van at the sign, Blue Dragon . They were in the Sonoma valley—wine country, Angela had explained to him a while back.

For the first four hours of their journey, Magnus had thought he was going to lose his mind… or his temper.

" Faðir, are we there yet?"

" Faðir, I have to stop and make water."

" Faðir, I am hot."

" Faðir, I am cold."

" Faðir, are we there yet?"

" Faðir, Dagny won't stop looking at me."

" Faðir, what smells?"

" Faðir, are we there yet?"

On and on and on his children had persisted… question after question… complaint after complaint…

even when Angela had turned some music on the raid-he-oh by the Blessed Mother—or was it the Madonna? He could understand their restlessness, because it was stifling inside the confines of the van.

But now, fortunately, the children were either napping or engaged in a contest he had thought up for them… a special prize to the child whose tongue could touch his or her chin. In the blissful quiet, he was able to enjoy the view unfolding at this moment before him. In truth, nothing—not even his loud, demanding children—would have been able to penetrate the strange ripple of recognition he felt on entering the lands of Angela's family. For a certainty, he had never been here before, and yet he felt as if he were coming home.

He opened the windows of the van and breathed deeply. "Aaah!" he said with a long sigh.

She turned to give him a quick glance, then immediately focused her attention back on the road. She likes me. She likes to look at me, but she does not want to show her attraction , he thought with his usual immodesty. Or could she be repelled by me, and I am misreading the signs ? Magnus misliked his lack of confidence. What was a Viking without his swagger?

Tall oak trees, unlike any he'd ever seen before, were spaced evenly on either side of the long roadway leading to her family keep. At regular intervals along a low stone wall, huge pottery bowls spilled over with bright red flowers. Everywhere there was the scent of fields and tilled earth that he recognized so well. He inhaled deeply and exhaled with a sigh of pleasure.

There was also the scent of the woman next to him. The perfume she sprayed lightly on herself each morn was appealing, but just as appealing was her own woman musk. Magnus had a nose for these things when it came to the fairer sex, and it wasn't because he had a big nose. His nose was just fine, or so he had been told. 'Twas his love of the female sex that gave him this talent. And 'twas his love of the female sex that had given him thirteen children, he reminded himself ruefully.

Angela gave him a curious sideways glance as she steered the van through the picturesque corridor.

"What are you doing?"

"Breathing," he answered. "I think it is the first time I have really breathed since I entered this land of yours. Do you not love the smell?"

"What smell? Fresh air?"

"Earth. The wonderful, pungent smell of earth and trees and growing things. That is what I have missed since entering this new land."

"You like to smell… dirt?" Instead of acting surprised, she almost seemed frightened.

He nodded. "Is that so odd?"

"Actually, no. My grandfather used to say the same thing. He even tasted dirt sometimes to see if it was missing some nutrient." She paused before adding, "I got a sort of eerie feeling, hearing someone repeat his words."