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“Cleve?”
“Aye.”
“Oh, I prayed you’d come,” she said, and threw herself against him. “You’re here, at last. I’ve missed you, Cleve.” She hugged him tighter. He sucked in his breath in pain.
“What’s wrong? Oh, I’m sorry.”
“You stuck your knife into me. I’m here to save you and you stab me. Keep away from me.”
“I didn’t mean to.” She was frantically trying
to find where she’d stuck him, but he slapped her hands away.
“No, don’t touch me, you might smear the paint on my face. Put that damned knife down and lie back.”
She slipped the knife beneath her pillow again. Her heart was pounding. She’d never been so happy, so utterly relieved. Everything would be all right now, she knew it. Cleve was here. Surely what she’d said had to touch him. At least he should think about her words, shouldn’t he? She said, “You don’t mind that I’m to bear your child, do you?”
“Not at all. If my seed can be of use to you, why then, drain me of as much as you like.”
“I had to do something. Tonight the king announced that I’m to wed Ragnor.”
“I know. I was there. I was relieved when you showed the good sense to keep your mouth shut when he did make his announcement.”
“I nearly didn’t, but Kerek told me to.”
“And if Kerek hadn’t stopped you, what would you have announced?”
“That the king had lied, perhaps. That it wasn’t Ragnor’s child I carried. I probably would have gone on about their lack of pride to wed me to Ragnor when it wasn’t even his child I was carrying. Perhaps insults about their collective manhoods, that they were shriveled and rotted. Something like that.”
“You see, you bring chaos and confusion. Have you any idea what would have happened had you done that?”
“Perhaps the king would have relented since it was all out in the open? That everyone would know what the truth was? Ragnor would choke on the ale you gave him and die?”
He gave her a look of disgust she couldn’t see. “Don’t be a fool. The gods know what would have happened. It curdles my blood to even think about it. Now, shall I tell you why you’re to wed Ragnor in three days? Well before this pregnant belly of yours begins to swell?”
“You’ve been here less than a day. How do you know so much? I’ve been here forever and listened and cajoled and I would have bribed everyone if I’d had any silver. I don’t know anything.”
He smiled in the darkness, pleased that she couldn’t see his face. He felt the paste cracking around his mouth. “The queen decided that the babe you bear will be a better future ruler if he’s not from Ragnor’s seed. I understand she questioned Kerek about what sort of man I am. She didn’t care in the least that you, not a real princess at all, and I, a former slave who has no future as of yet, would give the Danelaw its future ruler.”
“That’s brilliant. She’s a ruthless woman.”
“Aye, and a very clever one. I’ve heard your threats about how you will yell the roof down if they try to make you wed Ragnor. The queen isn’t stupid. She wants this marriage. She plans something. I just don’t know what it is yet.”
“I’ll find out. I’ll use guile with her and she’ll confess what she plans to me.”
He laughed, he couldn’t help himself.
“By all the gods, Cleve, you’re here. That means Kiri is starving herself. Did you bring her? Is she on the Silver Raven? Is she safe?”
“She is at Hawkfell Island. She is eating because I swore to her that I would bring you back. She’s not even counting sticks, at least she’d better not be.”
She very slowly eased herself against his chest, only to feel what seemed to be very big breasts. He just laughed and pushed her away. “Don’t ruin my paint. This face is desired by Ragnor. Don’t hug me again. My breasts aren’t all that stable at the moment.”
“After you rescue me, Cleve, will you make me pregnant? I mean really pregnant? I’m very close to getting all the fathers of this babe confused.”
“I suppose I must, otherwise only the gods know what poor fellow you will choose as your next victim.” He paused a moment, and she wished she could see his face. She felt his fingers lightly touching her mouth, her jaw, her nose. She wanted to kiss him, but she didn’t want to smear his face. She felt his warm breath against her ear as he said, “I’m pleased that Ragnor didn’t force you. A woman who is forced by a man isn’t usually eager to have another man bed her, even if she thinks she wants him.”
“How do you know that?”
