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Tavia had no desire to argue with the woman. “As you say.”
Ingrid’s face scrunched with annoyance as if she had hoped Tavia would argue with her. “Senseless threats are useless and make you appear a fool.”
“As you say,” Tavia said again, realizing the woman did seem to want to argue with her and she sensed that somehow she would suffer the blame if she engaged in an altercation with Ingrid.
“Northmen and women are strong, and we do not frighten easily.”
Tavia stood, Fen stepping forward to give her room and Ingrid took several quick steps back and stumbled. Tavia hurried to reach out and help her so she would not fall.
“DO NOT HARM HER!” Marta cried out and ran to Ingrid who had tumbled to the floor.
“Sit, Fen,” Tavia ordered, fearful the hound would think Marta charged her.
“Lord Bhric will hear that you lashed out at his sister,” Marta threatened as she struggled to help Ingrid to her feet.
Tavia hurried to correct her. “I did not shove Ingrid. I reached out to try and stop her from falling.” She stepped forward. “Let me help you get her to her feet.”
“Stay back, WITCH!” Marta screamed as footfalls were heard entering the room. “I will not let you rob the breath of the child inside her.”
Sven ran to his wife and scooped her up off the floor while Bhric came to a stop next to Tavia.
Marta pointed an accusing finger at Tavia. “She pushed her. I saw it.”
Tavia was not surprised that Ingrid did not correct the woman, but she was surprised when her husband turned an accusing glare on her.
At that moment, she felt her heart break and her dream shatter.
CHAPTER 19
Accusations and shouts were thrown around, orders for Tavia to stay away from Ingrid, Marta demanding something be done, and Fen in front of Tavia, shielding her, ready to attack anyone who dared to come near her.
“ENOUGH!” Bhric shouted and silence suddenly descended on the room. He glared at each one of them. “You all shout yet my wife has yet to say a word. He turned to her.
“What is there for me to say, my lord? You have all already judged and condemned me.” It hurt to see the doubt in his eyes. Only a short time ago he was smiling at her, and he had been reluctant to leave her. They had unexpectedly found something the night they had made love for the first time, something that had brought them close together or so she had thought. If he could believe what they said about her, then the last few days had been nothing but a dream, and she had woken to a nightmare.
“I saw her,” Marta accused.
“Not another word, Marta,” Bhric ordered and looked at his sister. “I will have the truth from you, Ingrid.”
Ingrid’s chin went up and her hand once again went to rest on her stomach. “I approached her about her threatening to have Marta removed from the keep.”
That caused Bhric to turn a suspicious glare on his wife.
Ingrid continued. “We exchanged words, and she took a hasty step toward me. With all that is being said about her, I thought she meant me harm and I stumbled back.”
“That was when I saw her reach out to push her,” Marta added.
Sven turned his anger on Bhric, demanding, “What are you going to do about this?”
Tavia saw now that there were those who did not want her there and even if she and her husband got along, there would be those ready to cause her trouble.
“I will speak with you in my solar, Tavia,” Bhric said. “The rest of you will take your leave.”
Sven stepped forward. “If she has caused my bairn harm, Bhric, so help me I will see her suffer.”
“I will let your threat pass this time, Sven. But threaten my wife again and you will not like the consequences,” Bhric warned with a sharp tongue.
Anger marked Sven’s words. “I think it best if Ingrid and I return home for the birth of our child. I want him born on the soil of our homeland.”
