Slowly he moved through the aisle created by the trestle tables. He knew the moment that she saw him. She smiled reflexively, then immediately wiped the mirth from her face, not wanting to give him any encouragement, no doubt.
When he arrived at the table, breathless—whether from excitement, or fear, or too much mead, he did not know—he told her right off, “Stand up, Helga.”
“What?” she squawked.
He loved it when she squawked. It meant he’d done something particularly outrageous. Everyone in the surrounding area was staring at him. He probably looked wild… or something. Mayhap there was straw sticking out of his ears. He saw Toste on the far side of the hall give him the victory sign that only they understood. And in his head, his brother said, You can do it, Vagn. Sweep her off her feet.
Without ado, he shoved a cloth-wrapped parcel in front of her. “This is for you.” Betimes Vagn forgot to be smooth.
She stared at the package, then slowly unwrapped it. Inside was the silk fabric with the heart embroidery which he’d purchased from her. He’d had it made into a fine gown—he hoped a wedding gown.
He could see that Helga was touched. She ran her fingertips over it slowly, and her eyes clouded over. But then she stood and said, “Have you lost your mind, Vagn?”
“Yea, I have. Over you.”
“You are embarrassing me.”
You haven’t seen anything yet. He licked his lips and took both her hands in his. “Helga, I love you.”
People all around them heard and smiled at him. Helga, on the other hand, lowered her head and murmured, “Don’t do this to me, Vagn. I cannot take this kind of jest.”
“I love you. Why is that a jest?”
“You do not love me.”
“Yea, I do.”
“You are just saying this because you want me to accept you as husband so that you can be a legitimate father to our child.” He could tell that her long-winded reply was hurtful for her to make in front of all these people. He would have spared her this if he’d thought ahead of time. But he hadn’t.
“I love you, I love you, I love you.”
“If that is true, why have you never said it afore?” She met his eyes now.
And gods help him, he saw hope there. He must tread carefully now. “A wise woman… rather, a meddling woman… pointed out to me that women need to hear those words. In truth, I must have forgotten that fact. Well, actually I have never loved any other woman afore, so the subject wouldn’t have even come up. Have I never said the words to you? I thought I had, but then I wondered if I’d just shown you in a thousand ways but never…” He let his words trail off as he realized that he was rambling.
“Oh, Vagn.” There were tears in her eyes, but then, there were tears in her eyes all the time lately due to the pregnancy.
“I did not mean to make you weep.”
“You love me?”
“I do.”
“Will you marry me?” she asked then.
“I thought you would never ask, heartling.” With a whoop of delight, he swept her up in his arms and carried her out of the great hall, to the cheers of the crowd, especially his brother, who cheered loudest of all.
Vagn noticed something odd then. There were tears in his own eyes. Must be the pregnancy, he decided with a shrug.
Pleading his case… all right, just pleading…
Toste did not have such good luck in talking to Esme.
He was in the Ravenshire business solar off the great hall with her later that afternoon, but at least two dozen other people were there, as well. Unlike his brother, he was averse to baring his soul in public.
Besides, Esme was casting dagger stares his way. But she also whistled under her breath, so nervous was she over the proceedings about to take place. It did not help matters that her father and two brothers sat in the front row, having shown up uninvited an hour ago.
An unscheduled meeting of the Witan was being held for the benefit of Esme’s petition to regain Evergreen. It was not an official meeting, only seven members being present, including Archbishop Dunstan—and what an imposingly grim cleric he was!—along with five ealdormen.