“Take deep breaths,” Thork suggested in a surprisingly gentle voice, which was at odds with his earlier behavior. He took her hand and led her toward the river which ran behind the buildings lining the busy thoroughfare in an orderly fashion, so close that their eaves almost touched across the narrow alleylike streets.
Thatched roofs covered rectangular structures made of primitive wattle and daub—branches interwoven horizontally and filled with clay, straw and hair, then plaster. Long backyards stretched down to the river, distinguished from their neighbors by post and withy fences. Craftsmen worked and sold their wares on tables set up under awnings in front, like a giant flea market or street bazaar.
“Are those homes or businesses?”
Thork pulled her along beside him as they neared the river, her hand still held firmly in his much larger one.
“Both. On Coppergate, many artisans and merchants live and trade. The buildings combine homes, workshops and markets. Where you come from—is it not the same?”
Ruby noticed a slight narrowing in Thork’s piercing eyes as he asked the question and knew his kindness masked a motive. He wanted information from her.
“And this?” Ruby asked, disregarding his question about her home and pointing to the river which flowed near their feet. She felt better now although her stomach still churned with nervousness.
“The Ouse. ‘Tis a tidal river. It flows in from the North Sea by way of the Humber River,” he explained, pointing to serpentine ships moving gracefully toward the harbor. He answered her questions with consideration, but Ruby had known this man too long not to sense the impatience underlying the even tone of his voice.
With fluid grace, he dropped down to a large boulder and indicated with a jerk of his head that she should join him. Ruby swallowed tightly as her leg brushed his warm, sinewy thigh. His nearness kindled feelings in Ruby that had been dormant much too long.
His narrowed eyes studied her in a shrewd, assessing manner. Ruby could almost see his mind working. If she was a spy, did he really think she would spew out all her secrets so easily? Probably.
“Are you not familiar with the Ouse? It flows through Ivar’s land, too, does it not?” Thork probed blatantly.
Ruby decided to have fun with this overly suspicious Viking. “I don’t really know. The only river near me is the Mississippi.” Then she clamped her hand over her mouth as if she’d just disclosed something she shouldn’t have.
“The Missi… the Missis… whatever you said!” Thork exclaimed. “God’s breath! I have heard naught of it.”
“Really? It’s one of the largest rivers in the world. I thought everyone had heard of it.” Ruby batted her eyelashes at him innocently.
Lord, he was a handsome man—even better looking than Jack had been at that age! Momentarily lost in sweet reverie, Ruby sighed. A kaleidoscope of images flitted through her mind. Jack in a white tuxedo at their senior prom. Jack in a black tuxedo on their wedding day. Jack wearing nothing on their wedding night.
Ruby’s face flushed at the unbidden recollections. She couldn’t think about Jack just yet and what his absence would mean to her life. Later. She would think about Jack later when she was stronger, more in control of her emotions, better able to handle the anguish.
But the resemblance between Thork and Jack disconcerted Ruby. The sharp planes of Thork’s deeply tanned face mirrored her husband’s, even though his long hair glistened like white gold in the sunlight, no doubt due to the bleaching effect of long, sunlit days on board ship. Even his devastating smile, displaying large, white teeth, was the same, right down to the one slightly crooked incisor. The only difference was Thork’s more muscular body, probably strengthened by the necessity for battle readiness, and an ugly scar above his right eye which cut right through his eyebrow.
Her fingertips ached to touch his rock-hard body, to investigate the differences—intimately. Shivers of delight rippled through Ruby’s body at the enticing prospect, and, without thinking, she blurted out on a whisper, “You take my breath away.”
To Ruby’s mortification, Thork raised one eyebrow questioningly, understanding perfectly what she meant. Good heavens! She’d been gawking at him like a hormone-humming teenager. With supreme conceit, he winked at her knowingly. Criminey! Women probably swooned over him all the time.