Gyda blushed attractively and stood up to her husband’s ribald teasing, ” ‘Tis for myself I do this. A woman likes to wear nice things for herself, as well.” Then she looked at Ruby meaningfully and added, “After all, a woman has her own identity.”
Thork and Olaf hooted with laughter at Gyda’s defiant speech, causing her to blush.
“Shut up, you male chauvinist pigs,” Ruby said.
I agree. Shut up, you male chauvinist hogs,” Gyda mimicked.
Thork and Olaf howled even louder. Ruby couldn’t help herself from giggling.
After the pleasant meal, they all adjourned to Gyda’s solar. Surprisingly, Thork joined them. Ruby held back from the others slightly and said to Thork, I thought you’d be off to seduce young Dolly Parton.”
“Who?”
“The lady with the big…” Ruby held her two hands about a foot in front of her chest to demonstrate.
Thork grinned and shook his head at the unbelievable things Ruby came out with. She surprised herself sometimes. She’d never been this bold in her other life.
“You mean Esle? She visits her family. Mayhap later.” His eyes twinkled at Ruby’s apparent jealousy.
Ruby sniffed contemptuously.
“Lest you care to take her place. Seems I made that offer once afore.” Thork teased her, she knew that. And yet his expression held a questioning, almost hopeful, lilt.
“No, thank you. Unless, of course, you’ve reconsidered my counter offer.”
“Persistent, you are!” He shook his head in exasperation. “Nay, methinks the bedding would not be worth the price of a wedding.”
“Methinks you’ll never know,” Ruby retorted with a quick toss of her head. But, oh, how tempted she was to take this man to her bed and make love to him until his arrogance oozed out his ears. She could do it, too, she told herself.
Thork stayed through Astrid’s playing of the lute, Gunnhild’s exquisite singing and finally Ruby’s storytelling. Oddly silent, he sipped his mulled wine, with Eirik and Tykir at either shoulder. He smiled faintly with amusement at Ruby’s children’s stories but snorted disgustedly at her caricatural retelling of “Thork and the Beanstalk.”
“I think that might make great entertainment for the Althing,” Ruby said with a straight face.
“By Thor’s hammer! Dare you such,” Thork warned Ruby, “and you will spend the rest of your life locked in the barn.”
All turned suddenly quiet then, remembering Ruby’s and Gudrod’s irresponsible actions. Sometimes, in moments like this, Ruby forgot that these sometimes violent people were not really her friends. Even Thork.
She and the boys walked Thork to the barn for his horse. Eirik and Tykir went inside to help Ulf saddle the mare. while Ruby and Thork waited, leaning against the side of the building.
“Are you sure you will not reconsider and come back with me?” He ran a finger seductively up her bare arm and left a trail of sensitized goosebumps in its wake.
She shook her head regretfully. “I can’t.”
Thork touched the ends of her hair with his fingertips. “Does your husband like your hair thus?” His tone of voice betrayed his lack of appreciation for the short hair style.
“He doesn’t mind it. It’s much easier to care for, especially since I have to get up so early for work each morning.” Suddenly she remembered something she hadn’t thought of for years and, without thinking, blurted it out, “Actually, when we were first married, I had long hair, down past my shoulders. Jack loved it. He used to tell me to never cut it.”
That was so long ago. How could she have forgotten?
Thork cocked his head quizzically. “And you cut it anyway?” He clearly did not understand. “Did you not love him? Did you not want to please him?” Meanwhile, he held both of her hands in his, with his thumbs making sensuous circles on her wrists. Her heart beat so wildly, and her blood pounded so hard, she could barely think.
“It was such a little thing,” she whispered, moving closer to his warm chest. “I’m sure it didn’t matter much to Jack.”
Thork said nothing, but he obviously didn’t believe her. She wasn’t so sure herself.
His roving hands had moved to her waist and were slowly inching up to the undersides of her breasts. Ruby held her breath, her body tingling everywhere he touched. When he stopped just short of his goal, Ruby exhaled slowly before asking shakily, “Thork, do you trust me now, or do you still think I might be a spy—that I have some ulterior motive for being in Jorvik?”