Dar dispatched the two prisoners to one of the small, separate buildings made of solid stone. Aud looked at them and back to Dar questioningly but held her queries for later.
“Well met, Thork!” A young, dark-haired woman sprang forward and leaped into Thork’s arms, greeting him with a sound kiss on the lips, before pulling back and smiling invitingly up at him. With dimples indenting her wide smile, she cocked her head and said loud enough for those closest to hear, “Have you missed me near as much as I have you?”
“Tsk-tsk!” Gyda said disapprovingly of the young woman’s forward behavior.
” ‘Tis wanton of Linette to behave so in company,” Aud told Gyda. ” ‘Tis more like a lowly thrall she acts than the well-born Viking widow.”
But then Gyda traitorously conceded, ” ‘Twould be nice to see Thork settle down and leave off the wanderlust. Even if it be with such as Linette.”
And Thork—the two-timing pond scum—didn’t seem to mind the widow’s attention a bit. In fact, he kissed her back—with relish! The brute!
Ruby blinked to hold back the tears of hurt and jealousy. She couldn’t let Thork see how much his infidelity bruised her heart.
In answer to Linette’s question about missing him, Thork squeezed her shoulders and replied, “More! More than you can know, dearling!” Then he looked directly at Ruby to make sure she’d heard his words.
Dearling!
So this was why Thork had ignored her all day. He’d known what awaited him here, and she was apparently no longer of any interest, if she had ever been. Ruby jumped out of the cart with the children’ in as dignified a manner as possible under the circumstances. Her weary muscles screamed from the long ride, and she walked like an aged cripple when she attempted to move. With a heavy heart, she dusted the bits of straw that clung to her dark dress, knowing she looked a sight.
Eventually, in the confusion of dismounting horses, greetings, unloading of baggage and orders being given to servants, Dar introduced Ruby to Aud.
“Welcome to my home. I have many questions to ask you later about the interesting undergarments I hear so much about.” Aud’s eyes, so like Thork’s, twinkled merrily. Ruby had brought a set of lingerie to give Aud later as a gift.
Because of the large number of guests to be housed in the manor, Ruby would sleep with three of Gyda’s oldest girls on temporary pallets in one small chamber. As they walked into the building, headed at Aud’s direction toward that upper room, Ruby noticed that Thork and Linette were absent.
It was going to be a long three weeks!
Ruby fell asleep the minute her head hit the uncomfortable bed, heedless that it was little more than a board covered with a straw-filled sacking. Emotionally and physically exhausted, Ruby needed the restorative powers sleep would give her.
The girls awakened her with their chattering early the next morning. Olaf had already warned her not to leave the manor without permission. She presumed jogging would be out of the question—for at least the time being.
After refreshing themselves with soap and water, they visited the garderobe at the back of the manor, then went down to the great hall, where only servants moved about, and helped themselves to bannock and cold meats.
Dar’s enormous great hall combined elements of both Norse and Saxon decorations. Fierce-looking battle helmets, shields and swords covered one whole wall, reminding visitors that Vikings welcomed guests but would brook no insult to their homes or families. On the other long wall, tapestries depicting the Norse gods Thor and Odin contrasted sharply with one of the Christian St. George slaying a dragon.
At one end of the hall, a massive stone fireplace in the Saxon manner dominated the entire wall, sharply different from the usual Viking household with its large open hearth in the center of the room. Many armchairs, now empty, were situated in clusters near it, for heat and conversation. Cooking was done in the separate kitchen she’d seen when they’d arrived yesterday.
The girls went off to find their mother, and Ruby was about to explore the manor when she stopped in surprise. “Rhoda! I didn’t know you were here! This is wonderful!” Ruby exclaimed.