“Thork,” Ruby whimpered imploringly, and he dropped her like a hot coal. Holy Freya! The wench drove him to madness.
“Stupid bitch!” Thork snarled as he turned away, raking his fingers through his unruly hair once again. He forced himself to sit back down, flexing his fists tightly to bring his emotions under control. What was it about this wench that sparked his emotions afire so quickly?
“Were you in my sleeping chamber this morn?” he asked stiffly, once he had his temper banked.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I didn’t know it was your room. I was running… looking for my room… and got lost.”
“Why would Linette missay you carried poison?”
“She fears I will replace her.”
“How so?”
Before Ruby could answer, Dar interrupted, clearly disturbed by the direction their interrogation had taken them. “Linette is a guest in my home, much as you were. She is the widow of my faithful hesir, Godir. Why would having another guest in my keep threaten her?”
“Perhaps she fears I’ll bump her from your bed,” Ruby sneered, looking directly at Thork.
The eyes of all three men widened in understanding at the same time before they burst into laughter.
The gall of the brazen wench! Thork thought, not unimpressed by her arrogance.
“Nigh every man who enters this keep asks to wed or bed the fair Linette, whether they have five wives or none already,” Dar said, explaining their laughter. “Her charms be known far and wide.” He chuckled aloud and added, looking Ruby over from head to toe and obviously finding her wanting, “Nay, Linette fears naught from your competition.”
Thork also scrutinized her boldly, not quite so sure that Ruby would come out on the short end in a comparison with Linette. He would not let her know that, though. Instead, he mocked her: “Think you I would choose you—bony arse and all—over Linette? I am not yet in my dotage!”
Dar and Olaf snickered, nodding in agreement.
“Men! You’re all the same.” Ruby lifted her chin contemptuously, putting her hands on her hips. “Put a pair of bosoms in your faces and that’s as far as you can see!”
Her earthy language disconcerted them all.
” ‘Twould not take much to see past yours,” Thork choked out insultingly with a quick sweep of his hand toward her small, pert breasts.
“You were anxious enough back in Jorvik.” Her flashing eyes challenged him.
“I must have been desperate.”
“Hah! If I wanted you, I could have you just like that,” Ruby boasted with a sharp snap of her fingers.
“Why, you arrogant little baggage!” Secretly amused by the wench’s overconfidence, Thork wondered if she truly thought she could seduce him if she chose. Probably! He’d behaved like a horny goat thus far. ‘Twould be amusing, though, to see what tricks she would employ. His eyes narrowed speculatively.
Leaning her face closer, Ruby taunted him, “You Vikings are great ones for sagas and riddles. I have a good one for you, Thork. Would you like to hear it?”
A muscle twitched in his jaw, but he refused to rise to her bait; so, she continued, “What happens when a Viking man drops his braies?” Like a master skald, she waited in the silence, choosing just the right moment to answer her own question: “His brains fall out.”
It took a moment for her words to register. When they did, Thork reached for her angrily, but Dar and Olaf held him back.
“Enough! Leave off, you two,” Dar ordered. “We have dawdled enough on silly prattle betwixt you two. Thork, I cannot believe a grandson of mine would allow a chit of a woman to goad him so. And you, Ruby, truly you seek the henchman’s axe with your foolhardy words.” When they both looked properly chastened, Dar went on, “What do we with the wench?”
“I trust her not.” Thork glowered sullenly.
“Nor do I,” Olaf added. “And I do not want her in the same sleeping room with my daughters.”
“The tower room then,” Dar decided finally, “with a guard present at all times.”
“Should she be bound?” Olaf asked.
Dar thought a moment, then replied, “Nay, not unless she tries to escape or causes further trouble.”