At first, he just gazed at her in confusion. When understanding dawned, he smiled at her with such open love that Eadyth felt blessed by God. Then Eirik showed her with slow, slow strokes, and sweet kisses, and softly spoken words of love how very much he prized her love gift to him.
Much later, Eadyth lay cradled in her husband’s arms, tracing her fingertips across his fine chest hairs, liking ever so much the idea that she had a right to touch him so. Eirik’s gaze and his caresses went continually to her flat belly, as if in amazement that they could have created a child together.
Then, despite the lateness of the hour, they decided to head back to Ravenshire, wanting to be in their own home, with their children. As she prepared to step up onto the wagon seat with Eirik a short time later, their horses tied behind them, and several of Eirik’s guards following after them, Eadyth remarked to her husband, “I was thinking, Eirik, now that I know you have a trading ship, and I have all these products to market, well, I was wondering—”
“You do too much wondering, Eadyth,” he grumbled, whacking her softly on the bottom for emphasis. “I intend to keep you too busy to take on any more ventures.”
She gave him a sidelong look of chagrin when he sat down next to her on the wagon seat. Under her breath, she muttered, “I think I could manage both.”
But Eirik heard her and threw his head back, laughing. “I do not doubt that at all, Eadyth. Then he put his arm around her shoulder and drew her closer. “Yea, we will manage together.”