pleasure in punishing her rather than selling her for the highest possible price.
Her heart began to pound in her chest like a trapped bird. She thought of the young Norseman. If only she’d been able to reach him before Croa’s men found her. But nay, he was a hireling who possessed no property and had no real authority or power. He wouldn’t have been able to free her.
If only he hadn’t raised her hopes. She would never have tried to get away. How could she have thought they could escape from a settlement controlled by her enemies? Now their situation was worse than ever. She thought bleakly of the blue-eyed Norseman. He’d made her feel hopeful, but in the end it had all been a cruel lie.
Chapter 4
It took much of the morning to off-load the blocks of soapstone, barrels of salted fish and beaver and sable pelts that made up the bulk of the
Waverunner’s
cargo. Sigurd inspected the goods to make certain they were undamaged, then assigned men to deliver them to the buyers he’d spoken to the day before. Magnus was chosen to deliver the soapstone to the local craftsman who’d purchased it.
As Magnus was loading the blocks of stone into a handcart, Orm came along. “I’d be happy to help you, Magnus. Although I’m not a bull ox like you, I could help guide the cart. The walkways here are treacherous. I’m sure you’ll need assistance in maneuvering such a heavy load.”
Magnus regarded the other man shrewdly. “I know what you’re up to. You’ll seize any excuse to go into the settlement.”
“Can you blame me?” Orm responded. “From what Sigurd said, we load the ship tomorrow and set off for home the day after. Then it’s over a sennight at sea, with no chance to even look at a woman until we reach Hedeby.”
“Since you lost what little silver you had in the dice game last night, you’re hardly in a position to do anything about it even if you do find a wench.”
“At least I can look. That’s better than being stuck here with naught to gaze upon but the ugly snouts of my shipmates.”
Magnus guffawed. Although he preferred to make the trip into the settlement alone, he couldn’t quite bring himself to turn Orm away. “Come on then. I’ll expect you to pull the cart at least part of the way. I didn’t get to be this strong by standing around while other men did all the work.”
“I’ll have you know I unloaded ten barrels of fish by myself,” Orm said they left the dock and guided the handcart between two warehouses. “I’m not such a weakling as you think.”
Magnus grunted in response, his thoughts returning to the Irishwoman. He didn’t have much time. As soon as he finished this errand, he must try to find a way onto the ship where she was held.
Abruptly, the trackway between buildings grew treacherous and the handcart got stuck. Several of the wooden planks laid down to create a walkway had been sucked down into the mud, and the cart’s wheels were on the verge of becoming hopelessly mired. Magnus swore, irritated at himself for not paying more attention.
Orm took hold of the back of the cart. Magnus grabbed the front end. Together they struggled to lift the iron wheels up and get the cart back on the planking. It took several tries, and by the time they succeeded, they were both filthy and sweating.
Magnus straightened and looked over at Orm. His crewmate’s face was splattered with mud. He laughed. “I doubt you’ll attract any maid looking like that. I’ve seen pig farmers cleaner than you.”
Orm made a face. “You don’t look much better. If your little Irish princess could see you now, she’d probably run away screaming.”
Magnus’s playful mood vanished. “But she couldn’t run away. She’s still a captive of that beast, Croa.” He gritted his teeth as the familiar frustration washed over him.
“Sorry,” Orm said. “That was a stupid thing to say. I shouldn’t have mentioned her.”
“We’d better keep moving,” Magnus said.
Her heart began to pound in her chest like a trapped bird. She thought of the young Norseman. If only she’d been able to reach him before Croa’s men found her. But nay, he was a hireling who possessed no property and had no real authority or power. He wouldn’t have been able to free her.
If only he hadn’t raised her hopes. She would never have tried to get away. How could she have thought they could escape from a settlement controlled by her enemies? Now their situation was worse than ever. She thought bleakly of the blue-eyed Norseman. He’d made her feel hopeful, but in the end it had all been a cruel lie.
Chapter 4
It took much of the morning to off-load the blocks of soapstone, barrels of salted fish and beaver and sable pelts that made up the bulk of the
Waverunner’s
cargo. Sigurd inspected the goods to make certain they were undamaged, then assigned men to deliver them to the buyers he’d spoken to the day before. Magnus was chosen to deliver the soapstone to the local craftsman who’d purchased it.
As Magnus was loading the blocks of stone into a handcart, Orm came along. “I’d be happy to help you, Magnus. Although I’m not a bull ox like you, I could help guide the cart. The walkways here are treacherous. I’m sure you’ll need assistance in maneuvering such a heavy load.”
Magnus regarded the other man shrewdly. “I know what you’re up to. You’ll seize any excuse to go into the settlement.”
“Can you blame me?” Orm responded. “From what Sigurd said, we load the ship tomorrow and set off for home the day after. Then it’s over a sennight at sea, with no chance to even look at a woman until we reach Hedeby.”
“Since you lost what little silver you had in the dice game last night, you’re hardly in a position to do anything about it even if you do find a wench.”
“At least I can look. That’s better than being stuck here with naught to gaze upon but the ugly snouts of my shipmates.”
Magnus guffawed. Although he preferred to make the trip into the settlement alone, he couldn’t quite bring himself to turn Orm away. “Come on then. I’ll expect you to pull the cart at least part of the way. I didn’t get to be this strong by standing around while other men did all the work.”
“I’ll have you know I unloaded ten barrels of fish by myself,” Orm said they left the dock and guided the handcart between two warehouses. “I’m not such a weakling as you think.”
Magnus grunted in response, his thoughts returning to the Irishwoman. He didn’t have much time. As soon as he finished this errand, he must try to find a way onto the ship where she was held.
Abruptly, the trackway between buildings grew treacherous and the handcart got stuck. Several of the wooden planks laid down to create a walkway had been sucked down into the mud, and the cart’s wheels were on the verge of becoming hopelessly mired. Magnus swore, irritated at himself for not paying more attention.
Orm took hold of the back of the cart. Magnus grabbed the front end. Together they struggled to lift the iron wheels up and get the cart back on the planking. It took several tries, and by the time they succeeded, they were both filthy and sweating.
Magnus straightened and looked over at Orm. His crewmate’s face was splattered with mud. He laughed. “I doubt you’ll attract any maid looking like that. I’ve seen pig farmers cleaner than you.”
Orm made a face. “You don’t look much better. If your little Irish princess could see you now, she’d probably run away screaming.”
Magnus’s playful mood vanished. “But she couldn’t run away. She’s still a captive of that beast, Croa.” He gritted his teeth as the familiar frustration washed over him.
“Sorry,” Orm said. “That was a stupid thing to say. I shouldn’t have mentioned her.”
“We’d better keep moving,” Magnus said.
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