He’d always been a loner, but recently liked the idea of settling down. Now he didn’t want anything but sleep and peace.
* * *
One evening there was a knock at the door and Lini’s caramel hair appeared round it. His eyes met Kjartan’s, who stepped towards him, then hesitated.
“We’re here to see the baby.” Halldora’s strident tones preceded her appearance as she squeezed through the doorway, inquisitive eyes and rosy apple cheeks. Thora and Kori skipped round her.
“Hallo,” said Mildrith, nursing Dalla.
“You look well,” said Halldora. “Your hair seems to be darker these days. Sometimes that happens after you have a baby. Can I hold her?” She held her arms out imperiously and Mildrith could not refuse.
Lini’s eyes flicked between the baby and Kjartan.
“We could have another ba by, couldn’t we?” said Halldora, “e specially as you’re now sleeping in my bed again . Lini, pay attention! ”
“Sorry.” He’d been gazing at his lover, imagining his muscly chest under his tunic, the battle scars he’d counted and kissed.
“I hardly used to see him, he was so elusive,” continued his wife. “But lately he’s been around more.”
“Oh, Kj artan was like that for a while - ” began Mildrith.
“Something to drink?” interrupted her husband. “We’ve got ale or mead.” He clattered the cups around noisily.
“I’ve been making lots of amber beads recently,” added Lini. “I’m going to make a necklace for you as a present, but it isn’t finished quite yet.” He too wa s working with the harvesters. E very last man, woman and child was needed to bring in the crops in time.
“Oh, that’s kind. Thank you.” Mildrith smiled and he smiled back. After she turned back to Dalla, he glanced at Kjartan whose face was set in an expression of jealousy. Lini wondered which of them he was jealous about.
“He never finishes anything these days,” said Halldora. “He’s always in a world of his own.” She carried on her monologue about the shortcomings of her husband in an affectionate tone.
“I need to get more water from the stream,” said Kjartan in a strangled voice.
“I’ll help you.” Lini took the opportunity and followed him.
When they were far enough away from the house, Kjartan spoke.
“Odin’s eye, that woma n! She doesn’t appreciate you. S he rambles on about what a ter rible husband you are. She says … ”
“I’m used to it. Shut up now.” Lini pushed him into the undergrowth, into the guelder rose leaves that were beginning to turn to autumn yellow, their red berries swelling enticingly. He landed on top of him, arms and legs all over the place, kissing him like an overexcited puppy, making Kjartan smile so much he could hardly kiss him back.
“I’ve missed you,” Lini said at last. “I didn’t know where you were, but luckily Halldora heard about your baby, so I guessed.”
“I’ve really missed you. It’s been like hell. No sleep, the baby crying all the time, yet we still have to carry on as normal. I’m so tired.”
“Yes, I’ve been there, mjaldr . It’ll get better, you’ll get used to it.” He stroked Kjartan’s long flaxen plait, which was more unkempt than usual. “I know! Let’s go to the shelter and just sleep. You can get a break from the baby.”
“What about Mildrith , though? She can’t look after Dalla on her own.”
“Can’t her aunt or cousins help out?”
“I suppose so.” Kjartan’s eyelids were drooping already, so Lini took his buckets and filled them with water, leaving him dozing in the bushes. It was quite amusing really. He tiptoed back to the house with the water, not realising a pair of eyes had been watching their whole encounter.
As Lini walked out of view, Styrkar emerged from his hiding place and slunk away. His patience had paid off. Keeping an eye on his Huskarl tormentor had indeed led him to find out something he could use against him. This would teach that
* * *
One evening there was a knock at the door and Lini’s caramel hair appeared round it. His eyes met Kjartan’s, who stepped towards him, then hesitated.
“We’re here to see the baby.” Halldora’s strident tones preceded her appearance as she squeezed through the doorway, inquisitive eyes and rosy apple cheeks. Thora and Kori skipped round her.
“Hallo,” said Mildrith, nursing Dalla.
“You look well,” said Halldora. “Your hair seems to be darker these days. Sometimes that happens after you have a baby. Can I hold her?” She held her arms out imperiously and Mildrith could not refuse.
Lini’s eyes flicked between the baby and Kjartan.
“We could have another ba by, couldn’t we?” said Halldora, “e specially as you’re now sleeping in my bed again . Lini, pay attention! ”
“Sorry.” He’d been gazing at his lover, imagining his muscly chest under his tunic, the battle scars he’d counted and kissed.
“I hardly used to see him, he was so elusive,” continued his wife. “But lately he’s been around more.”
“Oh, Kj artan was like that for a while - ” began Mildrith.
“Something to drink?” interrupted her husband. “We’ve got ale or mead.” He clattered the cups around noisily.
“I’ve been making lots of amber beads recently,” added Lini. “I’m going to make a necklace for you as a present, but it isn’t finished quite yet.” He too wa s working with the harvesters. E very last man, woman and child was needed to bring in the crops in time.
“Oh, that’s kind. Thank you.” Mildrith smiled and he smiled back. After she turned back to Dalla, he glanced at Kjartan whose face was set in an expression of jealousy. Lini wondered which of them he was jealous about.
“He never finishes anything these days,” said Halldora. “He’s always in a world of his own.” She carried on her monologue about the shortcomings of her husband in an affectionate tone.
“I need to get more water from the stream,” said Kjartan in a strangled voice.
“I’ll help you.” Lini took the opportunity and followed him.
When they were far enough away from the house, Kjartan spoke.
“Odin’s eye, that woma n! She doesn’t appreciate you. S he rambles on about what a ter rible husband you are. She says … ”
“I’m used to it. Shut up now.” Lini pushed him into the undergrowth, into the guelder rose leaves that were beginning to turn to autumn yellow, their red berries swelling enticingly. He landed on top of him, arms and legs all over the place, kissing him like an overexcited puppy, making Kjartan smile so much he could hardly kiss him back.
“I’ve missed you,” Lini said at last. “I didn’t know where you were, but luckily Halldora heard about your baby, so I guessed.”
“I’ve really missed you. It’s been like hell. No sleep, the baby crying all the time, yet we still have to carry on as normal. I’m so tired.”
“Yes, I’ve been there, mjaldr . It’ll get better, you’ll get used to it.” He stroked Kjartan’s long flaxen plait, which was more unkempt than usual. “I know! Let’s go to the shelter and just sleep. You can get a break from the baby.”
“What about Mildrith , though? She can’t look after Dalla on her own.”
“Can’t her aunt or cousins help out?”
“I suppose so.” Kjartan’s eyelids were drooping already, so Lini took his buckets and filled them with water, leaving him dozing in the bushes. It was quite amusing really. He tiptoed back to the house with the water, not realising a pair of eyes had been watching their whole encounter.
As Lini walked out of view, Styrkar emerged from his hiding place and slunk away. His patience had paid off. Keeping an eye on his Huskarl tormentor had indeed led him to find out something he could use against him. This would teach that
Similar Books
