headband in his fist, put it to his nose and inhaled deeply, then strode away.
Buffeted by the wind, she watched his broad back until he was out of sight. A tidal wave of grief threatened to swamp her. She had never surrendered any part of her heart to a man, now he was leaving. He might never return.
She did not know how long she had remained on the shore, watching the waves without seeing them. When the two longboats came around the headland, Reider stood with Kjartan in the stern, his hand raised in salute.
Thor barked frantically. She held on to her resolve not to wave back, but when the boats were specks on the horizon, she raised her hand. “Please come back,” she whispered to the wind. She had not even wished him Godspeed.
~~~
Reider watched until Ragna and her beloved dog were barely visible. Would he ever again run his hands through the beautiful tresses that billowed in the wind like a golden banner? He did not expect her to return his salute. She was too stubborn. He had never met such a wilful woman, but her wild nature excited him. She would be a challenging mate for some man. The thought of another bedding her filled him with anger, but he had nothing to offer her, certainly not his heart. Margit had destroyed it. He suspected Ragna would expect nothing less of her mate than his whole heart. She was not a woman of half measures, probably because of her Danish blood!
Despite his determination to avoid her, he had been inexplicably unable to stay away from his alcove at night. He had made sure she did not know he slept beside her, stealing into the small space late into the night and leaving before she awoke. It had been torture not to reach out and touch her as she slumbered.
He touched his fingers to his bottom lip, remembering the taste and smell of her—spicy like her nature. He had not intended to kiss her. He had kissed women before, but nothing had prepared him for Ragna’s kiss. Her groan of longing had inflamed him even beyond the rock-hard erection that arose whenever he was near her. It was the kiss of a passionate woman, but an innocent one. He suspected she had never kissed a man. Her warmth as she sucked his tongue and thrust her breasts had sent desire crashing through him. It had taken considerable control not to take her on the shore.
He removed her leather headband from his tunic, inhaled her lingering scent and fastened it around his head.
His heart leapt into his throat when she suddenly raised her hand in salute.
“I will come back for you, Ragna, my prinsessen .”
~~~
Once the boats had disappeared beyond the horizon, Ragna knelt to hug Thor, then wandered slowly back to whatever awaited her at the lodge. The dog whimpered as he kept pace with his mistress. She patted his haunches. “You too feel his absence already, don’t you, my loyal friend?”
She took her time, stooping occasionally to throw a pebble or two into the waves. Thor gave up chasing them, discouraged when there was nothing to retrieve.
When she pushed open the heavy door of the lodge, her eyes widened. The thralls were dressed in their own clothing. One of the Danes explained Reider had freed them at her request.
Needing to be alone to come to terms with this new revelation and her feelings of loss, she hastened to the alcove. Atop Reider’s pallet lay her mother’s dagger, still in its sheath. She grabbed the precious weapon and held it to her breast. Unable to stem the tide of tears any longer, she fell on to the bed and sobbed until exhaustion took hold. Thor curled up beside her, whimpering.
CHAPTER TWELVE
After days of planning and consulting with locals, Dieter and Magnus came to the conclusion it would be impossible to search the marshy coastline on horseback. They would have to obtain a boat, and a crew, since neither they nor their men were mariners. Local seamen would be familiar with tides and the lay of the land.
In their quest for a boat, they heard reports of a brutal massacre
Buffeted by the wind, she watched his broad back until he was out of sight. A tidal wave of grief threatened to swamp her. She had never surrendered any part of her heart to a man, now he was leaving. He might never return.
She did not know how long she had remained on the shore, watching the waves without seeing them. When the two longboats came around the headland, Reider stood with Kjartan in the stern, his hand raised in salute.
Thor barked frantically. She held on to her resolve not to wave back, but when the boats were specks on the horizon, she raised her hand. “Please come back,” she whispered to the wind. She had not even wished him Godspeed.
~~~
Reider watched until Ragna and her beloved dog were barely visible. Would he ever again run his hands through the beautiful tresses that billowed in the wind like a golden banner? He did not expect her to return his salute. She was too stubborn. He had never met such a wilful woman, but her wild nature excited him. She would be a challenging mate for some man. The thought of another bedding her filled him with anger, but he had nothing to offer her, certainly not his heart. Margit had destroyed it. He suspected Ragna would expect nothing less of her mate than his whole heart. She was not a woman of half measures, probably because of her Danish blood!
Despite his determination to avoid her, he had been inexplicably unable to stay away from his alcove at night. He had made sure she did not know he slept beside her, stealing into the small space late into the night and leaving before she awoke. It had been torture not to reach out and touch her as she slumbered.
He touched his fingers to his bottom lip, remembering the taste and smell of her—spicy like her nature. He had not intended to kiss her. He had kissed women before, but nothing had prepared him for Ragna’s kiss. Her groan of longing had inflamed him even beyond the rock-hard erection that arose whenever he was near her. It was the kiss of a passionate woman, but an innocent one. He suspected she had never kissed a man. Her warmth as she sucked his tongue and thrust her breasts had sent desire crashing through him. It had taken considerable control not to take her on the shore.
He removed her leather headband from his tunic, inhaled her lingering scent and fastened it around his head.
His heart leapt into his throat when she suddenly raised her hand in salute.
“I will come back for you, Ragna, my prinsessen .”
~~~
Once the boats had disappeared beyond the horizon, Ragna knelt to hug Thor, then wandered slowly back to whatever awaited her at the lodge. The dog whimpered as he kept pace with his mistress. She patted his haunches. “You too feel his absence already, don’t you, my loyal friend?”
She took her time, stooping occasionally to throw a pebble or two into the waves. Thor gave up chasing them, discouraged when there was nothing to retrieve.
When she pushed open the heavy door of the lodge, her eyes widened. The thralls were dressed in their own clothing. One of the Danes explained Reider had freed them at her request.
Needing to be alone to come to terms with this new revelation and her feelings of loss, she hastened to the alcove. Atop Reider’s pallet lay her mother’s dagger, still in its sheath. She grabbed the precious weapon and held it to her breast. Unable to stem the tide of tears any longer, she fell on to the bed and sobbed until exhaustion took hold. Thor curled up beside her, whimpering.
CHAPTER TWELVE
After days of planning and consulting with locals, Dieter and Magnus came to the conclusion it would be impossible to search the marshy coastline on horseback. They would have to obtain a boat, and a crew, since neither they nor their men were mariners. Local seamen would be familiar with tides and the lay of the land.
In their quest for a boat, they heard reports of a brutal massacre
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