Page 62 of The Caged Viking

“Also, meet Kirstin, daughter of the great Magnus Ericsson…my wife.” He leaned down and kissed the top of Kirstin’s head, holding tight to her the whole time, as she struggled to be free.

There was a pause as his people digested the news, then loud cheers of congratulations. A few even cast gloating smirks at Zoya, implying that she would no longer be able to rule them. Zoya herself gave him a scowl, then spun on her heel and stomped back up the hill toward the largest of all the longhouses.

Bjorn was making his way toward an outbuilding with Egil and some of the men carrying supplies from the ship. Those of his seamen who had wives and children went off with them to separate longhouses that scattered about in the distance, creating almost a sort of village setting.

“Well, that went well,” Kirstin said when he removed his arm from her shoulder.

“Sarcasm ill-suits you, m’lady.”

She arched her brows with indifference.

“There is much work to be done, wife. Let us get on with it,” he said then, and smacked her across her bottom with the flat of his hand, pushing her forward.

Her jaw dropped with shock, as she put a hand to her arse.

As Hauk walked toward the back courtyard, he smiled to himself, not bothering to see if Kirstin followed him. In truth, she had nowhere else to go.

Betimes a man got the last word in without speaking a word.

Chapter 14

Where’re Molly Maids when you need them…

Kirstin had expected things to be bad, after all the years of Hauk’s or his father’s absence, but not this bad. She looked about the great hall of Haukshire and thought, Phew! It stinks!

Not only had the floor rushes not been replaced in ages…at least a year by her guess, when they were normally changed every season…but the trestle tables were covered with a layer of greasy grime. Some of the benches were broken. The hearth ashes were a foot high. Several flea-ridden dogs lay sprawled near the door leading to the scullery. And, even as she watched, a cat strolled onto the dais and peed on a tapestry that had fallen from the wall onto the floor.

Hauk had gone off to one of the barns with Halfdan, the steward, with the remark to Kirstin, “I’ll see how bad the situation is outside with the animals and hay and outbuildings. Can you check the inside for me? Make a list of what needs to be done and what we must buy from the market in Hedeby.”

“Me?” she’d asked. “I’m in charge?”

“Well, you are my wife.”

“And Zoya?”

“She will be gone soon.”

“Really?”

“Really.” He had been about to depart, but he paused and said, “Look, I realize that I might not have thought through this plan of mine, but—”

“You think?”

“More sarcasm. Tsk-tsk-tsk!” he’d said, tapping her on the chin with playful admonition. “What I started to say was…yea, I brought you to my home against your will to give us time, but the home I’ve brought you to is not in good order, not by any means. For that, I apologize.”

“You apologize for the condition of your home but not for bringing me here?”

“Well, yea, that is correct.”

“You’re a piece of work, Hauk Thorsson.”

“Thank you,” he’d said and gone off.

She glanced around the hall once again. In many ways, when she’d first seen Haukshire from the longship, she’d been reminded of Kattegat, that fictional village in the Viking TV series. A number of rustic longhouses and outbuildings surrounded the much bigger longhouse belonging to the king, or in this case the jarl. Even here in the great hall, she could see similarities to the Kattegat royal residence, the layout, the dim light, and the intricate carving on the wood. But that’s where the resemblance ended. This place was a mess. She hadn’t even checked the other rooms yet or the food cellar. They would probably be just as bad, or worse.

And Hauk expects me to fix this? I’m an academic, not a Molly Maid. Not that there’s anything wrong with a cleaning person, but I work with my brain, not my hands.

With a sigh, Kirstin chided herself, So, use your brain, girl. Raising her chin with determination, she headed toward the kitchen. Many estates of this time period had kitchens separate from the rest of the timber-framed buildings, a safety measure in case of fire. This house did not, although the cooking area did appear to have stone walls.