Page 77 of The Last Viking

Advancing on her, he wagged a finger in her face. “Wench, when are you going to learn to defend yourself against your enemies, instead of cowering like a pup? What will happen when I am gone? Who will fight your battles for you then?”

“Why…why…you dolt! I don’t need you to be my knight in shining armor to settle a disagreement, and that’s all it was. Not some major fight. Jeffrey and I always disagree. And, frankly, if you want to know the truth, you big, thick-headed oaf, I had already told him off before you jumped into the fray.”

“You did?” His anger immediately dissipated and was replaced with a heart-wrenching desolation. Her tears must have been caused by the love she still harbored for this past-husband. He could scarce breathe over the lump in his throat. “Dost still love the man then, Merry-Death?”

“Huh?” She was in the midst of wiping her eyes with a clean-axe when he asked his question. The scowl she gave him then put him in the same class as donkeys and thick-skinned melons.

“Your tears,” he pointed out. “Since you do not weep because of some offense given by your past-husband, the tears must come from your…love.” His voice quivered on the last word. He turned away from her to conceal his weakness.

“Are all Vikings idiots, or just you?”

Some time the wench was going to push him too far with her insults. He turned slowly. She was standing with her hands braced on her hips, which were covered with those infernal men’s braies again, even though he’d told her many a time that he much preferred garments that required the wanton hose. If she loved him, she would want to please him, wouldn’t she? Hell, she tried her damnedest to please everyone else in the world. But then, he’d just learned that she still loved her past-husband. “Damn your impertinence, my lady! And damn you for leading me about like a smitten youthling.”

“Rolf, I don’t love Jeffrey, and probably never did.”

“Do you tell me true, Merry-Death?” His heart lurched with hopefulness. Bloody hell, he abhorred his vulnerability where this woman was concerned. ’Twas a weak link in his manly armor, to be sure.

“He’s a creep and I pretty much told him so.”

“Then why were you soaking the carpet with your tears?”

“Because he made me so mad. And because I was relieved to finally express my true feelings to him.”

“Oh.” Did that mean he’d made a fool of himself? Not in hurling harsh words at the brute on the phone, but for accusing Merry-Death unjustly. “I’m sorry, sweetling. I behaved like an ass.”

“Hmpfh! That’s for sure.”

He was too happy that he’d been wrong in his ill-conceived conclusions to chide her for concurring. “Come, sweetling, let me show you my bride gift.” He took her hand and tugged her toward the bed-couch. Of course, his fingers tingled where their skin met.

Her hand flinched with surprise at the contact of their palms and he knew that she felt the tingle, too.

“Do you think our nether parts will tingle when they meet?” he asked expectantly as he handed her a white rectangular box with the words “Meako’s Fine Hand-crafted Clothing” imprinted in gold letters on top.

Meredith’s mouth dropped open. That remark was outrageous, even for Rolf. When she didn’t answer immediately, he glanced up from where he was opening another box, noticing her shock. She closed her mouth, but not before he also noticed her obvious interest in his question. He winked at her, and Meredith felt butterflies take flight in her stomach.

“Open your bride gift,” he urged her.

“I will not marry you,” she repeated in her now familiar refrain and he gave her one of those “Yeah, yeah, what else is new” looks. But her curiosity got the better of her, as he probably knew it would, and she lifted the lid, then peeled back the gold tissue paper. He had commissioned an exquisite Viking-style wedding gown to be made for her. “Oh, Rolf.”

“Do not even think of weeping again,” he warned her. “I have had more than enough emotional upheavals today.”

She wasn’t sure if he referred to her emotions or his. “I will not marry you,” she said again, but even she recognized how weak her voice sounded.

She held the fantastic garment up, and the flickering flames from the fireplace cast dancing lights on its shimmering folds. The undergown was a long-sleeved, collarless chemise of gossamer white linen gauze, ankle-length in front and pleated and slightly longer in the back. The wrists and circular neckline were edged with bands embroidered with metallic threads of green and gold and white against a red background. The silk overgown, open-sided in the Viking style, was a deep crimson with matching bands of embroidery at the hem and neckline. Here, the colors were reversed, a white background with crimson, green, and gold threads. The embroidery design was a series of intertwining roses. Two rosebud shoulder brooches were enclosed, along with a gold link belt to be worn loosely at the waist, more in Saxon than Viking fashion, which normally was unbelted at the waist.

“Rolf, it’s beautiful, but why do you keep giving me these gifts when I tell you—”

“Come see what I purchased for myself,” he interrupted, gesturing at the box he was opening. “’Tis my wedding raiment. I would not wish my betrothed to outshine me overmuch on that day,” he teased.

She sighed with admiration. His outfit was a pitch-black, long-sleeved overtunic of softest wool, mixed with cashmere, which would hang to mid-thigh or slightly lower. The tunic would be worn over a pair of slim trousers of the same fabric and be held in at the waist by his talisman belt. Both the tunic and a white silk-lined mantle were embroidered with the same band of roses as her gown.

“If I were going to marry you, which I am not, I couldn’t ask for anything more perfect,” she said honestly. “Thank you.”

“You are more than welcome, sweetling, but save your thank you for our wedding night.”

She groaned. The man was a brick wall.

“But let us set aside our differences for now. It’s almost eight on the clock, and you know what that means.” He pulled her over, gave her a quick kiss, shoved her down on the sofa, and then said, “Shhh.”