Page 126 of A Tale of Two Vikings

“You are just saying this because you want me to accept you as husband so that you can be a legitimate father to our child.” He could tell that her long-winded reply was hurtful for her to make in front of all these people. He would have spared her this if he’d thought ahead of time. But he hadn’t.

“I love you, I love you, I love you.”

“If that is true, why have you never said it afore?” She met his eyes now.

And gods help him, he saw hope there. He must tread carefully now. “A wise woman…rather, a meddling woman…pointed out to me that women need to hear those words. In truth, I must have forgotten that fact. Well, actually I have never loved any other woman afore, so the subject wouldn’t have even come up. Have I never said the words to you? I thought I had, but then I wondered if I’d just shown you in a thousand ways but never…” He let his words trail off as he realized that he was rambling.

“Oh, Vagn.” There were tears in her eyes, but then, there were tears in her eyes all the time lately due to the pregnancy.

“I did not mean to make you weep.”

“You love me?”

“I do.”

“Will you marry me?” she asked then.

“I thought you would never ask, heartling.” With a whoop of delight, he swept her up in his arms and carried her out of the great hall, to the cheers of the crowd, especially his brother, who cheered loudest of all.

Vagn noticed something odd then. There were tears in his own eyes. Must be the pregnancy, he decided with a shrug.

Pleading his case…all right, just pleading…

Toste did not have such good luck in talking to Esme.

He was in the Ravenshire business solar off the great hall with her later that afternoon, but at least two dozen other people were there, as well. Unlike his brother, he was averse to baring his soul in public.

Besides, Esme was casting dagger stares his way. But she also whistled under her breath, so nervous was she over the proceedings about to take place. It did not help matters that her father and two brothers sat in the front row, having shown up uninvited an hour ago.

An unscheduled meeting of the Witan was being held for the benefit of Esme’s petition to regain Evergreen. It was not an official meeting, only seven members being present, including Archbishop Dunstan—and what an imposingly grim cleric he was!—along with five ealdormen.

The Witan had already heard Toste’s evidence, Esme’s recital of past sins against her by her family, and her father’s lying testimony of “only wanting what is best for my daughter.” Dunstan, to give him credit, ran a tight proceeding, not fooled a bit by any of them, least of all Blackthorne’s accounting of all the funds from fifteen years of water tolls. It turned out that the Crown had no objection to the practice, but it wanted its fair share in taxes. In other words, Blackthorne had not only been cheating his daughter, he had been cheating his king, as well. Not a wise political move!

Dunstan stood finally and said, “Lady Esme, I believe you have just right to Evergreen. And I am impressed by your fifteen years spent in a convent, and the letter of commendation I have received from Mother Wilfreda concerning your conduct there.” Everyone knew that Dunstan considered women instruments of the devil, and his attitude was evident in his condescending tone. “However, I am not convinced that a woman…even a woman with your skills…can run an estate on her own. You need the guardianship of your father till that time when you wed.”

“Nay!” Esme blurted out. She knew as they all did what this would mean. Either she would be forced to wed a puppet husband of her father’s choice, or she would be dead. Neither was a palatable choice.

Dunstan’s nostrils flared with outrage that a mere woman would question his decision.

“Your Grace,” Toste said, standing. “I believe I have a solution.” He glanced over at Esme beseechingly. This was not the way he would have chosen to bring up this subject.

“Ivarsson,” the archbishop acknowledged reluctantly.

Toste recognized that the priest considered the decision already made and did not appreciate any last-minute interference. But he could not refuse to listen. Too many eyes were watching…some of them politically powerful.

The archbishop nodded for him to go on. The curl of Dunstan’s upper lip seemed to indicate that he included Vikings in the same lowly class as women.

“I would take Esme for my bride. I would protect her and Evergreen. Though Viking by blood, I would swear allegiance to your Saxon overlord, if it would help Esme in her petition.”

Shock rippled around the room, especially from Blackthorne and his sons.

“Nay!”

“This is outrageous!”

“He’s a bloody Norseman. You can’t trust a one of them.”

These statements did not sit well with Dunstan, nor the Viking nobles who sat about the room, including Tykir, Eirik, Gorm and others.