Page 10 of Haakon's Fate
“Of course. If you just, er…give me a moment first?”
Gytha nodded and made to go to the bench he’d indicated in the shade of the tall beech. Before she could move, she caught a glimpse of the inside of the hut. A beautiful woman, and blonde, inevitably, was putting order to her clothes. On the table next to her were a comb, a washing basin and a piece of cloth. That she had just used them to have a wash was screamingly obvious.
But it was mid-afternoon, not morning.
What was going on? Had she interrupted a tryst? Was that why Haakon had not invited her inside just yet? Because he’d wanted to see his lover out first?
A surge of heat spread through her chest. What was that? Jealousy? No, she refused to believe that was what the feeling was, even if it bore an unfortunate resemblance to it.
A moment later, the woman came out. She threw her arms around Haakon’s neck with an ease bred of familiarity. “Thank you for last night.”
“Anytime.”
The tenderness in his voice was unmistakable. This was no casual lover. Whoever that woman was, she meant a lot to him. The heat in Gytha’s chest solidified into a ball of lead.
The woman walked away and a moment later Haakon appeared in front of the bench where Gytha was still waiting, fighting the unpleasant feelings warring inside her.
“Please come in,” he told her. “Unless you prefer to stay outside?”
As, despite the sun, it was not a particularly warm day, she refused the offer. Now that the flare of jealousy in her chest had vanished, she felt chilled.
“Do you want something to drink?”
For someone who had been caught with a lover exiting his hut, Haakon didn’t appear embarrassed in the least. But why should he be? He could do what he liked with whomever he liked. And she shouldn’t be interested, one way or the other. They weren’t truly supposed to get married. She shouldn’t ask anything about?—
“Was that your lover I saw?”
Gytha stared in horror when the question slipped out of her lips. But it was too late to take it back. Besides, now that it had been uttered, she might as well wait for the answer, because she was curious.
Haakon stared at her. “My lover?”
“Yes. The blonde woman who exited the hut.”
Who threw herself in your arms and thanked you for a wild night in your bed. Night that extended well into the morning, apparently.
Had they kissed after the declaration? Gytha was not sure, having averted her gaze to preserve her sanity.
“Why would you want to know who she was?”
“I don’t.”
“Except that you do. You just asked me.”
“I did and you haven’t answered. Are you ashamed to admit you know her?”
“I am never ashamed of the people I know.”
“Well, then.”
They stared at one another, neither prepared to back down, neither willing to admit that this was a ridiculous conversation. Gytha had no idea why she had insisted. But in Haakon’s presence she became a different person. Who that person was or why he had this effect on her, she wasn’t sure, but it was undeniable.
“Why are you here?” he eventually asked. “I don’t think you came to question me about my love life. But I could be mistaken. With you, everything seems possible.”
She ignored this last comment because he was right. It was better they focused on her reason for coming to the village rather than discuss who he bedded and when.
“My father couldn’t come so he sent me in his stead. He had something important to tell Wolf. But Wolf is not here so Merewen suggested I came to tell you.” If she had known who the Icelander’s friend was, she would never have accepted.
Haakon’s demeanor changed in the space of a heartbeat, forgetting the personal, petty squabble to give this information his whole attention. She understood then why her father had praised his character many times. With a man like this to help her, Matilda was sure to get her daughter back.
