Redeeming Her Viking Warrior

‘You’re not, but it’s getting colder. The wind’s changed direction.’

‘Then we’d better make this quick. Tell me why you murdered my father and I’ll be on my way.’ He said the words casually, as if they were of no importance, but it felt good to accuse her, to see her jaw plummet and hear her sharp intake of breath.

‘I didn’t murder Sigurd!’

‘Maybe not by your own hand, but someone ordered the attack.’

‘Not me! Why would I do such a thing?’

‘Because you didn’t love him.’

‘No.’ She didn’t even pause to deny it. ‘Not for a long time, but that doesn’t mean I wanted him dead.’

‘You didn’t want him as your husband any more.’ Danr advanced a step closer, deliberately trying to intimidate her. ‘You didn’t want him in your bed.’

‘He didn’t want to be in it either!’ Hilda’s green eyes glittered with contempt. ‘That proves nothing. How many of the women you sleep with do you love, Danr? Any at all? But you don’t kill them to be rid of them.’

‘That’s different.’ He felt a fresh burst of temper. ‘You were betraying my father with his own helmsman and he found out about it. Brandt heard them arguing a few days before the attack.’

‘Sigurd only suspected.’ Hilda snorted dismissively. ‘He didn’t know.’

‘Then it makes even more sense that you killed him. You ordered the attack before he could find proof and punish your lover.’

‘No!’

‘That’s why you ran away with Joarr so soon afterwards.’

‘It wasn’t soon!’ She tossed her braid at the accusation. ‘I stayed in Maerr for months to nurse Alarr and help Brandt hold on to his birthright, but they were both so set upon revenge. Everything was falling apart and my sister...’ She bit her tongue, seeming to think better of whatever it was she’d been about to say. ‘Joarr said it was too dangerous for us to remain. That’s why we came to find shelter here with his kinsmen.’

‘You mean, in case someone discovered what you’d done?’

‘Enough!’ She thrust her jaw out angrily. ‘How dare you say such things! When my sons discover what you’re accusing me of—’

‘Ah, but who do you think sent me?’ Danr gave a slow, taunting smile. ‘Only, they’re good sons. They don’t want to accuse their own mother, especially when they have a bastard brother who’s more than willing to do it for them. I left Sandulf only a matter of days ago.’

He paused to let the words sink in, pleased to see her face blanch. Unfortunately, he was no closer to getting a confession. Perhaps accusing her outright hadn’t been the best tactic after all. Perhaps he ought to have bided his time and confronted her with the evidence first, or, better still, spoken to Joarr beforehand as he’d planned, but his temper had got the better of him. If he couldn’t provoke her into an admission of guilt, then he only had one other option left. It was a bluff, though doubtless she despised him enough to believe him capable of it...

‘Admit you had a hand in it...’ he drew Bitterblade in one slick, steady motion ‘...and I’ll let your sons decide on your punishment. Otherwise this is between you and me.’

‘I admit nothing.’ She didn’t even flinch, the look in her eyes only hardening. ‘I just told you I wasn’t involved.’

‘I don’t believe you.’

‘Then kill me if you must, but I refuse to stand here and be judged by a man like you. You may be able to charm the birds from the trees, Danr, but you’ll always be worthless underneath. You take a different woman into your bed every night because you think it makes you more of a man, but it makes you less. You inherited the very worst traits of your father. You’re empty inside, Danr. You have no depth, no heart, no honour or decency.’

‘Say what you want about me, but you will not insult my father!’ Danr took a step closer, pointing the tip of his sword at her breast.

‘Why not? He insulted me every day of our marriage. He insulted me with your mother—with you!’

‘Maybe you deserved it!’

‘Get away from her!’

Danr spun around at the sound of Joarr’s shout, furious at himself for having been caught off guard. He had to give credit to Hilda. She hadn’t betrayed her new husband’s approach by as much as a twitch of an eyelid. She’d known just how to distract him, too, stoking his temper at the same time as he’d been trying to provoke hers. Now the giant warrior was only a few feet away and advancing steadily, sword and shield both raised, his expression angrier than Danr had ever seen it, redolent with bloodlust, and no wonder. From a distance it must have looked as if he’d been about to cut Hilda down in cold blood.

‘Did he touch you?’ Joarr’s gaze slid briefly towards his wife.

‘No.’ To Danr’s surprise, there was actually a placatory note in Hilda’s voice. ‘He’s come from Sandulf. It seems that my sons have some suspicions about me.’