The Warrior's Runaway Wife. Denise Lynn

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СКАЧАТЬ reason given for keeping them in the dark?’

      ‘A marriage has been arranged between the girl and Sir Bolk, one of Óláfr’s minor lords.’

      Bolk? ‘Surely you don’t mean Bolk the elder?’

      The King nodded. ‘Yes. If I’m counting correctly, this will be his third wife.’

      What had the girl’s father been thinking to agree to that arrangement? That old, gnarled warlord had outlived the previous two. Obviously, Brandr’s daughter had not liked the idea of being number three. ‘How long has she been gone?’

      ‘My understanding is that she vanished three weeks ago, just moments before officially meeting the man.’

      Elrik set his empty goblet on the table, waving off a refill, and asked, ‘Any description of the woman?’

      ‘All I was told was that she has night-black hair, ice-blue eyes, fair skin, a well-made form and a temper befitting a daughter of Brandr.’

      Excellent. Not only was he required to find the daughter of a warlord whom he considered an enemy of his family, but a king’s great-granddaughter who had a three-week head start on him and a headstrong one who most likely desired not to be found.

      ‘Where was she last seen?’

      ‘She ran away from Oban.’

      There was little there other than the ruins of an ancient tower fort. ‘Any word after that?’

      ‘There were rumours of a black-haired wench in Duffield who’d killed a man for trying to stop her from stealing bread. Brandr’s men stopped their search there.’

      Elrik doubted the rumours held any truth. If the girl was smart enough to run away without being caught thus far, she wasn’t going to risk capture by doing anything to foolishly call attention to herself.

      However, if she had been spotted in Duffield, this mission could prove a little more difficult, which was why her father’s men had stopped their search. Going into England to hunt for the girl was one thing, but heading deeper into the Earl of Derby’s lands was another thing altogether. The first Earl of Derby had done much to help King Stephen keep unfriendly forces at bay—it was doubtful the second earl would do any less.

      Elrik knew he could find himself at the wrong end of a sword. Which, of course, was why he was being given the task—the Wolves were expendable. If captured, King David wasn’t going to offer a ransom—in fact, the King would deny all knowledge of the mission.

      So, he needed to make certain he wasn’t caught.

      The woman was either very strong and brave, or completely lacking in wits. She’d already travelled a far distance for a woman alone. Thankfully, it required no special powers to know she was headed for the southern coast and then on to Normandy, or France.

      ‘You need to find her before she leaves England.’

      ‘Where will Brandr be expecting her return?’

      ‘Not our concern, since his expectations will go unmet. Bring her here to me. Marrying off the eighteen-year-old great-granddaughter of a king to a nearly eighty-year-old minor vassal with no title, or holdings to speak of, seems a little suspicious, made more so by Brandr’s request for my assistance.’

      Elrik couldn’t disagree with that reasoning. ‘It is a bit...odd.’

      ‘More than just odd. Considering the man has already proven he cannot be trusted, I can’t help but wonder what he is plotting.’ David waved a hand, dismissing further discussion. ‘Find her, bring her here and do it quickly. Brandr will arrive within the next four weeks. I do not wish his presence for any longer than necessary and I intend to put a halt to his plans before his arrival.’

      Elrik’s stomach knotted at the last part of the King’s statement. Something about David’s emotionless, steady tone of voice when he said he intended to put a halt to Brandr’s plans was...unsettling. The King already knew what he was going to do—and Elrik wondered if there was more to his involvement than David was willing to divulge at this moment.

      For over ten years he’d been the King’s Wolf. Not once had he questioned any order he’d been given, not even the ones that had forced him to harden his heart, or turn a deaf ear to those pleading for mercy. But this was different—it was personal. It touched on the very reason he’d sold his soul to the King. ‘Why me?’

      ‘The girl had nothing to do with the past.’ David’s stare darkened. ‘At that time, she was but a child and her father hadn’t yet claimed her as his daughter.’ He paused before leaning forward to add, ‘Your father made his choice. He would have done nothing different whether Brandr had been involved or not.’

      Elrik disagreed. He’d been there. He’d heard Brandr’s rallying speeches against the foreigners King David had put in control of what were considered choice areas of land and seen the effect the man’s passionately spoken words had had on the older men gathered in Roul’s Great Hall. With nothing but his voice, he’d stirred them into a frenzied desire for revenge.

      The striped scars crisscrossing his back were a permanent reminder of the hellish glee Brandr took in seeing punishment meted out to those deemed insubordinate—whether they had been or not. Brandr hadn’t applied the lash, but he’d done much to ensure it had been used.

      Elrik wasn’t about to voice his thoughts to the King. Brandr was a king’s grandson and the nephew of a very powerful lord, while he was nothing more than a traitor’s son.

      ‘You will do as ordered, Roul.’

      Elrik kept a tight hold on his rage, swallowed the bitterness coating his tongue and nodded. ‘Of course, my lord.’

      King David leaned back against the chair and tossed him a sack of coins. ‘This should cover what you need. I’ve no men to spare.’

      Elrik dropped the smaller sack into the leather pouch secured to the inside of his cloak. The money would come in handy and additional men would only slow him down. ‘What need I of any men?’

      ‘Perhaps I failed to mention that Brandr’s men found evidence that someone might be hunting the lady. He fears their intention is not to bring her home alive.’

       Chapter One

      South of Derbyshire, England—one week later

      ‘Open up.’ The wooden door to the room rattled. ‘I’ve a ready need for a willing whore.’

      Avelyn cringed at the man’s request and kept a firm grip on the borrowed dagger she held out before her as she backed away from the locked door of her room. The need to protect herself was from habit since she knew she need only keep quiet and eventually he would move further along the corridor.

      Just as they had for the last seven nights, men looking for a willing woman had stopped by to test her door countless times before moving on to find one that would open beneath their touch. So far, she’d been lucky and the thin metal locking bar had held.

      There seemed СКАЧАТЬ