Viking Love Beyond Time (Time Travel Romance) (39 page)

             
She felt a dampness between her legs and was conscious of her body pressing against the material of her gown “Bastard!” she whispered aloud.

             
“Yes, I agree, he was a bastard, but he’s dead now” said a quiet voice at her elbow.  She jumped and turned, it was Edric.  “I’ve brought your cloak, it’s getting cold”

             
Alodie was stunned for a moment, then realised he had thought she had meant Luke.  She sighed with relief, for a mad moment she thought he had meant Rorik was dead. 
Best thing if he is
said her sensible half.

             
Edric quickly put her cloak around her shoulders and fastening the clasp under her chin took her hand.  “Let’s walk, Alodie” he said “I need to talk to you”

             
“But Edric, it will not be seemly................” she protested.

             
“Damn seemly woman, I need to talk to you” he replied quietly.  They walked in silence through the main village and onto the lane which led to the sea.  At last Alodie spoke.  “Edric, what is this?  Where are we going?”

             
He stopped and turned.  The moon, now a quarter full, shone almost redly in the sky.  “Swein told me that Luke tried to kill you and the children, is it true?”

             
“What else did he say?”

             
“Is it true?”

             
Alodie nodded, “he was going to kill Gytha too, and Swein” Edric drew a sharp breath and Alodie saw his hand tighten on the top of his dagger.

             
“He was a monster!” he muttered “I wish to the Lord that I had walked in.  It would not have been outlaws that dispatched him!”

             
“It was the drink, Edric” said Alodie, quietly, laying her hand on his “it addled his brain, made him evil”

             
“I hated him for the way he treated you Alodie.  I knew it was a mistake, your marriage, but I could not defy the king’s wishes.  Towards the end of the
Exeter
campaign though Alfred was as sick of him as we all were – in fact his Grace admitted to me himself that when the news of Luke’s death reached him in
Winchester
he was relieved.  Luke just did not fit in, he did not know how to treat people, no one respected him.  He sickened me, I can tell you”

             
Alodie laughed, grimly.  “You didn’t have to share his bed Edric” he drew in another sharp breath.

             
“I tried to stop it Alodie” he said “I begged his Grace to let me marry you”

             
She laughed again and pulling her cloak further round her body walked down the track then turned and looked back at him.  Edric looked very handsome standing there in the moonlight.  “Can you honestly see me as the lady of Lamporth Edric?  I’m far too independent”

             
“Yes, by God Alodie, I can” he replied.

             
Alodie held out her hand “Come, let’s walk, and whilst we do I’ll talk you out of this silly idea you have about me”

             
He walked up to her and taking her hand, kissed it.  “Rumour reached us in
Winchester
that he beat you Alodie - I had been about to set out to find out the truth for myself.  When word reached us of his death - I rejoiced”

             
Alodie squeezed his hand - Edric was one of the best men she had ever met and he worshipped her, adored her, and now he wanted to marry her -
and why not?
She said to herself
you like him better than any other man in
Wessex
and he will look after Tom and Nerissa.

             
Her thoughts in turmoil, she pulled her hand from his and almost ran down the road toward the sea.  She had not gone more than ten yards, however, when she felt a strong hand on her arm and turned.  “Alodie, what is wrong?” Edric asked anxiously, “have I upset you?”

             
She shook her head “Oh no, Edric, never that.  Apart from Godgyth you are just about the only real friend I have.  I feel safe with you” absent mindedly she stroked his cheek and heard the hiss of his indrawn breath.  He gripped her arms and pulled her close.

             
“God’s breath woman, have you any idea what your touch does to me?  I don’t just want to be your friend, I want to marry you.  I have wanted to marry you since the first day I saw you!” with strength which surprised him Alodie shook his hands from her arms.

             
“Marry me?  For God’s sake Edric I have just buried my husband!” she spun on her heel and continued her walk to the sea.  The lane turned a corner and came out onto a sandy beach, the tide was out and the sea whispered in the distance.  There was a low wall by the side of the track and she perched on it.  Edric joined her “I cannot put my head into that noose again Edric, please do not ask it of me” she said quietly.

             
He was silent for a moment then turned and looked at her.  “I am not a drunkard Alodie.  I can take a flagon or two with the rest and leave it be, nor am I a man of light morals.  I would not dishonour you with harlots or bawds like Gwen of Saltop” he held up his right arm, clenching his fist, Alodie could see the muscles rippling under the cloth of his jerkin.  “I am a warrior, a
housecarle
, this is my sword arm, I use it to hew the enemy.  Sooner than raise it to you or any other woman I would cut it off.  If you became my wife I would devote myself to you body and soul” He fell silent - a nightjar twittered and an owl hooted eerily.  “We need not announce it yet, we can wait until spring.  Just give me leave to hope, my love” he whispered.

             
Alodie sighed, the last thing in the world she wanted to do was hurt Edric.  “I - I cannot think, everything is a jumble” she whispered at last, feeling tears start in her eyes and begin to flow down her cheeks.  “I do not really want to marry anyone.  I have Tom and Nerissa to consider”

             
Edric picked up a handful of sand and let it run through his fingers.  “I will be a better father to them than Luke ever was or ever could have been” he said quickly “you owe it to Tom at least Alodie, a lad cannot grow up without a father”

             
Alodie looked up.  “Tom will have to stay here Edric, he is to rule Bredond, he cannot be taken away to Lamporth, it would kill Godgyth to lose him!”

             
Edric smiled and put his arm round her shoulders.  “Who is talking about going to live at Lamporth?” he said “My father is hale and strong and has many years yet left to him, please God.  I would move to Bredond and teach Tom what he needs to know.  Can you honestly say you could do that Alodie?  Teach him how to be a good thegn, teach him strategy of battle, how to hunt, dispense justice, tally the rent and produce of the village?”

             
Better than you or any man alive, Edric
she thought to herself, then she shook her head “I - I suppose not” she said slowly.

             
Edric jumped off the wall and stood in front of her, then putting his hands under her arms he lifted her down, placed her on her feet and taking her hand he led her onto the beach “Is there anyone else?” he asked softly “That Dane, is he still in your heart?”

             
Alodie looked up, the wind caught her hair and blew it around her face like a golden cloud.  “No Edric, he is not in my heart, I thought I loved him, I now know I hate him”

             
Edric stopped and taking her hand he upturned it and kissed each one of  her fingers in turn then her palm.  This gesture so reminded her of Rorik that it was like a physical pain.  
You bastard Rorik
she thought.  
You lying thoughtless heartbreaking bastard.  You’ve ruined me for any man, I hope you die screaming!

             
Looking up at Edric she thought what a handsome man he really was.  His long dark hair was blowing slightly in the wind and his brown eyes spoke kindness, something that Luke’s never had.   She shivered and cuddled deeper into her cloak.  “I don’t love you Edric” she said “I like you a lot, more than any other man I know, but I don’t love you”

             
Edric was silent, then took her hand.  “You cannot go unmarried Alodie, it is too dangerous.  Some wild war lord may even force you into marriage at sword point to gain control of Bredond.  It, together with the other lands Tom has inherited and his wondrously beautiful mother, would be a plum few men would be able to resist.  At least with me you will be safe and, as for love, I love you enough for both of us”

             
Alodie smiled and kissed his cheek.  
Oh well,
she thought. 
What the Hell.
  I need a husband and I can’t think of anyone else in
Wessex
who I would rather  sleep with. 
She took a deep breath.  “Very well then” she said quietly “I will marry you, but not for a year at least”

             
Edric stopped in mid-stride and taking Alodie in his arms spun her round.  “You have just made me the happiest man in
Wessex
, Alodie - and I’ll make you love me, you just wait and see!”

             
She had to laugh at his sheer exuberance.  “I think we’d better be getting back to the hall Edric” she said when she had got back her breath “otherwise Godgyth will be forcing us to wed tonight for being unchaperoned for so long”

             
Edric took her hand and drew it to his lips “In that case, we’ll go for a long walk - perhaps to
Winchester
” he chuckled.

             
“Home, Edric, now!” laughed Alodie and turning she half walked, half ran back toward the lane.  Edric ran after her and taking her hand pulled her round.

             
“Before we go any further, madam, there is something I must do” he said “something I have been dreaming of since the day we met”.  With that he put his hands in her hair and pulling back her head kissed her with such passion that, despite her inner feelings, Alodie felt a worm of desire begin to stir.  It had been over a year since Rorik had awoken her to the pleasures of the flesh and, although she would have denied it vehemently, she had been feeling frustrated almost to the point of screaming.  Edric dropped his other hand to her bottom and pushed her towards him.  She felt his manhood stiffen against her leg and, with a moan, she put her arms round his back and squeezed him to her.

             
Suddenly she felt herself lifted off her feet and laid on the soft sand.  This last week had been unseasonably mild and the sand was warm.  Edric crouched over her and, removing his cloak, bunched it up and put it under her head then with a smile slipped off his cambric shirt.  His chest and stomach were covered with thick black hair and his muscles gleamed in the soft light.

             
“Just what do you think you are doing, my Lord of Lamporth?” she asked, archly.

             
“Making myself comfortable, Alodie, I am too warm, lay back, rest” he whispered and began to kiss her softly on her forehead, her eyes, her cheeks and her lips, then down to the neck of her dress.  She felt his hands slip round her back and his fingers fumbling for the lacings of her gown.

             
“Edric, no” she said quietly “this is wrong”.  He had untied the bow holding her dress together and began to loosen the laces then, pulling on her sleeves, he inched her gown from her body.

             
Edric did not answer her, she had not expected him to, her ‘no’ had lacked conviction.  She knew that if she objected strongly enough, rebuffed him with a slap or a harsh word he was gentleman enough to stop but she realised that allowing Edric to make love to her was the only way to purge Rorik from her thoughts altogether.

             
She felt the cool wind on her skin as her gown was removed and Edric’s gasp as he feasted his eyes upon her.  She was wearing a chemise which was made of fine lawn and loosely laced across her bosom, the material of the chemise was so sheer as to make the brown circles of her nipples plainly visible.  With a barely perceptible moan Edric took the lacing of her chemise in his teeth and pulled it open.

             
He looked down at her, naked desire in his brown eyes.  “You are the most wondrously beautiful woman in the world Alodie” he whispered “I shall love and cherish you always, I will never leave you”

             
He ran his hands across her breasts and, groaning deep in his throat, released them from her chemise.  He began to circle her nipples with his tongue and Alodie arched upward, gasping.

             
Pausing for a moment, Edric stood up and pulled open his braeis, then kicking them off laid down beside her again.  Alodie felt his manhood, lean and hard, against her thigh and reached for him.  Damn Rorik - he had lit a fire in her that Luke had not even come near to quenching - could Edric?