Free Surrender My Love by Johanna Lindsey Page B

spying.”
    She let him go, confusion pushing aside her anger for the moment. “Spying? That is absurd. He went there as interpreter for a Saxon bishop. Spying?”
    “I know not the why of it,” the messenger admitted. “’Twas Turgeis Ten Feet, my lady’s man, who sent me, telling me only to make haste, which I have done.”
    “Is it ransom they want?”
    “Turgeis did not say. But I am to lead you there, if ’tis your wish.”
    “ If? ” Kristen snorted, then asked, “How long will it take to reach this Gronwood if we ride hard?”
    “I came here in two days.”
    “We will make it sooner than that. Be ready to ride again within the hour.”
    “But my horse will not—”
    “Choose another,” was all she said as she left the stable to shout for Ivarr and Thorolf to join her in the hall. She was already telling Eda what extra clothes to pack for her when they came up behind her.
    “’Tis just like a woman to create delays—” Ivarr began to complain.
    Kristen whirled on him with a warning. “Do not missay me, Ivarr, if you have a care for your ears.” That she was known to box them had him stepping back with a grin to placateher, but she had no time to waste on teasing. “Selig is found and we must ride to fetch him, but not where we thought. He is in East Anglia.”
    “But that is where he is supposed to be,” Thorolf pointed out.
    “As their guest, aye. But one of their women, a Lady Erika, has imprisoned him instead.”
    Ivarr exploded. “Thor’s teeth, he smiled at the wrong damn wench, and now she will not let him go!”
    Kristen smiled tightly. “My own first thought, but not so. He is accused of spying, and do not ask why, for the messenger did not say, merely that I should come for him.”
    “With a hefty sack of Danegeld, no doubt,” Ivarr said, truly angry himself now.
    “That was not mentioned either, though I will raid Royce’s coffer just in case. But it can no longer be just we three who go. Royce will be furious enough that I will go among his hated enemy, but he would have the skin from my back if I am not prepared for any eventuality, including a fight. So go quickly and see how many of Selig’s men wish to join us.”
    “They will all come.”
    She hadn’t doubted that. “Then tell them we travel light to travel fast, so bring only enough food to last for a day or two, for we will stop only to rest the horses until I have my brother free. I will gather a like number of Royce’s men to leave within the hour.”
    “The Danes’ own tactics, for their many surprise attacks.” Thorolf grinned approvingly.

    She shook her head at them, knowing them so well. “We are not looking for a fight.”
    It was Ivarr who shrugged. “Then we will merely hope one finds us.”

Chapter 10
    T HE GATES WERE slammed shut against them as they approached Gronwood, but that was to be expected with a party as large as theirs, unidentified yet as friend or foe. The same would have been done at Wyndhurst. The same had been done at holdings they had merely come near on the way here. But then, they had twenty-five Vikings in their party, all large, impressive men, and another twenty well-armed Saxon warriors.
    It was an odd sight to see the two riding together after so many years of war. But having an equal number of Saxons along had kept people on the Wessex lands Kristen’s party passed through from thinking they were being invaded again, and likewise, so many Vikings kept the Danes from taking up arms to ride out to meet them.
    They halted a far distance from the walls, the men spreading out along the tree line fronting Gronwood. There was a short argument when Thorolf tried to hold Kristen back with the men, which he lost. She rode forward, with only Thorolf and Ivarr on either side of her,and the Gronwood messenger in the lead to explain their business.
    They had to wait a while for someone in authority to be summoned. Kristen did not expect they would be invited inside, nor would they