Free The Viking Takes a Knight by Sandra Hill Page B

consistent honey. This one is heather.”
    She frowned. “And the bees don’t just go where they want to?”
    He shook his head. “Bees usually don’t like to go far from the hive…no more than the equivalent of a hundred and twenty-five or so paces.”
    â€œYou really are an expert on all things regarding bees. But you must need help to maintain all these fields.”
    â€œI have four gardeners.”
    She moved farther away from him to wait, sitting on the ground, then leaning back on her elbows. He kept glancing at her every few seconds, probably checking to see that she wasn’t tampering with his precious flowers or bees. Or mayhap he was nervous. She knew that she was.
    Finally, he took the beekeeping outfit off and folded it neatly, setting it to the side on a tree stump that also held a leather-bound journal, a quill, and a small pot of ink.
    Looking down at her, he said, “You look pretty, lying there.”
    â€œA compliment? I sense a ‘but’ coming on.”
    He smiled. “But you should not be here alone with me.”
    â€œWhy? Do you plan on attacking me?”
    â€œI might.” And by the serious expression on his face, he might actually do so; however, she suspected the attack might be of an irresistible nature.
    He sat down next to her, also leaning back on his elbows. Then he sighed with satisfaction as he surveyed his beekeeping domain. It was a lovely, well-maintained area.
    â€œSo give me the news.
    â€œThe first news is that Bolthor’s wife has arrived.”
    â€œUh-oh!”
    â€œWith her children.”
    â€œHow many?”
    â€œFive.”
    He stared at her as if stunned. “Five on top of the eight you brought. I am being invaded.” Then he said a foul word.
    â€œI did not bring eight children. Two of the girls are really young women, at fourteen.”
    â€œAnd speaking of those two girls …why are girls that age in an orphanage?”
    â€œUh.” To save them from a brothel? Nay, I cannot tell him that. Not yet.
    â€œHamr remarked that they seem very…experienced.”
    â€œThey are only fourteen!”
    â€œYour point, m’lady?”
    â€œThere is no point,” she huffed. Lies, I am wallowing in lies.
    â€œBut you said ‘first.’ Please, God, let the other news be better than this.”
    â€œI wish!” She sat up and reached into the side flap of her gunna , taking out two folded parchment sheets. He sat up, too, and she handed him the one still sealed with his name on it.
    The expression on his face got stonier. He appeared to read it through twice before she handed him the second parchment. “This one was addressed to me. I assume it is similar to yours.”
    When he was done reading both, he said, “I cannot marry you, Ingrith.”
    She gasped. “I ne’er asked you to. I merely wanted to let you know the status of Loncaster’s search. And do not pretend that you cannot marry me. Let us at least be honest with each other. You will not is more accurate, because you do not want to.”
    â€œNot true. If it were not for certain conditions, you would be the perfect wife for me.”
    â€œHah!” Then she could not resist asking, “Perfect in what way?”
    â€œYou can cook, and you have a streak of lust in you as wide as a Viking fjord.”
    â€œOh, you!” She swatted him on the arm.
    He frowned with confusion then. “Who isHenry? I do not recall any of the orphans being called Henry. Or is he a lover?”
    â€œDo not be ridiculous. Henry is Samuel.”
    â€œThe green-haired boy?”
    â€œExactly.”
    She explained about Henry being the king’s illegitimate child, and how the mother wanted him raised in the orphanage. She told him that she was hiding the boy because she feared the king wanted him for nefarious purposes.
    â€œNefarious? How?”
    â€œI suspect he will be killed to remove yet