Read The Wolf and the Dove for Free Online Page B

weight when he decided to take her. Despite his words he would probably bruise her like Ragnor and take delight in the pain he caused.
    She thought of the many men whose offers of marriage she had rejected and scorned until her father, losing patience, had chosen Kerwick for her. No regal wench now, she mused, but a lowly maid to be used and then thrown to the next one down the line who favored her. She shuddered inwardly at the thought.
    “You may have conquered England, Norman, but I warn you, you will not master me so easily,” she hissed.
    “I warrant it will be a contest more enjoyable to me, wench. I will take great enjoyment in the fruits of my victory.”
    Aislinn sneered at him. “You conceited lout! You think me one of your weak-willed Norman whores to spread myself at your beck and call. You will soon learn better.”
    He laughed. “A lesson will be taught, but to which of us remains to be seen. I am inclined however to favor myself the winner.”
    With that he turned and strode away, leaving her staring after him with her temper sorely raging. But for the first time Aislmn noticed that he limped. Was it some wound gotten in battle or an affliction of birth? Vehemently she hoped that whatever it was it caused him much pain.
    Becoming aware of Ragnor’s eyes upon her, Aislinn spun about and struck at the earth with the shovel, damning both men. Furiously she stabbed at the ground as if it were one of them she beat at. As she continued, she noticed the two men had begun to speak heatedly. Wulfgar’s tone was low but anger rumbled in his words. Trying to salvage some of his pride Ragnor spoke with constrained ire.
    “I was told to secure this place for you. The Duke’s English advisors said that naught but ancient and unskilled hands could raise sword against us here. How were we to know that the old lord would attack us and that his serfs would seek to slay us? What would you have had us do, Wulfgar? Stand and die and not lift up our weapons in defense?”
    “Did you not read the offers of peace I sent with you?” Wulfgar demanded. “The old man was proud and had to be approached tactfully if blood was not to be let. Why didn’t you take more care instead of riding in here like conquerors to demand his home? My God, are you so inept that I must be with you every step of the way showing you how to deal with men of such stature? What did you say to him?”
    Ragnor sneered. “Why are you so sure ‘twas not your words that angered him? The old man attacked us despite the cleverness of your plea. I did naught save let the herald read the parchment you gave me.”
    “You lie,” Wulfgar growled. “I offered him and his household terms of treaty and safety for the laying down of his arms. He was not a complete fool. He would have accepted surrender to save his family.”
    “Obviously you were wrong, Wulfgar,” Ragnor smirked. “But who is there to prove otherwise? My men know nothing of this heathen tongue, and the herald was most prolific in it. Only I and the herald saw the document. How are you to prove your charges against me?”
    “There is no need for proof,” Wulfgar snarled. “I know that you murdered those men.”
    Ragnor laughed contemptuously. “What is the price for putting a few Saxons out of their misery? You killed more at Hastings than these few churlish clods here.”
    Wulfgar’s face was stoney. “ ’Twas because Cregan’s strength was rumored as greater that I went to take it, thinking you had the good sense to persuade an old man to give up a futile fight. In that I see I erred and I regret my decision in sending you here. The old man’s death means nothing. But the peasants will be difficult to replace.”
    These words cut Aislinn deeply and she missed the ground she hacked at and fell over the shovel. She hit the turf hard, almost knocking the breath from her. Gasping in pain, she lay quietly in her misery, wanting to cry out her anger and torment. To these men a single