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‘With pleasure’

Brand regarded the large quantity of sheep’s wool that Hrearek and his men had found carefully secreted in what looked like a disused hut The barns and other storage areas had a few bits in thereat quantity of wool

‘You were right, Brand!’ Hrearek exclaimed ‘Some day you must teach me to read That witch never h and remembered I don’t trust these Northumbrians They’d steal and lie quick as you like You are far too soft There will be another rebellion unless they knoe are the masters with iron fists’

Brand fingered the wool, good hich could easily be sold in Jorvik ‘She expected us to leave after a quick inspection We were supposed to take her offering and go She had it completely planned’

‘She doesn’t know you!’ Hrearek laughed ‘You have a cunning mind’

Brand frowned This haul had been far too easy to find There was so more here Had to be From a distant place in his irl in Ireland, her mother had always made sure that any raiders would find so

Had Lady Edith played the sa here above her honour? She wasn’t a natural concubine, despite the passion in her kiss She possessed a calculatinghis wits against hers and unwrapping her many layers It added to rather than detracted from her appeal He wondered what she’d be like in bed and why her late husband had deserted it

‘I want the wool cleared out of here’ Brand pushed the thought away Bedding a woman always ended the mystery It was as simple as that He should look no further ‘Find somewhere else to store it’

‘Why?’ Hrearek widened his eyes ‘It is safe and there is naught else here It is absolutely pouring down outside The ill get wet’

‘The ill be safe enough’ Brand tapped a finger against hiselse here and I mean to find it’

At his word, his round The final bundle of wool revealed a trapdoor with a lock Brand fitted several keys before finding the correct one When he lifted the door the gut-wrenching stench of salt and fish filtered out—salt cod Achoice

Financially, salt cod would do Lady Edith no good It was difficult to transport and easy to acquire He should know He’dthe stuff in the last few years What else was there in that room?

‘Thor’s hammer What does she want this stuff for?’ Hrearek put his hand over his mouth and started for the open air ‘It o’