How she wished she could change her mind. The bidding was well underway and both of her prospective owners were old and fat. One of them even had rotten teeth and bad breath. At least he hadn’t fondled her, unlike the one with the piggy eyes.To make matters worse, Kaan was watching. Wondering what his profit would be, she suspected.As the men went back and forth, glaring at each other, she tried to pretend her breasts weren’t bared for the world to see. Each time she attempted to cover them her hands were slapped away.“Careful, blondie, you’re asking to be spanked,” someone called.She gritted her teeth and tried to pretend she was elsewhere, though it was so hard.Eventually a price was settled on with Fayed and her so-called rescuer turned his back, leaving her to her fate. It seemed the porcine bidder had won and she was taken to his litter by one of his male slaves. The latter dug his nails into the skin of her arms and hissed something in a language she didn’t understand. At l

Beyla knew there was only one thing saving her from being sampled by her new owner: her virginity. It wasn’t a disappointment to her. The attitude of the other slaves was a trial but she wouldn’t lower herself to their level. Meanness only made people unhappy.For some reason she thought of Inga.Liv was so different. She missed the woman she’d happened upon so timely that day. They had started a tentative friendship. If she ever returned home – wherever that was – Beyla vowed to keep her as her handmaid, permanently.Something was different today. There was an air of suppressed excitement in the atmosphere. When they took her to bathe for the second time, she wondered if the dreaded auction had been brought forward.Netta eventually spilled the beans.“There’s a private buyer expressed an interest in purchasing you,” she said. “They say he’s very handsome and young, as well.”“Ouch,” she protested, as the attendant’s constant scrubbing broke skin.“Sorry,” the girl said. Beyla knew i

When Miriam sought an audience with the King, Ruth was already prostrated before him. She didn’t have to cudgel her brains too hard to work out the reason why. Her own mission was on similar lines, but she wasn’t about to cut in given the impressive nature of this heartfelt plea.She felt pleased, too, that Jenna had sought to inform her in advance of her fellow housekeeper’s plan, even if Ketil had grumbled about the intrusion into their personal time.King Hubert’s face was impassive, though she thought she saw a softening as he looked down at the housekeeper. Her hard work was a byword, she had never given a moment’s trouble and it wasn’t as if her husband’s fatal attack on the Prince was unprovoked.“Get up, Mistress Olafsson,” he said, after a time. “I am sure those flagstones are cold and uncomfortable.”“I care naught for that, Your Majesty,” she replied.“Then I fear I must make it a command,” he told her, beckoning to Miriam with a crook of his fingers.For some reason she th

The day started out poorly and soon deteriorated with one exception. Miriam had begun to pack her things together but the idea was unappealing somehow. She felt restless and desired to be outdoors. Something was telling her there was a price still to be paid. Happiness was always costly in one way or another.Reassuring herself that Ketil was still on the mend brought its own unlooked for rewards and she lost herself in the bliss of their lovemaking for a while. Even so, she was on high alert like a mother hen for her chicks when the fox came to the henhouse. The notion that it was already here, once lodged in her head, would not go away.Was Beyla still under threat? Surely not Tyr? Could there be trouble back home in Eggsor? Magnus would have sent word if so and she didn’t mean the new King of Svedland.Considering Celia, who was seldom far from her thoughts if truth be known, Miriam realised how little she knew about her future daughter-in-law. Her first-born son loved her wholehea

It was so much colder down in the dungeon. Miriam was concentrating so hard on not falling off the steps – the rope handrails had long since rotted away – that some of the fear for her first-born went unexamined. She longed for Ketil to scoop her up in his arms and carry her, even though she knew it would not be seemly. Even in the royal court long ago he had afforded her the dignity of walking.What had Mistress Ford said? Things were not as black as she had foreseen. Then why had Beyla experienced false pain? They had always been a close family. Her own legs were trembling and one look at her husband’s set face had shown her he was not himself.“What’s happening? I got here as soon as I could.”Sigurd. Just hearing his voice brought her a measure of relief. They had shared so much that was bad in the past. Surely she could come through this, as well?“It’s the King,” Njord told him. “It appears he has gone mad.”Thank God for that sensible, calm and competent young man. Whatever his