flowing.
Bjorn approached and Colm stood up,
attentive to his master. “You’re an intelligent man,” said Bjorn,
“If you can think of anything that will help this situation, you
will be rewarded.”
Colm was amazed. Not only was he a slave
but he was half Bjorn’s age, yet the man came to him for help! Once
before Colm had solved a sticky problem for Bjorn but Hastein’s
death was not something they had ever discussed – better not to
know of some things, or at least not to speak of them. Still, Colm
had no choice now but to nod, agreeing to help as he might.
Colm made his way back to the storeroom
to try to catch a moment to think. Just inside the doorway, Gwyneth
grabbed his arm. “You’ve got to do something!”
“Do? Me?” Why was everyone looking to
him for help?
“If they don’t find that necklace, then
some slave girl will be made victim!”
That was true enough, thought Colm.
Someone would pay for this crime and it might well be a slave. Even
Gwyneth! He looked into her blue eyes. “I’ll do what I can. Tell me
what happened at the women’s table when the fight broke out between
Halldor and Gunnlaug. Where was the necklace then?”
“The young women sitting below Gerda
were admiring it. I was at the other end, near Ingveld, and didn’t
see what happened to it,” Gwyneth said. “I looked up at the ruckus
between the men – everyone looked that way – and when I looked
back, the necklace was gone!”
“So one of the young women took it?”
“None of them had it on her when the
women were undressed and searched. Anyway, which of them would have
the courage to do that? I think this was done by someone very
audacious, yet young enough not to be able to control her
desires.”
Colm knew who she meant. “Gerda
certainly desired that necklace.”
Gwyneth nodded. “And she was right there
with her friends as it was passed around.”
Colm thought a moment. “Who else was
there near the young women?”
Gwyneth spread her hands. “No one.”
“No one at all? No slave girl waiting on
them?”
“Wait! Braga was there, before the
fight, then I didn’t see her. No! I saw her stand up later. She was
down on the floor picking up the cups that were knocked off the
table. But Braga hasn’t the sense to be this thief!” Braga was
considered thick and dim-witted. The other slave women teased her
and Braga always responded with an uncomprehending stare and a
slow, broken-toothed smile.
“How did the cups get on the floor?”
“They must have been knocked over when
the fight started.”
“Do you think Gerda looked at the fight
or the necklace?” Colm was forming an idea. “After all, she didn’t
raise her eyes from the necklace to Halldor before that, not even
when her betrothal was announced.”
“All right, but how did the necklace
disappear?”
Colm smiled. “See if you can get Braga
here.”
“Braga? I can get her, but…” Gwyneth
shook her head. “That’s impossible!”
Colm said, “She’s the only one around
the necklace that wasn’t searched. It has to be her!” Gwyneth began
to speak but Colm stopped her. “Quickly now, before Gerda speaks to
her.”
Gwyneth left and Colm stepped into the
corner of the storeroom, just beside the door. The lamplight from
the longhall illuminated a small area inside the door, but it was
dark in the corner. Colm shrank back and thought about Braga and
the necklace. He had an idea and hoped that it was right. Gwyneth’s
return interrupted his thought.
Braga was protesting. “Mistress Gerda
wants me. I got to go.”
Gwyneth soothed her. “Just a moment,
Braga, that’s all. Just in here.”
Gwyneth persuaded Braga into the
storeroom. Colm came up behind her and slipped his hand under
Braga’s apron. The slave girl started and jumped back. “None of
that,” she said. She gave Gwyneth an accusing glance. “I thought
you was better than that!” Braga ran out the door.
Gwyneth wasn’t certain whether to be
angry or not.