Treacherous Legacy by Kathi Oram Peterson

Author:Kathi Oram Peterson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: 2021-01-15T19:54:42+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Blood escaped from beneath Kristofer’s hand as he held his nose. “What the devil?” He glared at the closed door to the boat’s cabin. “I can’t believe she punched me.”

“I thought you knew her.” I searched the pockets of the coat I wore, not knowing what I’d find, and pulled out a rag. I wasn’t sure how clean it was, but I offered it to him anyway.

He grabbed the wrinkly cloth and held it to his nose.

A frigid burst of wind had Samara knocking on the door with urgency. Even though it remained closed, she spoke Danish or Icelandic to the old woman inside. I wasn’t certain what she said, but soon, the door creaked open, and the old crow’s eye pressed to the slit.

Samara kept talking in her soothing tone.

The door opened a little more and a little more until Unn stood in the threshold, her arms folded over her potbelly, pipe in her mouth. Speaking while gritting the mouthpiece between her teeth, she said, “Þú tvö.” She jerked her chin toward Samara and me.

We slipped inside, but Unn stopped Kristofer. “Þú fara.”

“What? You welcome them and then tell me to leave? What did I do?” Kristofer asked, still holding his nose, the frosty wind blowing the top of his hair and rattling the door Unn held.

“Þú veist.” She scowled, not backing down. Her jaw set.

“I don’t know. And speak English.” Kristofer sounded angrier than I’d ever heard. I caught a glimpse of him over the top of Unn’s head, through the slit between the door and the jamb. He’d repositioned the bloody cloth. I wanted to help him but didn’t know how. I looked at Samara, hoping she’d step in. But she did nothing.

“Jú make . . . .” Unn rested her hands on her ample hips.

All at once, Kristofer heaved a deep sigh; his shoulders slumped. He must have realized why she had reacted as she had. “I know I promised you I wouldn’t return to Denmark. I’m sorry, Unn. But I had to. If you’ve spoken to Greger, you know he wanted me to come. Said not to worry about him. He could take care of himself should any thugs show up. And it was so long ago. I really don’t think I put him in danger.”

“But jú do. Both him and jú.” She bit on her pipe. Smoke leaked from her mouth.

A northern gust blew a swirl of debris through the opening in the doorway.

Unn shuddered, jerked her shoulders to a shrug, and turned away. The door blew open, slamming against the wall.

Kristofer hurried in and shut it.

Without the wind, the smell of Unn’s fruity pipe tobacco filled the air with a hint of vanilla. I’d been on a few boats with my father, and having ridden on the Manhattan ferry a few times, I admired the highly polished wooden galley and small kitchenette. A ladder to the wheelhouse stood off to the side. Two storage benches with cushions covered in old and faded nautical-blue material framed the area.

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