Troll Mill Read Online Free PDF Page B

his head. “I can’t bear to think of it!” heexclaimed. “I ought to go down there now, see if there’s anything I can do. Didn’t you raise the alarm, Peer? Bjorn needs help!”
    Peer went a painful red. “I—” he stammered. “I never thought of it! I’m sorry! I just—I only—I wanted to bring the baby home!”
    Hilde rolled her eyes. “You’d better get down there straightaway, Pa!” she said.
    “I will.” Ralf was already pulling on his boots. “Now, don’t worry, Gudrun—but I won’t be back tonight. I’ll get some of the men together—we’ll comb the shore. If Bjorn hasn’t found her, we’ll search again when it’s light.”
    “I’ll come!” Peer got up, staggering slightly.
    “No, you stay and rest,” said Ralf kindly. “You did the best you could, Peer. You can join the search tomorrow. Right—I’m off!” The door slammed behind him.
    Hilde puffed out her cheeks and sat down. “How awful.”
    “Why didn’t I tell everyone?” Peer beat his forehead with the heel of his hand. “How could I be so stupid? I even saw Einar, and I dodged him because I was too embarrassed to explain….”
    Hilde patted his shoulder. “You’re hopeless, Peer,” she said affectionately. “But listen! You brought the baby safely home.”
    Peer caught her hand, but she drew it away. Gudrun looked up, closing her dress and tucking the shawl more tightly around the baby.
    “There, she’s had enough now. She’s falling asleep. Peer, don’t upset yourself. Ralf has rushed off like this because he can’t bear sitting still, but really, there’s nothing useful anyone can do till daybreak. Now eat your stew before it goes cold. Hilde, get the twins to bed. We’ll put this little one in the cradle with Eirik.”
    “Can I?” Sigrid asked, stretching her arms out.
    “Yes, but be careful,” said Gudrun, handing her over. Sigrid grappled the bundle of shawl and baby with exaggerated care. “She’s sweet. I wish I had a little sister.” She lowered her into the wide cradle. “I’ll put her on her side. Isn’t she tiny? Doesn’t Eirik look big beside her?”
    Peer came to look over her shoulder. The two babies lay side by side, a complete contrastto each other. Eirik’s fair skin and rosy cheeks made the new baby look brown and sallow. Her thin little wrists looked delicate and fragile compared with Eirik’s sturdy dimpled arms.
    “Is she sickly?” asked Hilde dubiously.
    “No, no,” said Gudrun. “She’s much younger, that’s all. Hardly three months old, when I come to think. I wish now I’d visited Kersten. Never put things off, as my mother used to say. But I’ve been so busy, and little Eirik is such a handful.”
    “Well, he’s in for a surprise when he wakes up tomorrow,” said Hilde. “Twins, bedtime!” She chased them under the blankets, but Sigrid stuck her head out to call, “I like the new baby, Ma. Can we keep her?”
    Gudrun whirled, eyes snapping. “Not another word from you, miss!” She beckoned Peer and Hilde to the other end of the long hearth. “Talk quietly,” she whispered. “I want them to sleep. Tell me again. What happened when Kersten ran down to the water?”
    Peer closed his eyes. Inwardly he saw that flying figure. He saw Bjorn, turning his head and beginning to race across the shingle. Hesaw Kersten, throwing herself to the ground, pulling the cloak over her.
    “She saw Bjorn coming, I think,” he said slowly. “And she just dived to the ground, and rolled herself up in the cloak, and crawled into the water. And I looked away then, because Bjorn was pushing the boat out. He rowed out, shouting for her—but it was so wet and misty, I lost sight of him.”
    They sat in a huddle with their heads together.
    “I couldn’t stop her!” Peer cried. “I was holding the baby.”
    “Hush.” Gudrun took his hand. “No one blames you, Peer. And Kersten trusted you with her child. But the seals—didn’t you see any seals?”
    “Yes,” Peer