She was a brown girl, very well made, as her rough robe, fastened beneath her breast with a strap, showed plainly, and she had big dark eyes with a sleepy look in them.

Also, I never saw anyone kiss quite so hard as she did; Ragnar himself was outpassed.

I think that is why even the great lady, Iduna the Fair, did not please him.

All the while he was thinking of the brown-eyed girl in the russet robe.

Still, it is true that, brown-eyed girl or no, he read Iduna aright.
Moreover, if Ragnar did not like Iduna, from the first Iduna hated Ragnar.