Alred nearly gets himself killed

Matilda had just finished her letter, but the thought did not cheer her. Would she even have time to send it, or would she carry it herself? And what could her cousins do for her? She could hope for no more from them than that they share their exile with her and her sons.

But she didn’t trust Morcar, and now that she knew he lived, she had to plan for the possibility that he had betrayed them. Why could he not have gotten himself killed? And yet—he was the last great man of the old order, and she would be sorry when he died. Not many living men remembered her father or her old uncle now.

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Egelric meets two strangers

Egelric shook his head as he stepped onto the road. He hadn’t planned on Baby and Gunnilda working together against him. But he had promised—and so had she. Well, he told himself, even if she were wrong, he would at least have the satisfaction of being right.

But he slowed his pace as he approached the crossroads. Two men were turning towards Nothelm and towards him, walking slowly, one of them leaning on the other. And what he did not like was the priest’s robe on the taller man. This was not Father Brandt, and no other priest had any business in Lothere as far as he was concerned. This could only mean trouble. He would stop them and talk to them before they made it to Nothelm, if that was where they were heading. They wouldn’t find Matilda if he could help it.

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Egelric brings Iylaine

Gunnilda stood picking awkwardly at her apron. Egelric had come with Iylaine, and she didn’t know whether it was better to celebrate or to pretend that it was nothing unusual.

But she hadn’t seen him in weeks. Ever since the harvest had come to an end—ever since they had learned what happened at Ely—he had been locked up in his house with Iylaine. How often she had climbed the forest path to look for the smoke of his fire, and reassure herself that he was still alive to light it! For the last time she had gone to him, after Father Brandt had tried to visit him, he had pointed up to the chimney and barked, “When the fire goes out, then you may come to this house, and not before!” And slammed the door in her face.

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Three return

Theobald burst into the hall. “My lord,” he panted. “I have men outside—our men, home from Ely. I brought them right away.”

Cenwulf rose. “Bid them enter!”

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Father Brandt visits Egelric

Father Brandt could hear the little girl calling out “Enter!” each time he knocked on the door. So Iylaine was home, which meant that Egelric must be as well. In that case, he would just see whether the door was unlocked. He should at least make sure that the child was not alone.

“Good morning, dear heart,” he said, patting her on the head. “Where is thy father?”

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Theobald brings news to the Earl

“Will you kindly excuse us, Colburga?” Cenwulf asked his wife. Theobald’s expression looked ominous.

“What is it, Theobald?” he asked after she had gone. “I have heard you had a visitor.”

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Theobald asks Githa

Late in the evening, after his father had begun snoring in the big bed with Brinstan curled up next to him, Theobald cornered his wife in the kitchen.

“Githa, could you spare me a moment? I would like to talk with you.”

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The Baron visits Theobald

Githa Selle thought she had seen an unfamiliar horseman turn into her gate, so she lay Brinstan down in his cradle and stepped into the yard, which was dusted with an early snow.

Githa cried out when the rider dismounted and approached her—it was Theobald’s father!

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Gunnilda goes to Egelric

It was not yet dawn when Gunnilda slipped out of her house. She had sent the three children piling on top of Alwy in the bed, and the sigh of contentment he had made as he wrapped his arms around them had proven unexpectedly moving; she thought she must have salted with a few tears the porridge she had left simmering on the back of the stove.

But outside was another world—cold, dark, frost-​laden, and empty. The moon had long since set, and the stars glittered like daggers. Gunnilda ran.

The door was unlocked, and so she let herself in without knocking. She found a cold house, the fire gone out, and a dark room lit by a single candle… and Egelric leaning heavily against the wall, his back to her, staring into an empty corner.

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Alwy tells Gunnilda

“Alwy, where have you been?” Gunnilda scolded. “I slept and woke up and you still wasn’t here.” When Alwy didn’t answer she asked, “What’s the matter—are you sick?”

Alwy shook his head slowly.

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