Alred Makes a Decision

Duke Alred rode out across the castle bridge and pulled Jupiter up once they were on the road. Which way? He couldn’t bear to see anyone. Serfs and farmers were coming up the road in either direction, so he headed straight out across the downs that lay between the castle and Nothelm.

The winter cold had redescended during the night, and at this hour the earth was still stiff with frost. Jupiter had been looking forward to the morning gallop he had been enjoying as of late, so Alred gave him his head and they tore off across the field, scattering the sheep as they went.

His only plan for the moment was to let his horse run, putting off as long as possible the moment when he would have to decide what to do. But as the sky filled with grey clouds, the stallion caught the first breath of a coming blizzard and turned his head towards his own warm stable.

As they got closer to Nothelm, Alred knew that it was the one place he least wanted to go. The Wodehead barn was just down the hill, however, and he thought he could put Jupiter up there and continue—somewhere—on foot.

He met Egelric just behind the barn. From the open and hearty way the man greeted him, he knew that the story hadn’t spread beyond their circle yet. “Won’t Your Grace do us the honor of stopping in a moment while your horse rests? Githa Selle and Githa Ashdown are here visiting with Elfleda, and Elfleda has been really… friendly today.”

“No no, no no, not today,” he stuttered. On second thought, he couldn’t leave Jupiter here. “In fact I remember now I have something I must do, I had better just ride on. Good day, Goodman,” he said, urging his horse into a canter.

He rode out to the main road, staying close to the edge of the woods behind the Hogge farm for fear that Githa would look out and recognize him. At the crossroads he met one of his grooms, and gladly gave his horse over to him. Looking up the hill towards Bernwald, he realized that if Githa were at the Wodeheads’, then Theobald might be home alone.

The thought of looking that man in the face frightened him more than riding into battle ever did—but he had to be sure that poor, sweet Githa did not take the blame for his misdeeds. And so, as he had every other morning for the past weeks, Alred started up the hill towards the Selle farm.