Sigefrith forgets a promise or two
“What are you doing, Princess?” Sigefrith asked softly.
Britamund was sitting in her room with her chair turned to face the window. “Only looking outside,” she sighed.
“What do you see?” He came into the room and closed the door.
She turned her head to look back at him. “People going in and out at the gate.”
“Did you see me come in?”
“Yes. Where did you go? I was waiting for you.”
“Waiting for me?” he smiled. “Did you miss me?”
“You said you would take me riding with you this morning.”
“I did?” His smile faded.
“Yes. Last night. You said you would take me riding yesterday, too, but that didn’t matter because Sigefrith took me when he came to see Cubby.”
Sigefrith sat in the other chair and stared at her for a moment.
She turned to face him and kneeled on her chair, gnawing gently at its back with her teeth that were small and bright like Maud’s.
“I’m sorry, Princess. I suppose I forgot.”
He had gone that morning to Bernwald and, because he knew he would see Edris, he had decided not to have a drink until he returned. Now that he thought about it, it was absurd to think that he would abstain for Edris’s sake even while he would allow himself to be so drunk before his six-year-old daughter that he would forget his promises to her – forget even having made them.
It had been easier when she had been younger. And there had been Maud.
“Papa,” she said wistfully, “when will Eadgith come home?”
“I don’t know, Princess. I suppose she is at home. I believe she likes to stay with her father now.”
“Why?”
“I believe she has a difficult time with Lady Hilda and Estrid.”
“And Eirik.”
“Oh?” This was news. He had thought that Sigefrith had thoroughly convinced Eirik of the folly of even thinking about his sister.
“So why can’t she come stay with us?”
“She can’t do that, Princess.”
“Why not?”
“Well, because she is a young woman, and your Papa is a man, and it isn’t permitted for a man and a woman to live in the same house unless they are married.”
“But she did before.”
“That’s because her Mama was here to… to… Do you remember how Father Brandt lived with Cenwulf and Edris before they were married? That was why.”
“So Father Brandt can come live with us.”
“Oh, no!” Sigefrith laughed. “That would be a little too much Father Brandt for your Papa.”
“For me, too, but I suppose I wouldn’t mind if Eadgith could come. I miss her,” she sighed, and she returned to chewing on her chair.
“I do, too.”
“You do?” she asked, sitting up. “Why don’t you tell her to come?”
“I can’t tell her to come, Princess, even if I am a king.”
“So why don’t we go to see her?”
“Because I…”
Well, why not? It was still early in the day, the weather was mild, he had already seen Cenwulf, and he could easily send Malcolm and Caedwulf and Emmie off to Matilda and Cubby to Sigefrith…
“Why not? You and I? Shall we go?” he asked as he stood.
Britamund jumped down from her chair. “Right now?”
“Right now,” he said, holding out a hand to her.
In his haste, he had forgotten that he would have to see Leofric.
