Egelric runs out into the snow

Egelric Wodehead trudged down the hill to the Hogge farm. Elfleda had suddenly declared that she absolutely had to have black sausage for her breakfast—for breakfast!—and wouldn’t he please go ask Gunnilda if she had any. Oh, she had asked sweetly enough, but he was convinced it was just a plan to send him out in the snow before he had even eaten. She was no doubt laughing over it next to her warm fire.

“Is Gunnilda or Alwy here?” he asked brusquely when Githa Selle let him in the house. What the devil was she doing here at this hour?

“Alwy is here,” she said in her soft voice, “but Gunnilda has just gone up to Nothelm to get his young lordship and little Yware and bring them here for the day. You know, the Duke’s baby girl died during the night,” she added gently.

Egelric swayed on his feet and his face went white.

“Are you ill?” Githa asked.

Egelric turned and ran out into the snow.

“Poor man,” Githa said to herself, shaking her fair head sadly.