Leofric explains
Leofric began to rise, but even before he was quite standing, the point of his son’s sword was at his belly.
“Easy, runt,” he murmured. “Did you remember to kiss your mother before coming to kill your father?”
“Don’t mock me,” Sigefrith growled. “If I trusted my wife’s word more, you would be dead already.”
“Ah.” So Hilda had told him about that meeting in the storeroom…
“Ah! So you know why I’m here?” His son’s voice trembled, but the point of his sword was steady.
Leofric kept his voice calm. “I’m sorry to see that Tryggvason didn’t teach you any better than to stand against a defenseless man.”
“And I’m sorry to see that Lord Hwala didn’t teach you any better than to stand against a defenseless woman!”
“Now then, I wouldn’t call Hilda defenseless exactly…”
“Against you? Asleep in her bed?”
“In her bed?”
“That’s where she woke!”
“Listen here, runt – I didn’t go anywhere near her bed! I only meant to scare her a little. I never meant to hurt her. Now put your sword away, and let’s talk.”
“You didn’t go to her in her bed?”
“Certainly not. I only… talked with her in the storeroom beneath the tower. I only meant to frighten her a bit. Put the sword away and let’s have a drink.”
“You didn’t come back later?”
“Certainly not. I slept at the castle that night, because she scared me more than I scared her, though I hope you will have the sense not to tell her so. I haven’t dared sleep at your house since.”
Sigefrith finally lowered his sword. “You didn’t come back later after she was in bed?”
Now that he did not have a sword pointed at him, Leofric could afford to be annoyed. “Do I need to repeat myself seven times seven times? I never went anywhere near her in her bed. I never meant to do anything to her. Only to make her think I might.”
“But she said someone did go up to her.”
“Did she not ask the gentleman his name?”
“She was too drunk. She doesn’t remember anything…”
Leofric grunted. “Now this story is starting to make sense. Is she pregnant then? Let me pass, Sigefrith. I need a drink, if you don’t.”
Sigefrith sheathed his sword and took it off. “Better pour one for me after all.”
“Is she?”
“She said she is. But she thought it was mine.”
“She said she thought,” Leofric grumbled.
“Well, it’s somebody’s.”
“It isn’t mine. You may be certain of that.”
“What does this mean?”
“Sit down, Sigefrith, before you fall down. It means one of two things. Either someone – neither you nor I – went in to her while she was supposedly too drunk to notice, or she’s lying to you and has a lover.”
“She seemed to believe it was you.”
“She’s a liar.”
“She might have believed it was you.”
“She’s a liar anyway. You already know that.” He handed Sigefrith his cup and sat beside him. “It’s an old trick, runt. She either claims she was raped, or better yet, that she must have been unconscious and simply woke up pregnant. She has a lover. I would wager.”
“But she seemed so…” Sigefrith mumbled in confusion. “She seemed so certain it was I. I could see on her face the instant she realized it had not been.”
“I don’t believe her. I think I simply gave her a story she could use.”
“But why did you do that to her?” Sigefrith sat up and turned to him as if he were only just remembering the crimes which his father truly had committed. He did not seem angry now; only overwhelmed.
“I didn’t hurt her, Sigefrith. I only frightened her. I only meant for her to understand the good fortune she has to be married to a gentleman and not a real man such as I.”
“But why did you do that?” he repeated softly. “She’s my wife.” He had Haakon’s face when Haakon was trying not to cry.
“I didn’t mean to do anything,” Leofric sighed in weariness. “I was drunk, and she made me angry. Apparently you have never taught her what a dangerous combination that can be. And I had been meaning to speak to her. Haakon asked me to do something.”
“Haakon did?” Sigefrith whispered. Leofric was suddenly very sorry Sigefrith had learned of this. He should have found a way to buy or bully Hilda’s silence.
“He said you told him he must tell his Papa whenever his Mama hurts him or calls him names, and his Papa would do something. And he wanted to know why I never do something when she hurts you, since I am your Papa.”
Leofric realized too late he should not have quoted Haakon quite so faithfully and should rather have spoken only of mothers and fathers. He had not called himself Sigefrith’s papa in fifteen years.
The face was bearded now, but it was little Sigefrith’s face when Sigefrith was trying not to cry. It was Leofric’s own face when he did.
