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?”
“In the kitchen!” she said brightly.
Brandt turned and spotted Egelric standing in a corner of the kitchen. Everything about his attitude said that he had been standing there a good while.
“Now, young Egelric,” Brandt scolded. “Are thy daughter’s wee ears so much better than thine, that thou hearest not what – ”
“I hear very well.” Egelric growled. “I choose not to open.”
“My son,” he said gently, “thy friend Gunnilda is greatly troubled for thy sake, and she has – ”
“Then tell her I am well.”
“And I have asked thee to visit me, and thou knowest I would speak with thee, and – ”
“With you!”
Egelric spun around and pushed Brandt away.
“With you! Who would not give my wife a decent grave, and buried her like a dog outside the walls! Like a dog!”
“Egelric, Egelric, she took her own life…” Brandt began sadly.
“She! I killed her! I killed her!”
Brandt stepped away from him, honestly frightened. The man was raving mad.
“I didn’t put that rope around her neck, but I killed her all the same! I didn’t light the fire in that barn, but I killed that girl all the same! I didn’t smother her myself, but I killed the Duchess’s baby all the same!”
Brandt stumbled backwards as Egelric drove him to the door. “Egelric, none of this – ”
“Out! Out of my house! This is no place for priests!” Egelric gave him one last shove and pushed him outside, locking the door after him.
Brandt stood in the snow, blinking in shock. He would have to ask Gunnilda what this meant – she might know. And someone would have to save that child.
Chapters
Perhaps Egelric really has gone mad this time.