Maud attends an unpleasant dinner

Maud twisted her fingers in annoyance. She didn’t like Alred, but he was preferable as a dinner guest to that pompous Cenwulf. Alred was especially welcome when Sigefrith put him across from Malcolm as he always did last year—he gave Malcolm a chance to shine. But Alred would not come tonight, and so it was Cenwulf in his place, droning on about wars long over, and which Malcolm had never seen.

At least Colban wasn’t bothering her tonight. He sat quietly, or listened to the others, or spoke softly in Gaelic to his son.

Ah, young Malcolm. She smiled softly at the boy. He was going to remain with them as a page and train to be a knight. He would be spending much time with her children—she hoped he would teach Colban some Gaelic. Wouldn’t she love to surprise Malcolm by presenting him with a son who could greet him in his own language in a year or two!

Would Malcolm not even look at her? Last year he had cast her sly glances all through dinner, but this year he pretended she was not in the room. Well, perhaps it was his way of admitting that he could not even look at her without revealing his love for her. That was not so hard to bear.

What had the boy said? He had Sigefrith laughing. She could see he had already had too much to drink. Why didn’t Cenwulf stop him? It was usually Alred that got him drinking.

“You know,” Sigefrith said to Malcolm, “it’s lucky he has Gog’s eyes, because if I didn’t know better, I would say he has your smile!”

Malcolm coughed.

“You forget that our fathers were brothers and our mothers were sisters, Sigefrith,” Colban said.

“I didn’t forget!” Sigefrith laughed. “I would say it’s all too convenient! I’ve heard your wife is quite a beauty, Gog. Isn’t she, Dogface?”

Egelric shrugged awkwardly.

Maud rolled her eyes. Her husband had obviously started drinking even before dinner. “Must you be so lewd, Sigefrith?”

“And doesn’t your other twin have dark eyes, Gog?” Sigefrith went on, nudging Malcolm. “I’ve heard it happens sometimes with cats that the kits have different fathers, eh, Magog?”

“Sigefrith!” she cried. This conversation was getting dangerous. Couldn’t he see that no one was amused besides himself?

“Never mind!” he laughed. “I’ve always said there are worse things than having Magog’s bastards around. Don’t think I didn’t keep an eye on my housemaids after you left last year!” he scolded, wagging his finger under Malcolm’s nose.

Maud winced.

“Sigefrith, there are ladies present,” Cenwulf reminded him.

“Let us drink to the ladies!” Sigefrith announced, lifting his cup, and the other men dutifully followed.

Colburga patted Maud’s knee under the table. It was she who spoke next, asking Malcolm and Colban whether they had ever met the Scots Queen, and what they thought of her, for men said she was a living saint.

Maud relaxed. Comparing queens to saints was not the most innocuous conversation either, but it was infinitely preferable to where Sigefrith had been leading them.

Now Malcolm would surely not look at her, and she would not trust herself to look at him. And so she looked at the boy again. Sigefrith said he had Malcolm’s smile. Could it be that her son would look like him someday? He was a handsome lad, but she knew that Malcolm’s boy would be more handsome still.

Maud’s thoughts and the conversation were interrupted by the opening of the great door. It was not a servant after all, but Githa Selle! She hadn’t been invited, Maud thought—what was she doing here?

“Please don’t interrupt your dinner for me,” Githa said, laying her hands on Egelric’s shoulders and pushing him back into his chair, for the men had all begun to rise. “I must speak with my lord Earl.”

Maud watched as Cenwulf rose and led Githa into the corner. After a moment’s conversation, he signalled for Sigefrith to join them.

Maud immediately looked back at Malcolm. Somehow she had to make him understand that she would not be in the same chamber this night, for Sigefrith had ordered her out due to the broken window. He would have to meet her in the nursery. But Malcolm talked to his young cousin and never looked at her. Why couldn’t Sigefrith have sat him next to her just this once?

“Excuse me, friends,” Cenwulf said a short while later, his deep voice interrupting their conversation like the rumble of distant thunder. “I must quit you early. Colburga, I shall leave Sigefrith explain to you.” And he and Githa slipped out the big door.

Sigefrith sat again and stared thoughtfully at his plate. No one spoke—Maud thought they were all wondering whether something had happened to Theobald.

“Unhappy news, Sigefrith?” Colburga finally asked.

“That depends for whom,” Sigefrith said thoughtfully, the merriment gone out of him.

Colburga glanced at Maud. Surely no ill had befallen Theobald for him to say such a thing, they agreed with a nod.

“However,” Sigefrith said, lifting his cup again, “we shall all drink to my lady the Baroness, and bid her Godspeed. She goes to join her husband on the hills this night.”

“The Baroness?” Egelric cried.

“Theobald’s brothers are dead—or so he has been told. He is Baron now. He is riding to Thorhold this evening. Cenwulf and Githa follow.”

Conversation after that was mainly conducted between the three Scots seated across from Egelric. All of the residents of the valley were pondering the import of this news. A year ago, the Baron had tacitly consented to their presence; a week ago the Baron had been their enemy threatening them with betrayal to William; tonight the Baron was their close friend. It would change many things.

Only Maud could think of other things. She had to tell Malcolm to meet her in the nursery! But how?

Suddenly she had an idea.

“Please excuse me, all,” she said, rising. “It’s getting late, and I’m anxious to check on the baby. Sigefrith, would you send for a servant with a torch? You know I don’t like to cross the court in the dark.”

“What do you mean, cross the court?” Sigefrith asked, annoyed. “You don’t have to cross the court—you can’t sleep in that room any longer, Maud, with the broken window! You only have to go upstairs.”

“Oh, that’s right,” she smiled. “How foolish of me. I forgot about the broken window. It was simply a habit. Good night, all.”

They all bade her good night, and finally—finally—Malcolm smiled at her.