Elfleda Warns the Duke

The morning after Duke Alred made his decision to begin work on his castle, he made a second decision: he would ask Egelric Wodehead to be the overseer. Egelric had started out as a simple serf, but once he had been given the opportunity to learn, he proved to be a remarkably intelligent and capable man. Egelric didn’t have the technical skills to be a mason or a carpenter or other kind of workman, but he had the sense of responsibility and the aura of authority to be a leader of workmen.

Alred was bursting with ideas for his castle as he walked down the hill to speak to Egelric. He thought he was early enough to catch him before he headed to the fields or to the church, but when Elfleda let him in he found that they were alone.

He wanted to like Elfleda—she had been sweet and funny when they had come here, and had always laughed at his jokes, provided they weren’t too literary, but she had grown so bitter and almost cruel since her baby had died. He wondered whether the old Elfleda was still inside of her, and whether some new happiness could bring her out again. He thought he would mention his idea to her. Perhaps the idea of her husband becoming an overseer or even a sort of architect would make her happy.

He was shocked by her reaction.

“An overseer?” she snarled. “He’s not fit to be a pig farmer. Everyone thinks he’s so awfully smart, with his precious little book and his precious little church and his meetings with the king. He doesn’t deserve—”

“Mistress Wodehead!”

Elfleda’s pretty mouth curled into a sneer.

“I beg your pardon. I thought you would be happy for your husband. Good day.”

He walked out the front door, but Elfleda followed him. “Remember what I say,” she said in a steely voice. “If you put my husband in charge of building your home, you will regret it.”

Something about her look gave him a chill. “Do you too believe he is cursed?” he asked her.

Elfleda smiled her sinister smile. “All that matters is that he believes it. I simply make sure that he doesn’t forget it.”