She was surprised to find him holding his tiny daughter.

Gunnilda had seen Alred riding up to her house, but she was surprised to find him holding his tiny daughter when she opened the door to him.

“Your Grace had that precious infant on that beast you call a horse?” she asked.

“Don’t scold me, Mama Gunnilda. She insisted on coming. Seems I can’t go anywhere without her.”

“So I have heard,” she smiled.

“I’m sorry I haven’t come to visit you in your fine new house yet, Gunnilda. You understand…”

“Pish! As if I expect Your Grace to pay little me a visit. But I’m real glad to see Your Grace. And this wee lady – now let me have a look at her!”

'Let me have a look at her!'

Alred proudly held up his daughter for inspection. “Does she meet your approval?”

“Why, she’s just the prettiest baby girl I ever seen, that’s what!”

“Only the prettiest girl?”

“Well,” she said softly, “I guess that Egelric’s little Finn was quite the prettiest. At least to my fond old eyes.”

“You may be right, there,” he sighed.

'You may be right, there.'

“But I was the first to hold them both, so I find I have a hard time choosing,” she winked.

“May I see her?” Wynna asked shyly.

“Why, Wynna, you little mouse!” Alred laughed. “I never even saw you in here.”

“She was hiding, I bet,” Gunnilda said. “With this window we can see Your Grace coming.”

“I see your terror of my humble self is only matched by your love for babies,” Alred said. “Here, why don’t you hold her a while so you don’t get out of practice, now that young Bedwig is tearing around on his own two feet?”

'Why don't you hold her a while?'

“You be real careful with her ladyship!” Gunnilda warned.

“I will, Ma,” Wynna said softly, taking the baby to the safety of the corner farthest from the Duke.

“Would Your Grace like to sit down?” Gunnilda offered.

“I’m afraid I can’t stay long, beloved – I see a few clouds that are thinking hard about raining out there. But I have been meaning to come ask you a favor, and today I decided I should, no matter the weather.”

'I have been meaning to come ask you a favor.'

“Anything I can do I’ll be real happy to do for Your Grace.”

“Excellent! You agree before I even ask. Then I shall simply tell you what you will do for me: you are to be her ladyship’s godmother.”

“Me?” she gasped.

“And why not? Have you some pagan habits of which I have not been made aware?”

'And why not?'

“I’m a good Christian woman, but I’m no lady. I guess a ladyship needs a ladyship to be her godmother, don’t she?”

“Oh, pish! She only needs a good Christian woman, with no nonsense in her, to save her from all of mine. Besides which, you already agreed.”

“Well…”

“Excellent, excellent. Matilda has yet to choose a date, but I suppose it will be in July. Now, if I be not mistaken, that is rain on the panes of your handsome window, and so if Wynna will let me have her ladyship, I shall wrap her in my cloak and be gone before her mother comes tearing after me.”

“Well… I guess I’m real honored,” Gunnilda finally managed to say.

“And I am in your debt,” Alred said simply.

'And I am in your debt.'

“Oh, pish!”

“No, listen. I understand that you didn’t want to scare me that night, but Matilda has told me that it wasn’t all as easy as you made it seem to me. I suppose I owe you this little girl’s life.”

“Well, I told Your Grace she was a real big baby. But I guess I was just where the Lord put me and did what he would have me do. Why are you looking at me like that for?”

He reached out and patted her cheek. “Because you have dove’s eyes. Now I bid you all good day, and you especially, little Mousie. Take care of your Ma. Good day, Gunnilda.”

“Good day,” she smiled.

'Because you have dove's eyes.'