“This had better be good, Sigefrith,” Leofric grumbled when he was shown into the King’s study. “The man wouldn’t tell me what it was about.”
“I told him not to tell you,” Sigefrith said, dropping his pen and rising from his chair. “I wasn’t expecting you to come tonight, however. Perhaps it’s just as well – everyone is asleep.”
“Why aren’t you?”
“I had a little too much to drink with Theobald and Alred this evening. I’m working it off.”
Leofric sniffed. “She would get used to it, you know. Lately, since she has come to believe the sun rises and sets on your authorization, I don’t doubt she would let you get away with coming to bed with human blood on your breath.”
“Leave her be, Leofric,” Sigefrith snapped. “We’re happy as we are.”
“And I’m happy with Leila, and I still get to come to bed roaring drunk.”
“Just shut up a moment and let me tell you why I sent for you. You shall see who’s happy and who’s roaring then.”
Leofric stood with his hands on his hips and waited.
“Well then. Since there’s no delicate way to say this, I shall simply say it. Eadgith is here, in this castle, and your children are with her.”
Leofric gaped at him. “Never!”
“They are indeed here.”
“Son of a serpent! What have you done to me?” he cried.
“I?”
“I was planning to write to her, as soon as…”
“As soon as what?”
“As soon as I knew what to do about it! God-blasted son of a serpent! What am I supposed to do now? Why couldn’t you leave this up to me?”
“I did nothing. No – I began a letter to Eadgith, since you wouldn’t, but I never had the chance to send it. It appears that Harold’s sons told her where I was. And I told her where you were.”
“Matilda! God damn her! I shall have her hide, that meddling bitch!”
“Leave Matilda out of this! She only did what you should have done years ago! If you say one word to Matilda you shall answer to me for it, if Alred leaves you alive!”
Leofric clenched his fists and glared at him, breathing heavily. “Son of a serpent!” he finally spat. “How are my children?”
“Old! Sigefrith is fifteen! Do you realize he has grown up without you? And Eadgith is practically a woman. She scarcely remembers you.”
“My baby,” he murmured. “Do they know I am here?”
“I have told your wife. She wants to see you before telling the children.”
“Did you tell her about…”
“About Leila? Yes, I did. I am not certain I explained it in the most delicate way, but I couldn’t let her believe, even for tonight, that she would find things as they were.”
“How did she take it?”
“I shall simply say that this was the first time since Emma was ill that I have felt myself entitled to get reasonably drunk.”
“Son of a serpent!” Leofric paced around the small room for a moment. “Might I get reasonably drunk in advance?”
“I don’t care. You know where I keep the wine.”
Leofric poured himself a cup and drank it down at once, followed by another, and then began to pace again.
Sigefrith sat and watched him.
“I’ve done nothing wrong,” Leofric said suddenly. “I’m a Dane, aren’t I?”
“I don’t believe the Danelaw ever extended as far as Hwaelnaess.”
“We’re as good as Danes, Sigefrith. We were Danes living in Wessex. Swein is our own cousin. And God knows we aren’t Englishmen any longer. Besides, I married Leila in Denmark – and anyway – aren’t you king here? Don’t you make the law?”
Sigefrith shook his head. “I’m not sitting in judgement of you, Leofric. Whether or not Leila is your wife by sacred or secular law, she is here, and Eadgith is here, and you have two children by each of them, and now you must come to an understanding with all of them.”
“I can’t send my little Leila away,” he said, pacing again.
“I didn’t say you should.”
“What did Eadgith say? Oh, God!”
“What she said is between her and me. You may, however, thank me for saving you the task of telling her yourself.”
“Oh, if Matilda had only kept her damned mouth shut! Or her ink in the pot, or whatever! Now I know why your father always said it was a foolish thing to teach a woman to read!”
“What then? How many years would have passed? Would you have waited until Sigefrith had children of his own? Let me tell you, Leofric,” Sigefrith said, standing again, “I shouldn’t speak for Eadgith, but I believe that what hurt her most is not that you are with Leila now, but that you still haven’t tried to find her – and especially your children – after two years of freedom. She hasn’t been in danger, and she has always had a house and enough to eat, but she has been living a life which is more worthy of a freedman’s widow than a knight’s. Did you ever think to see calluses on your daughter’s hands?”
“My baby…”
“Sigefrith has been making his way with Norsemen – indeed, Eadgith spent the last of the money I sent her after I fled in order to outfit and mount him. She was relying on her son to support her in a few years, and meanwhile you were knocking around the isles and then settling in here, with me throwing fistfuls of money at you – damn! I should like to know why I ever did! I should have been so generous with her.”
“Where is she?”
“In bed.”
“I want to see her.”
“Now?”
“She’s my wife, isn’t she?”
“Let her sleep, Leofric. You will see her tomorrow.”
“Now.”
“No.”
“She’s my wife.”
“And she’s my guest. You will see her tomorrow.”
“You expect me to wait?”
“I do. Go into the next room and sleep for a few hours, and I shall fetch you when she is ready to see you.”
“And what are you planning to do meanwhile? Sit in here and keep guard over me?”
“I shall go to bed myself. Seeing you has certainly sobered me up.”
“Then goodnight.” Leofric stalked into the bedchamber and slammed the door.
Chapters
*sarcasm* Well, nice to see he cares so much for his wives and children instead of himself.