Sigefrith asks a favor of Alred

“Changed your mind, old man?” Alred asked when he came up to his study to meet the King and little Colban. “Need some good English company on your trip, besides those two swarthy Scots?”

But Sigefrith did not smile.

“Only joking. I know you can’t stand me. What say you, Cubby?” he said, mussing the boy’s soft hair. Neither did the boy give him more than a half-​​smile.

“Alred, I must ask a favor of you,” Sigefrith said, and his voice was oddly husky.

“Anything,” Alred said, taking a step back from the two in surprise.

“Alone, perhaps. Cubby, how would you like to go play with your little sweetheart Gwynn?”

“Let me see whether I can find Dunstan,” Alred offered. “I just saw him on my way up.”

Alred opened the door and called down the stairs.

“Yes, father?” Dunstan asked a moment later as he came in. “Oh, Beebee!” he smiled.

“Morning, runt,” Sigefrith said, smiling at last, though faintly.

Alred was beginning to worry. “Dunstan, would you kindly take Cubby to your Mama, and then go play somewhere I can’t hear you? And preferably with nothing sharp, therefore?” he asked his son.

After Dunstan went out with the little boy, he turned back to Sigefrith and said, “I repeat, anything.”

“Would you and Matilda keep little Cubby here while I am away?”

“Would we – ” Alred paused. He had very nearly made a joke, but somehow… “Maud?”

“She hit him. Simply knocked him flat on his back. All because he was kissing and fussing over the baby.”

“Perhaps she was afraid he would hurt him,” Alred said weakly.

“So she hurt Colban instead? No. You know there’s… you know she has a problem with Colban. I wish I knew what.”

Alred swallowed. If he had thought it would have helped, he would have told Sigefrith then. But he thought it would only make things worse.

“I can’t leave here knowing that something like this could happen again while I am away. I would ask Eadgith to watch over him, but she’s busy with her children and her grandbaby. Anyway, I don’t like to…” He shook his head.

“Don’t worry about it, Sigefrith. Leave him here with us. We shall have a grand time while you’re away.”

“I don’t understand her,” Sigefrith said. “A while ago I couldn’t pry Cubby out of her arms. I had worried at times that she would make the other children feel left out. Now I am afraid to leave him alone with her.”

“You might mention it to Gog,” Alred suggested. “Perhaps it would be best if he simply went to his godfather a little early.”

“Oh, no. Not yet. I couldn’t bear it,” he chuckled sadly. “I don’t know how Gog plans to pry him out of my arms two years hence.”

“I’m not saying I want to see the boy go. He’s a cuddly little man, isn’t he?”

“He’s the most affectionate of all of them,” Sigefrith said fondly. “The others are all too busy to sit and dote over their Papa. What shall I do when I don’t have little Cubby to stroke my cheeks and tell me how handsome I am?”

“I could try to take his place. Shall I?” he offered, reaching for his friend’s face.

“Oh no!” Sigefrith laughed – finally – and swatted his hands away. “Keep your paws to yourself, or at least to your wife.”

“That’s just as well. I should have a difficult time keeping a straight face while telling you you’re handsome.”

“Your opinion means little enough to me, you gnarly old bastard. I know of at least one fair young lady who finds me handsome still.”

“Who? Emma?”

“Not she – she’s always twisting my nose, trying to fix it. I was thinking of young Eadgith.”

“You’re a dirty old bastard, that’s what you are. She’s young enough to be your daughter.”

“Don’t get any ideas–I certainly don’t have any. I was simply informing you that there is at least one person – whose opinion counts – that finds me handsome. I assure you, it is most gratifying, and I highly recommend it as a treatment for gnarly old bastardness.”

“If I ever catch that unfortunate malady, I shall be sure to ask you to help me procure said treatment. Meanwhile, I highly recommend to you that you smile not overfondly on young Eadgith. Her father is like to fix your nose once and for all if you do.”