Hilda sat up at the sound of a knock.

Hilda sat up at the sound of a knock. “Who is here?”

“Only I,” Estrid giggled.

“Oh, you! Come in,” she called in Norse, falling back onto her pillow.

“Well, sleepyhead,” Estrid said as she sauntered in. “Not even dressed yet. Aren’t you adorable? What about baby?” She peeked in the cradle. “He’s still sleeping,” she announced.

“Oh, it is he who woke me up. He always likes to wake me up at dawn and nurse and then go back to sleep for a while. But then I can’t sleep.”

'So get up and get dressed!'

“So get up and get dressed!”

“I don’t want to do that either,” Hilda grumbled.

“Someone is rather pouty today.”

“I suppose I have every right to be. Come here and lie down with me a while and I shall tell you why.”

'I suppose I have every right to be.'

“Yes, my lady,” Estrid giggled. “But if you mean to tell me you’re unhappy because dear Sigefrith is gone, then you can spare me. I don’t want to hear it. At least you have a man to miss.”

“Oh, he makes me wish I hadn’t. I am beginning to think I’m expecting another brat.”

“No!” Estrid cried, sitting up again as soon as she had lain down.

'No!'

“Don’t smile at me! Haakon isn’t even a year old, and I’m still nursing.”

“I know, but you’re getting lazy about it,” Estrid scolded, lying down again. “It’s your own fault if you start giving him goat milk. Your Mama warned you. Anyway, it is your own fault. You just tell Sigefrith to keep his paws to himself.”

'You just tell Sigefrith to keep his paws to himself.'

“It’s not his paws that are the problem,” Ragnhild grumbled, and Estrid laughed.

“You’re so funny. Well, you wanted your man and you got him. Now you have only to put up with him.”

“I don’t mind him, I just don’t feel like having babies once a twelvemonth.”

'I just don't feel like having babies once a twelvemonth.'

“That comes with the man. I don’t want to hear you complaining about it. At least you have one.”

“Oh, shut up about that already. You wanted to come.”

'Oh shut up about that already. You wanted to come.'

“I didn’t know there wouldn’t be any young men here.”

“What about that groom of yours?”

“Not that sort of young man. Suppose I did as you did, and then where would I be? Married to a groom!”

“There are ways to prevent that.”

'You're a fine one to be giving me lessons about that, my lady!'

“You’re a fine one to be giving me lessons about that, my lady!” Estrid laughed. “I still don’t know whether you meant to get Haakon or not, but I am led to understand you did not desire this new one. How late are you?”

“Ten days or so.”

'Ten days or so.'

“That is getting late indeed. Well, you shall have a nice surprise for Sigefrith when he comes home. He wants to have twenty or thirty children.”

“Oh, not with me!” Hilda groaned. “He’s such a bore since we came here. Since Haakon was born, already, but since we are here it’s worse. He’s always playing with Haakon or with that little Colban, or else he’s talking to farmers or planning barns or things. He hardly ever wants to spend time with me.”

“Pouty pouty. That’s why I am here, my Hilda. Give me a kiss, and then get up and get dressed, and let’s take Haakon up to the nurses and go out and look at some grooms.”

'Let's take Haakon up to the nurses and go out and look at some grooms.'