Matilda guesses again

“Good afternoon, ladies!” Alred beamed. “Edris, I wasn’t hoping to see you until this evening. Today I count myself fortunate.” He kissed her hand and kissed Matilda’s cheek and then pulled up a chair beside his wife. “Am I interrupting anything important?”

“Yes!” Matilda said. “We were talking about babies.”

“The making thereof?”

“Alred! No, and if we were we wouldn’t tell you.”

“That is the only area in which I am an expert. But I can see by Edris’s knowing smile that she thinks she could teach me a thing or two.”

Edris blushed and smiled at the floor.

“Alred, what a monster you are today!” Matilda said. “Let me smell your breath. You’ve been with Sigefrith, haven’t you?”

“I have been, but I only had ale, and not much at that. And neither had he, I am pleased to report. He was his merry old self today, even without the wine.”

“Oh?” Matilda said, and she turned her head to exchange a look with Edris.

“What was that?” Alred asked.

“What was what?” she asked sweetly.

“That ‘Oh?’ and that look.”

“That was nothing.”

“Matilda, I know you better than that by now. You’re just like Yware when he has been stealing cake and doesn’t realize that he has crumbs all over his shirt.”

Matilda giggled.

“Edris?” he prompted.

“Oh, I… don’t know…” Edris stuttered.

“Don’t harass poor Edris, Alred. I shall tell you, if you must know. I think that someone is finding that the best cure for a broken heart is falling in love again.”

Alred glanced at Edris, who paled and looked back at the floor. Surely Matilda didn’t mean Cenwulf? He was sorry to believe that Cenwulf had kept up his determination not to fall in love with his wife, but it seemed to be so.

“Someone?” he asked weakly. He did not wish to guess, knowing from experience how such things could turn out.

“Sigefrith, you ninny. Tell me, who was at dinner today?”

“Only Eadgith and her daughter and Brede and I.”

“That’s what I thought,” Matilda said with another nod for Edris.

“What is what you thought? Oh, Matilda, what catastrophe are you cooking up for us now?”

“Nothing!” she cried. “I shan’t say a word to anyone.”

“Except to me and to Edris, apparently.”

“Yes, but only you two darlings, because you are my dearest friends, and I know you can be trusted, and I shall die if I tell no one.”

“What are you trying to say, my dearest darling friend? Just to make things clear. As I recall, the last time we had such a guessing game going on…”

“Oh, Alred, what do you think?” she asked, exasperated. “Do you suppose he’s in love with Brede? I’ve been watching him, and I believe he’s beginning to grow quite fond of Eadgith.”

“Oh, for the love of Juno!” Alred sighed.

“I think it’s sweet. Don’t you, Edris?”

Edris smiled and shrugged.

“But, my dearest darling friend, how can this be a good thing for anybody?” Alred asked.

“Why shouldn’t it be?”

“Why shouldn’t it be?” he gasped. “What about Leofric?”

“Well, what about Leofric? He has Leila! What can he say against it?”

“But – but, Matilda! Jupiter! It isn’t decent!”

“Oh, nonsense! We’re so few here, we have to wink at a few such oddities – unless you want Sigefrith to end up with one of his maids? Or Brede?” she tittered.

“But – but – I don’t know,” he protested, seeking an objection that might have weight for her, since adultery apparently didn’t. “It has only been half a year…”

“I know, dear, but Sigefrith isn’t like – like you. He needs a woman more than he needs the woman – and I never thought Maud was the woman for him. As long as I have known him, he has never been able to find one who unites those two essential qualities – namely a good woman, who also loves him.”

“Oh, she does love him, I’ve noticed that,” he sighed.

“Do you think?” Matilda squealed. “It’s so sweet! Well, Eadgith is a good little woman, too. So now we must simply – ”

“Do nothing! Jupiter, Matilda! You shan’t say or do a thing! It isn’t decent!”

“Oh, Alred,” she sighed.

“Not a word shall you say!” he thundered. “Or God help you! Matilda?”

“Yes, my lord,” she said meekly.

“Jupiter! I am going for a walk. Good day, ladies.”

As he went out, he heard Matilda laughing to Edris and telling her that he always went for a walk when he had something to think about. Well, didn’t he? Somebody had to think, since Sigefrith obviously wasn’t. Holy mother Juno! A married woman!