She was surprised to see the door to his study cracked open.

Her husband’s horse had not been in his stall when Edris came home, so she was surprised to see the door to his study cracked open when she climbed the steps in the tower. He always kept that door locked when he was away.

But just as she laid her hand on the knob, she noticed him sitting at his desk.

She noticed him sitting at his desk.

She tried to shrink back into the shadows, but he looked up too soon.

“Is it Edris?”

“It is I,” she said softly, hiding most of her body behind the door. “I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

'It is I.'

“You don’t. Come in, please.”

“I didn’t see your horse,” she said apologetically as she came in.

“I thought one of his shoes was loose. I sent him to be shod. Sit down, if you like.”

'Sit down, if you like.'

She sat near his desk. She saw he had been writing a letter.

“I heard you were to see Matilda today?”

“Oh, yes,” she smiled.

“How are they over there?”

“Very well. Little Cynewulf is the funniest baby.”

'Little Cynewulf is the funniest baby.'

“Just like his father,” Cenwulf said with a low chuckle. He pushed away his parchment, and his face grew serious. “Edris, I’ve just been writing to Theobald. I want to ask him how the water is there. I rode down to the river today and I don’t like how low it is getting.”

“Oh?”

“Do you know when was the last time we had a good day of steady rain?”

“When?”

“February the twelfth,” he said, slowly shaking his head. “I looked it up.”

'February the twelfth.'

“Oh my.”

“And this winter was so dry. I don’t like it. It’s already too late for the peas.”

“Oh dear! And Baldwin so loves his peas!”

'He looked at her strangely.'

He looked at her strangely, and immediately she felt like a fool. What mattered it if little Lord Baldwin didn’t have peas with his supper? When it meant that other little children might not have a supper at all!

He smiled wearily at her. “I shall allow his Mama to give him the news. I am too much a coward, and I think you will know how to make it up to him. Cake perhaps?”

“Yes, yes,” she mumbled in her confusion. “I should go up to see them. I’m only just coming in.”

'I'm only just coming in.'

“Oh, of course. I hadn’t realized. Don’t allow me to keep me from your babies.”

“No, you don’t,” she said as she stood. “I mean, no…”

“I shall see you at our pealess supper then?”

“Yes, of course.”

He picked up his pen again, and she turned and fled.

'He picked up his pen again.'

Oh, of course he didn’t love her! She was no Countess. She was not worthy of him. She was only a foolish, selfish little woman who couldn’t see past her babies, or her household, or her friends – or her husband!