'Father!'

“Father!” Eadgith cried, and ran across the hall to embrace him.

Sigefrith stood aside and smiled, invisible for the moment.

“My baby!” Leofric sighed and kissed the top of her head. “I had to come myself – it was becoming clear that you didn’t mean to visit me again until this so-​​and-​​so could accompany you.”

“That’s not true!” she said.

“It’s been two months, my baby.”

“Oh, dear!” she wailed, and hid her face in his neck again.

'Oh, dear!'

Leofric laughed. “I was fretting that my baby had found a man she loved more than me, but she hasn’t even noticed you are here yet, runt.”

“I’m patient,” Sigefrith said.

“Oh, Sigefrith!” she said, peeking out from behind her father’s arm. “I was planning to scold you for sending for me in the middle of the day.”

“But you see, I wasn’t sending for you for my sake.”

“No, so I shan’t scold. Oh, Father! How are Leila and Lissa and Raegan and Cedric?”

“Everyone is well and wanting to see you. Look at how beautiful you’ve grown! Is it this dumb animal’s doing? Is he making you happy?”

'Is he making you happy?'

“Oh, yes!”

“Hmph! And what about you, my baby? Are you making him happy?”

“Not nearly as happy as he would like,” Sigefrith laughed, “if that is any reassurance to you.”

“Good girl! And how about your mother? Is she making you happy?”

Sigefrith saw her face fall, and Leofric’s darken. “Leofric…” he warned.

“What? I shan’t have her making my baby unhappy because of her pique or her jealousy!”

“Leofric, shut it.”

'Leofric, shut it.'

“Why? She knows her mother is jealous of her.”

“Then you needn’t remind her.”

“I only wish I could take you home with me until your wedding day, baby. I can’t be pleased you wish to marry this lout, but at least I don’t begrudge you him. It’s rather hard for a young girl to be left a year with three women who wish her ill.”

“Leofric! Her mother certainly doesn’t!”

“No? But I don’t suppose you have had many of the sort of happy, hopeful little conversations a girl likes to have with her mother before she is married, have you?”

'But I don't suppose you have had many of the sort of happy, hopeful little conversations a girl likes to have with her mother before she is married, have you?'

Eadgith stood with her eyes closed and her freckles standing out starkly against her pale cheeks.

“Leofric, enough!” Sigefrith thundered, out of patience at last. “What about you? Are you making her happy?” He left his corner and came to stand between them. “Come here, honey,” he said softly. “We shall make one another happy, even if your parents won’t help.”

She fell into his arms and clung to him as she never before had.

She fell into his arms and clung to him as she never before had.