Estrid gasped and leapt up from the bench as the door flew open – but it was only Brede.
After a moment of similar surprise, he frowned at her and closed the door.
“I told you to get out of here.”
“You were away no time at all!” she protested. “You told me to wait a while.”
“I have a letter.”
“From whom?”
“It is sealed by the abbot at Lund so I suppose it must be from my uncle,” he muttered, staring at the seal.
“Your uncle the priest? I wonder what he want. Perhaps he want you to become a priest,” she giggled. “If it’s not too late.”
“Estrid, please.”
“What?”
“May I read it?”
“Oh, certainly,” she said and went to flop down on the bed. She was usually quite strict about staying far away from his bed, but he couldn’t do any harm from the bench. She would have time to jump up if he came after her – and if she lay here, perhaps he would forget about his letter and remember her all the sooner.
She folded her hands over her belly and watched him read. He truly was a handsome boy. What a profile he had! She loved the way he was pinching his lower lip between his thumb and forefinger as he read – he looked so serious! so much older!
She should have sat next to him instead. Then she could have put an arm around him. She couldn’t read anyway… what would it have hurt?
He laid the letter down on the bench next to him, but he did not get up. He only sat with his hands on his knees, staring at the floor.
“Brede?” She sat up. “What is it?”
He leaned his elbows on his knees and held his head in his hands for a moment. “My mother is dead,” he said softly.
“Oh! Brede!” Estrid got up and came to sit awkwardly beside him.
He did not look at her, but he lifted his head. “I never saw her again,” he whispered.
“Oh, my dear,” she murmured, and she laid an arm over his shoulder. “Now we are both orphans.”
He didn’t reply, but he allowed her to pull his head against her own.
“Now we only have each other,” she said.
Chapters
Poor boy...