Gunnilda only glanced up for a moment when she saw that it was just Alwy coming in.

Gunnilda only glanced up for a moment when she saw that it was just Alwy coming in, so she was shaken when she heard Egelric’s deep voice coming in behind him.

“I haven’t one any longer,” Egelric was saying. “I gave most of those things to Alfric when he took my house. Good afternoon, Gunnilda.”

'Good afternoon, Gunnilda.'

“Hallo, Gunnie!” Alwy grinned. “We just come to get my other boots, ’cause we’re going down to the woods on the other side of the chapel to see if there’s any acorns down that way.”

“That’s real good, Alwy,” Gunnilda murmured.

“His Grace said I could take my pigs down that way if there is, ’cause they’re just that lean this year.”

'I guess he likes his pigs fat.'

“I guess he likes his pigs fat,” Gunnilda said.

“I don’t suppose he will notice the difference after Cook is through with them,” Egelric chuckled.

“Well, I don’t know,” Alwy said, “but I guess if they already start out lean and dry, then there won’t be nothing left by the time Cook is through with them.”

“That may be,” Egelric agreed.

'That may be.'

Gunnilda shrank back against the barrel and stared at the two of them. Egelric had not stood in her kitchen since… a long time. And now, aside from his polite greeting, he would not look at her.

“Gunnie, why don’t you go get Angnes?” Alwy asked eagerly. “I don’t know but I guess Egelric hasn’t seen her since she was that small!”

“Oh, don’t wake her if she’s sleeping,” Egelric said.

“Oh! Is she sleeping, Gunnie?” Alwy asked.

“I guess she is,” Gunnilda said.

“Oh, won’t you get her anyway, Gunnie? Just for a moment?”

“Please don’t wake her on my account,” Egelric said.

“Don’t wake her, Alwy,” Gunnilda said.

'Oh, all right.'

“Oh, all right,” Alwy sighed. “But, Egelric, you come with me to get my boots! Then you can just peek in the cradle while she’s sleeping. That won’t hurt, will it, Gunnie?”

“To that I shall consent,” Egelric said.

“Go ahead,” Gunnilda murmured, and she watched them disappear down the hall.

She stood with her hands on the rim of the barrel behind her, listening to Alwy chattering in his false whisper that was louder than Egelric’s murmured replies. They went out the back door, forgetting even to say goodbye to her. He hadn’t looked at her but once.

She stood with her hands on the rim of the barrel behind her, listening to Alwy chattering.