'Alred!'

“Alred!” Sigefrith turned his chair around and grinned up at his old friend.

Alred winked and bowed.

“I supposed when I saw the skies clear this morning that you wouldn’t be long in arriving,” Sigefrith said.

“I don’t have an olive leaf in my beak, but we might still hope that the waters will recede.”

'I don't have an olive leaf in my beak, but we might still hope that the waters will recede.'

“If not, I shall at least finally have the opportunity to acquire a navy.”

“Miss the sound of the sea in your ears?”

“I admit that there are times when I do. But I don’t miss the storms at Hwaelnaess.”

“We’ve storms enough here lately.”

“Granted. Will you stay for dinner?”

“Miss me?”

“Not enough to wet my aging head over.”

'Not enough to wet my aging head over.'

“Precisely my feelings on the matter. We shall leave that to the young heads.”

“Such as my squire?” Sigefrith chuckled.

“Oh, he! A lot of good it does him! Do you know he has lost the right to call her Baby?”

“I hadn’t heard that…”

“Do you have any idea why?”

“I have been told she found out about certain adventures he had in Denmark…”

“Jupiter! How did she ‘find out’ about that?”

'Jupiter! How did she 'find out' about that?'

“Leof told her.”

“That isn’t very gentlemanly.”

“Cenwulf talked to him!” Sigefrith shrugged helplessly.

“Damn! Nothing like Leof to make me appreciate Eadwyn. Speaking of whom, old head, I am come to exchange favors with you.”

“Oh?”

“If the skies are still clear tomorrow morning, I should like to ride up to visit Eadwyn’s father tomorrow. With him and Bertie and Dunstan. And visit Theobald by the same occasion.”

“Do you know, I am beginning to be jealous of that man.”

'Do you know, I am beginning to be jealous of that man.'

“Because he deprives you of my salutary company?”

“He doesn’t seem like your sort of man.”

Alred shrugged. “He’s not a bad fellow. It’s his house I like.”

“What’s so special about his house?”

“Matilda never set foot in it.”

“Ahhh…”

“There’s nothing to remind me of anything,” he said quickly.

'There's nothing to remind me of anything.'

Sigefrith sighed.

“But I haven’t mentioned the favors yet. I should like to leave my children with you, if I may.”

“A pleasure, as always.”

“You may haggle with Egelric over his daughter. He’s staying here, but Gwynn will want to have her.”

“So will Malcolm.”

Alred paused to smile. “You’ll need to start watching those two. He’s fifteen, and she’s a little lady.”

“Tell Egelric! Don’t tell me! I’m no one’s father here.”

“You can explain that to Egelric if they get up to mischief in your castle.”

“That goes for you, too!” Sigefrith laughed.

'That goes for you, too!'

“Oh, I’m watching!” Alred sighed wearily. “Fortunately Malcolm does not sleep in mine.”

“Then I suppose Gwynn will have to be disappointed. Now, what is the favor I can do you in exchange for the loan of your children?”

“Very diplomatic of you, old man!” Alred smiled. “Imposing upon you the admittedly salutary company of my offspring was not the favor I meant to do you, but ask you. For you, I wanted to remind you that if you send a messenger eastward shortly after I set out tomorrow, you might have your father-​​in-​​law here in time for supper.”

“Ah! That is indeed kind of you, Alred. Is it not only for Osfrey’s house that you go, then?”

“Thus may you find benefit in my absence as well as in my company,” he bowed.

'Thus may you find benefit in my absence as well as in my company.'

“Eadgith will be very happy to see her father, and to show him all of the marvelous feats of her peerless son. And I’m certain Haakon and Dumble-​​Dora would thank you, too, if they understood.”

“The gratitude of Her Gracious Majesty will suffice largely to recompense my pains. Only ensure that her father does not suppose I mean him well by it.”

“I doubt he will misunderstand.”

'Only ensure that her father does not suppose I mean him well by it.'