Alred comes with an offering

“Oh, Bedwig!” Gunnilda groaned. “How come every time someone comes to my door, you just got to be running around naked? Your Grace will have to excuse this pagan boy. I just can’t keep his shirt on him.”

“Ah, to be a boy again!” Alred sighed.

“Your Grace looks real tired,” she said gently.

“How well you know me, beautiful. I haven’t slept well these past nights.”

“I guess no one has. We wake up at every little sound.”

“I don’t mind admitting to you, beloved, that I shall be more than pleased to see your Egelric again. I don’t know why, but I won’t feel like I’m doing the right things until he has told me I am.”

“I guess I know how that is.”

“How did he ever get so wise?”

“I don’t know. I guess with much sorrow comes much wisdom.”

“I believe you have that backwards, darling. But you may have something there, all the same.”

“But you know Egelric never would have left if he had known this would happen. We thought it was all over.”

“Well, never mind about that, dear. I came to cheer myself up, not to go over this gloomy subject, as I have been all morning.”

“Where’s her little ladyship, by the by?”

“Her Mama took her to visit the Countess.”

“Is that wise?”

He sighed. “Don’t frighten me, darling. I have been telling myself that her Mama knows best – I don’t need Mama Gunnilda telling me the opposite.”

“Oh, I’m sure Her Grace knows what’s best. She’s a real strong girl, anyhow.”

“Where’s your flock?”

“They all went to see Githa’s new boy. I was about to go myself. Once I find where Bedwig hid his shirt, that is.”

“Oh, you’ll stay a while with poor me, won’t you? I know I’m not quite as adorable as Githa’s baby, but I make better conversation.”

“That you do!” she laughed.

“Say, we’ve finished the great window in the chapel. I hope you will come inspect it soon. If I must have it done again, I had better know as soon as possible.”

“Oh, pish! I’m sure it’s beautiful, and I don’t know nothing more than that about such things, so I’m sure Your Grace won’t be redoing it on my say-​​so.”

“I did tell the man to make Saint Margaret’s face as fair as yours, beloved, but I fear he was not up to the task. But then, what mortal man could be?”

“I guess my Da was a mortal man!” she laughed.

“True, but he must have been aided by a woman. Without you ravishing creatures we men should never do anything right.”

“Well, I guess my Ma had her hand in my making, too. But by the time she had me, she was real good at making pretty girls I guess.”

“I would even say she had achieved perfection.”

“Oh, go on, you!”

“There, you see we’re both laughing. I was right to come, wasn’t I?”

“Well, I’m sure I’m always real glad to see Your Grace.”

“Don’t say ‘always,’ beloved, or I shall make myself a nuisance. I could never tear myself away.”

“Well it’s true I wouldn’t get much work done,” she laughed.

“How many times have I told you? if you have work to be done, simply tell me so and I shall send a maid down to do it for you and leave you free to dote.”

“I thought I was supposed to be doting on her little ladyship?”

“You might dote on my humble self as well, if you have nothing better at hand.”

“Just now I don’t, but you mayn’t like how Mama Gunnilda dotes.”

“How is that?”

“Lots of tickles and nonsense talk and belly kissing!”

“Beloved! I am yours!” he cried, his arms open.

“Oh, pish! I always knew you was a big baby! A real naughty one, that’s what!”

“And what do you do with those, Mama Gunnilda?” he winked.

“Well, I guess I send ‘em out to Alwy to be spanked! Is that what you want?”

“Never mind!” he laughed. “I shall behave. Nor am I baby any longer, I’m afraid, but a big man of thirty-​​what. But, ah! to be a boy again, and run around naked in Mama Gunnilda’s kitchen!” he said, waving a hand at little Bedwig.

“Your Grace is just dreadful today.”

“Like every day, what!” he said. “But luckily I had the forethought to come bearing an offering of atonement to my goddess. Like Solomon, I believe that thy cheeks should be comely with rows of jewels, and thy neck with chains of gold.” He drew a tiny cloth sack out of the bag on his belt and dumped a small pile of something that glittered and flashed onto the table.

“What’s this?” she gasped.

“Hold still, beloved, or I shall stab you through the ear, and I shall have a hard time explaining that to your husband.”

“What are you doing?” she asked as he lifted his hands to her ear.

“I could not but notice that my beloved had holes in her ears, and that did seem a shame, so I have brought something with which to hide them.”

“But I used to wear earrings! But they was just copper rings!”

“These are prettier, though I fear not quite worthy of your beauty,” he said, holding up the other before her face.

“Why, that’s a jewel! Your Grace mustn’t – ”

“That’s a ruby, and I have dozens of them. I had quite a store, because I used to toss them at Matilda to appease her when I was naughty, but I’ve been so good lately to her, and so bad to you, that I thought I would see how it works on you.”

“But I can’t – ”

“Of course you can,” he soothed, pinning the other into her ear. “I’ve never known a lady that ‘couldn’t’ wear jewelry. Now,” he said, holding up a thin gold chain from which hung another ruby, “here is the reason I am doing this, and you will see that it is not simply because I love you.”

He passed his hands behind her head to fasten the necklace on her, and then he said, “Now I may gaze longingly at your throat for hours, and if anyone asks why, I may simply say that I am wondering at the extravagance that led me to present you with a set of rubies.”

“Extravagance is right!” she said, reaching back to try to unclasp the chain. “Your Grace never should have had such an idea!”

“My darling, I have told you I could never thank you properly for saving my daughter for me. As I cannot crown you with stars, I should at least have liked to have given you a set of pearls, for that is what Margaret means in Greek. But rubies are all I have, so I hope my goddess will yet look kindly on my humble offering.”

“Your Grace already has thanked me plenty enough.”

“I tell you, I never could. But I hope that you will wear them for my sake, and if not for mine than for your own, because with your golden skin and your green dress, a bit of red is exactly what you needed. And didn’t Githa tell you that you lacked a necklace? Now you are simply perfect.”

She sighed. “I just don’t know if this is right.”

“Nor do I,” he smiled ruefully. “Perhaps Egelric will tell me when he comes home. But we must muddle along as best we can until he does.”