Matilda confirms her suspicions

“Oh, Alred,” Matilda sighed, nestling into her husband’s shoulder. “That’s all very nice, but wouldn’t you like to have another baby?”

“Very nice? Very nice? I can do no better than very nice these days?”

“You know what I mean, you silly man.”

“If you can make it to the land where babies grow while they are yet in season, you may pick two or three and bring them home with you. But you shan’t get any more from me, even if that means being only very nice for the rest of my days.”

“But you want Meg to be my last baby and yet you hardly let me see her.”

“Now, that isn’t so.”

“Don’t try to deny that she is your baby.”

“If I am so fond of her, dear, it is only because she is the very image of you. I didn’t spoil this one with any of my flaws.”

“That’s a dreadful thing to say about your other children!”

“After ten years of marriage you still can’t tell a joke when you hear one?”

“I had to believe you meant it, because it’s true she doesn’t look like you at all.”

“I think her hair might turn out to be a bit wild like mine.”

“That’s only because you ride all over the valley with her on that devil you call a horse.”

“Come, Matilda. You have to give a man something on which to pin his faith in the child’s paternity.”

Matilda saw suddenly that this was her chance to find out whether Alred knew about Maud’s son. “We mothers are not always so generous. Look at Prince Colban, for example.”

Alred’s hand froze in mid-​​caress. “What about Prince Colban?” Ah, after ten years of marriage, she knew when he was trying to sound nonchalant.

“He doesn’t look all that much like Sigefrith, does he?”

“You don’t think so?”

“Well, does he?”

“Now that you mention it…”

“Oh, Alred, don’t be coy. I can tell you know.”

“I didn’t know you did,” he said, sitting up in the bed.

“It was Colburga that pointed it out to me. But I had a good look at the baby the last time, and I think she’s right.”

Alred sighed. “Please, please, Matilda dear, don’t meddle in this. Don’t tell Sigefrith, and don’t let Maud know you know. We plan to send Colban to his godfather in a few years.”

“We?”

“We arranged it all with Egelric and Colban and Malcolm.”

“So they know you know?”

“I was there when Colban got his first look at his godson. He didn’t hide his surprise well enough. I asked Egelric about it the same night, and he later confirmed it.”

“Oh, Alred, this is dreadful!”

“What’s done is done, Matilda, but I believe it is done. They won’t see each other again, or I shall have his head on a pike, and he knows it.”

“Oh, Alred! I never would have dreamt it.”

“I don’t see why not. You have no high opinion of Maud already, and he’s well-​​known to be a wild one.”

“I thought that was only when he was young.”

“He’s still young enough for that sort of escapade.”

“Oh, Alred!” she gasped again.

“Don’t you have any other letters tonight besides ‘O’?” he grumbled. “How about a ‘B’, as in ‘Let it be?’ It makes me sick to talk about it, thinking of what she’s doing to Sigefrith – even without Sigefrith knowing about the child.”

“I suppose she doesn’t carry the entire blame? Or do you take his side because he’s a man?”

“First of all, he wasn’t married and she was. Second, unlike Maud, I believe he does feel sorry about it. Or at least he regrets it. And third, I am angry at him, but I prefer not to be an angry man, so I don’t let it consume my thoughts, if you see what I mean. I intend to let it be, and I hope you will as well. That means no more gossiping about it with Colburga.”

“Oh, Alred,” she whimpered, laying her cheek against his as the tears began to rise, “I only wish I believed I would have the opportunity to do so.”