Matilda has an excellent idea
“Alred!” Matilda said mournfully.
Alred looked up from his accounts. “What is this sorrowful face that must needs be kissed at once?” he asked as he rose.
“I just saw – ” She paused to be kissed. “I just saw them saddling Egelric’s horse, and his bags were on him.”
“I know.”
“You know? But is he leaving already? The new moon is only two days away.”
“I know, Matilda,” he shrugged. “He asked me whether he needed to stay, and I said he needn’t. Nothing has happened since last year.”
“But I thought we would have him for four days at least. It’s not right!”
“Not right? Do you miss him so?”
“I suppose I do, but it isn’t that. He needs a rest.”
“He needs something, but it isn’t a rest. Anyway, they’re putting the roof on the keep and he doesn’t like to be away while that’s going on.”
“Oh! It isn’t as if it will rain. They can wait a few days.”
“Matilda…”
“Don’t ‘Matilda’ me. It isn’t right. And will you have him start building another as soon as he has finished this one?”
“That was the plan.”
“Alred! You’re killing him!”
“Do you think it is I who am killing him?”
“He needs to come home for a while. He needs to heal.”
“Is he hurt?”
“He’s hurt inside, and you know it.”
“And you think that coming home for a while will help him? I’m not so certain.”
“Let him come home and go back to his little house and be alone with his daughter for a time,” she suggested.
“He has one of his men in his house now.”
“So let him build another house and let him stay there.”
“Matilda, you know that is not my plan for him.”
“That doesn’t matter! He won’t live long enough to see your plan for him if you don’t let him stop living this way.”
“If I don’t forcibly prevent him from living this way, you mean. It is he who volunteered to go back there today. I certainly didn’t mean to ask him to go.”
“Well, why don’t you… why don’t you ask Sigefrith to send him to Scotland?”
“To Scotland? For what purpose?”
“I don’t know. Invent something. You know that helps him more than anything.”
“That’s a… an excellent idea,” he said thoughtfully. “I might do that. We might invent an urgent message to Aed, I suppose.”
“Oh, simply tell Sigefrith to write: ‘Take care of this man until he is well again and then send him home.’ Easy as that!”
“It’s a good idea, and I shall speak to Sigefrith about it when I see him.”
“Why don’t you go today?”
“Why don’t I go today?” he snapped. “Because today is Sunday, and you know that means his family is with him.”
“Oh, of course, and you don’t approve.”
“I do not wish to interfere, even by means of the look on my face. Hence, I stay away from Sigefrith when I know they are with him.”
“Oh, Alred, what an old prude you are!”
Alred only shook his head and sighed.
