Hilda is satisfied

“Oh, dear!” Hilda laughed as she came in. “Matilda and Maire already here! How I do lose track of time when I start flirting with my father-​​in-​​law!”

In truth, her father-​​in-​​law had not seemed particularly eager to flirt today, and Hilda now believed she saw why. Matilda was looking her old self, with her hair long and loose, her ruby circlet on her head, and her breasts nearly spilling out of one of her crimson gowns.

Hilda’s theory about Matilda having adopted her recent plain gown to hide, for uncertain reasons, a pregnancy – or, for very obvious reasons, an otherwise thickening figure – was now disproven. Although her hips were nearly as wide and round as Hilda’s, her waist was still as tiny as it ever was. It had that most infuriating size that appears to be just small enough for a man to wrap his hands around, but not so obviously that he isn’t tempted to try and see. Hilda was certain she wore a tightly-​​laced girdle beneath her dress, but she had not managed to prove it so far.

Hilda went round the group, kissing the women as she went. There was Queen Eadie – only she could look so inconspicuous in such a rich gown – there was her mother-​​in-​​law, there was Maire, there was Matilda, there was Synne, and finally there was Estrid, who had saved her the chair beside her.

“I’ve seen you today already,” she said to her cousin, “but how about this little man?” she asked, giving Estrid’s belly a brisk rub. “Is he awake now?” she cooed. “Kick your Mama for me! Kick your Mama for Auntie Hilda! Did he kick you?” she asked Estrid.

“I don’t know,” Estrid said, smiling dreamily up at her.

“You ridiculous child,” she said and patted Estrid on the cheek. “He shall kick his way right out of you before you ever feel him move.”

Hilda was not always so affectionate with Estrid’s baby, but she did make an effort when Queen Eadie was around to see.

“That reminds me, ladies,” Hilda said as she sat, “I’ve an announcement of my own to make. I am very pleased and proud to say that I shall not be having a baby any time soon, and with Sigefrith away now, I may manage to get a full two years in between Dora and the next.”

Her mother-​​in-​​law glared at her and jerked her head towards Eadgith, but Hilda was, of course, quite aware that her announcement was not likely to please the girl. It was precisely the reason why she had made it. However, she didn’t want to concentrate on Queen Eadie today. Under the circumstances, Matilda was far more interesting.

“Leofric seemed to be rather gay this morning,” she said. “Did you notice, Matilda?”

“I haven’t seen him this morning,” Matilda said evenly.

“Oh, no? Don’t you breakfast together?”

“I take breakfast in my room with the baby.”

“The baby!” Synne laughed. “He’s almost four! And he’s bigger than Haakon, even! I wish you would bring him to play, Matilda. He’s so cute I could eat him up, with his little curls.”

“You do suddenly love babies,” Estrid laughed at her.

“Not as much as her sister, apparently,” Hilda snickered.

But this was taking the conversation too far from Leofric.

“Well,” she said, “I shall simply ask him why he’s so happy, if you don’t know, Matilda. Unless he’s had some news that cheered him up, Eadie?” She could not resist tormenting her sister-​​in-​​law.

“Perhaps he’s simply happy to see you,” Estrid said quickly.

“Me?” Hilda laughed.

“Perhaps time flies for him, too.”

Hilda gave her a grateful look. Estrid could see where she was going.

“I’m certain I don’t know what Sigefrith would say if he saw the way you two carried on,” Estrid said, pretending to scold.

“Oh, good Lord, nothing at all, my dear! I should simply tell him that I missed him so, and Leofric looks so much like him…” She laughed. “I suppose I shouldn’t tell him that I suspect that Leofric was a finer looking man when he was young. Sigefrith seems a little like an inferior copy in some ways, though he has the advantage of years. What a man Leofric must have been at twenty! Wasn’t he, Matilda?”

“Ask your mother,” Matilda said coolly, without looking up from her sewing.

“Oh, I want an honest opinion! Mother thinks him the devil, and so she remembers him as looking like a goat!”

“He does have devilish eyes,” Estrid said thoughtfully.

“But nothing like a goat,” Hilda said. “Certainly he wears no horns – though I don’t doubt he has distributed a few pairs!”

“Hilda!” her mother-​​in-​​law shrieked.

She had gone a bit far that time, and even she blushed. But she was pleased to see that Matilda was blushing far more deeply. She could sit quietly now. She was satisfied.