Alred gets a view into Leofricland

“It must be important if they sent for you so late, old man,” Alred said to his steward.

“It’s Lord Hingwar here to see Your Grace,” Aldwyn bowed.

Alred laughed softly to himself and twirled his quill between his fingers. “It must indeed be important if Lord Hingwar would ride so far in the middle of the night to tell it to me. Do you suppose he is come all this way only to remind me that I shouldn’t be writing this poem?”

“He didn’t mention anything about a poem,” Aldwyn said gravely. He had known his lord long enough that he was neither surprised nor troubled when the Duke said things he found incomprehensible.

“I did not think it likely.” Alred glanced at his sword to reassure himself it was near. “Is he armed?”

“Yes, my lord. Shall I disarm him?”

“No. If he can beat me at his age, he deserves to. Show him in.”

Leofric came in glaring a threat.

“Come in, Leofric,” Alred said without rising. “Take off your sword and have a seat. Care for some wine?”

“How dare you?” Leofric snarled.

“I could have asked the same of you when you came charging in here. I chose to be polite instead. Now I should like to know what you have to reproach me.”

“As if you didn’t know! A better man would have simply slain me! I had not thought you malicious enough to seek this sort of revenge!”

“What in God’s name did I ever do to you?” Alred cried. “Are you drunk or what?”

“I’m sober enough! I just had a look at Leila in her nightgown! She’s starting to show! Did you know that?”

“Leila? Do you mean she’s expecting?”

“Son of a serpent! Stand up from behind that desk and let me slap the innocence off your face!”

“Just a moment!” Alred said and rose. “I didn’t have anything to do with it if she is!”

“That’s not what she told me!”

“What?”

“She told me to ask you who the father is!”

Alred gaped at him for a moment, but finally he could only laugh, though the laugh was bitter and burned him.

Leofric drew his sword. “What’s so funny?”

“I can only assume she told you that because she thought you would see the irony in it. Apparently it was lost on you.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Leofric asked warily.

Alred sat again and let his sword lie. He did not think he would mind if Leofric killed him after all. Life was too absurd to be lived.

“If you can come in here all in a rage because I, of all men, am supposed to have seduced your wife, then you truly live in a unique and Leofric-​​based sort of world.”

Leofric sheathed his sword. He did seem ashamed, but there was little satisfaction in it for Alred.

“I thought it was your idea of revenge,” Leofric muttered.

“It must be your own idea of revenge, Leofric, for otherwise you could not have thought of it. The idea never occurred to me. Indeed, I think there is more poetic justice in this farce you have just played.”

Leofric closed his eyes and sighed.

“I don’t see why you’re so damned furious, anyway,” Alred said. “As far as I know she isn’t truly your wife nor even your mistress any longer. You seem to keep her around for the sake of your children.”

“That’s what she wanted.”

“I don’t doubt it. But perhaps she wants something more now. Perhaps she wants to be a woman and not only a mother, hmm?”

“Then she is no better than a harlot.”

“She isn’t either. I happen to know that she is married to her baby’s father.”

Leofric choked. “She’s already married to me!”

Alred sighed. “That’s a matter up for debate, Leofric, but I think that any priest you ask will tell you she was never your wife, because Eadgith still lived. Some might forgive you for believing her dead after so long, though I am not sure I do. But the fact remains.”

“Who is he?”

“You will be sorry to learn that you rode right past his house if you came here along the river.”

“Godefroy!”

“Parfaitement,” Alred chuckled.

“I came through the foothills, but you may be certain I shall return by the river!” Leofric laid a hand on his sword and turned for the door as if he meant to return at once.

“Just a moment!” Alred called, and Leofric paused with his back to the room. “I think you have done enough riding for tonight. If there is any room for wisdom in Leofricland, you will go sleep a few hours at the castle and speak to Sigefrith in the morning. It is what I did.”

Leofric bowed his head and seemed to consider the suggestion. “So I shall,” he grumbled after a moment. “Good night, Alred.”

“Finally decided to be polite, did you? Don’t lay a hand on Leila, or I shall slay you as I should have done years ago. Now, good night, and God forgive you, since I can’t.”

After he had gone, Alred picked up his quill again and dipped it in the ink.

“If there were any wisdom in Alredland,” he muttered, “I would burn this thing and go see Sigefrith in the morning myself.”

But Alred pressed the tip of his pen against the parchment and began to write.