Sigulf, to the surprise of all. “We must look for a way out of this.”
“ Thank you brother,” whispered Aelfwyn in his ear a moment later.
“ Well, I liked Ragnar. He’s no murderer.”
“ But I thought you disapproved of him?”
“ I only did that to make him show what you meant to him.”
“ You are wiser than you look.”
“ Thank you.” Sigulf bowed slightly. “It would be hard not to be!”
“ Quiet, you two!” snapped Cwenburg. “This is not a time for jokes.”
* * *
Confined to the family hut, unable to go out for fear of the attention she would provoke, Aelfwyn kept to herself.
“ These will keep you out of mischief.” Her mother had made her in charge of all weaving and clothing tasks, which did indeed keep her busy every moment.
However, while busy with such things, Aelfwyn had ample time to think. She needed to contact Bjarni, he would know how to help his best friend.
“ Mother, may I see Saehild? I need advice in his situation and she is a married woman now, and should know what to do.”
“ No, you may not! You are to remain in the hut.”
“ Then may she come here? I miss her. If she hadn’t gone away, I would have stayed here and not become involved with the Danes.”
“ Listen to me, Aelfwyn. You are an unmarried woman who has been seen with a Dane. You were always unlikely to be married, but now you have ruined your chances. I forbid you to see your sister, she is dead to our family.” Cwenburg stormed off.
So Aelfwyn turned to her brother. She wrote a note to Saehild, begging her to meet in the morning at the well as they used to. Sigulf readily took it. Being male he had more freedom to come and go from the village.
* * *
The next morning, Aelfwyn went to fetch water from the well. Her only escape from the hut, she had offered to go, knowing her mother hated the long walk along the solitary path overhung with trees. Although now in early summer the green branches leant a more cheerful air to the journey, she of course had other matters on her mind.
“ Oh Saehild!” She flung herself into her sister’s arms. “What am I to do?”
“ Bjarni has plans.” The two women sat down on the wall. “He is finding out exactly what happened the night Eadbald was killed.”
“ Who told the Jarl that Ragnar went out that night?”
“ That is what he is finding out. He has to be subtle because everyone knows he is biased.”
“ Can I see him? I want him to know I don’t think he’s guilty. He wouldn’t do such a thing!”
“ I thought of that, my dear sister. Just a moment.” She stood and walked up the path, then into the bushes. She emerged with Bjarni, wearing plain brown trousers and over tunic, his golden hair loose.
“ If you go with him now, you can see Ragnar, he’ll arrange it.” She took Aelfwyn’s hand and put it in Bjarni’s, like a priest marrying them.
“ Oh will I? You have such faith in me, wife. I will do my best, sister in law.” He placed Aelfwyn’s hand through his arm and drew her along towards Hallfridby.
“ Why is Saehild staying behind?” asked Aelfwyn.
“ As far as I know, she wants to see old friends. But she is a mystery to me.”
“ How so?”
“ She wants excitement every day, nothing boring or tedious. She thinks Danish life is glamorous and thrilling, but it is just the same as Anglisc life.” He sighed. “Never mind, it will work itself out.”
“ Does Ragnar want to see me?” Too worried to listen to Bjarni’s concerns, she carried on with her own. “What did you find out about the person who said he left his quarters that night?”
“ I have my suspicions but it is hard to get anyone to tell me, as I am well known to be Ragnar’s brother in arms. I’m so sorry.”
“ I’m sure he didn’t kill Eadbald. I will know when I look in his eyes.”
* * *
Meanwhile, Saehild, her heart fluttering, made her way to the lake to meet Ljotr. His message had said as the
“ Thank you brother,” whispered Aelfwyn in his ear a moment later.
“ Well, I liked Ragnar. He’s no murderer.”
“ But I thought you disapproved of him?”
“ I only did that to make him show what you meant to him.”
“ You are wiser than you look.”
“ Thank you.” Sigulf bowed slightly. “It would be hard not to be!”
“ Quiet, you two!” snapped Cwenburg. “This is not a time for jokes.”
* * *
Confined to the family hut, unable to go out for fear of the attention she would provoke, Aelfwyn kept to herself.
“ These will keep you out of mischief.” Her mother had made her in charge of all weaving and clothing tasks, which did indeed keep her busy every moment.
However, while busy with such things, Aelfwyn had ample time to think. She needed to contact Bjarni, he would know how to help his best friend.
“ Mother, may I see Saehild? I need advice in his situation and she is a married woman now, and should know what to do.”
“ No, you may not! You are to remain in the hut.”
“ Then may she come here? I miss her. If she hadn’t gone away, I would have stayed here and not become involved with the Danes.”
“ Listen to me, Aelfwyn. You are an unmarried woman who has been seen with a Dane. You were always unlikely to be married, but now you have ruined your chances. I forbid you to see your sister, she is dead to our family.” Cwenburg stormed off.
So Aelfwyn turned to her brother. She wrote a note to Saehild, begging her to meet in the morning at the well as they used to. Sigulf readily took it. Being male he had more freedom to come and go from the village.
* * *
The next morning, Aelfwyn went to fetch water from the well. Her only escape from the hut, she had offered to go, knowing her mother hated the long walk along the solitary path overhung with trees. Although now in early summer the green branches leant a more cheerful air to the journey, she of course had other matters on her mind.
“ Oh Saehild!” She flung herself into her sister’s arms. “What am I to do?”
“ Bjarni has plans.” The two women sat down on the wall. “He is finding out exactly what happened the night Eadbald was killed.”
“ Who told the Jarl that Ragnar went out that night?”
“ That is what he is finding out. He has to be subtle because everyone knows he is biased.”
“ Can I see him? I want him to know I don’t think he’s guilty. He wouldn’t do such a thing!”
“ I thought of that, my dear sister. Just a moment.” She stood and walked up the path, then into the bushes. She emerged with Bjarni, wearing plain brown trousers and over tunic, his golden hair loose.
“ If you go with him now, you can see Ragnar, he’ll arrange it.” She took Aelfwyn’s hand and put it in Bjarni’s, like a priest marrying them.
“ Oh will I? You have such faith in me, wife. I will do my best, sister in law.” He placed Aelfwyn’s hand through his arm and drew her along towards Hallfridby.
“ Why is Saehild staying behind?” asked Aelfwyn.
“ As far as I know, she wants to see old friends. But she is a mystery to me.”
“ How so?”
“ She wants excitement every day, nothing boring or tedious. She thinks Danish life is glamorous and thrilling, but it is just the same as Anglisc life.” He sighed. “Never mind, it will work itself out.”
“ Does Ragnar want to see me?” Too worried to listen to Bjarni’s concerns, she carried on with her own. “What did you find out about the person who said he left his quarters that night?”
“ I have my suspicions but it is hard to get anyone to tell me, as I am well known to be Ragnar’s brother in arms. I’m so sorry.”
“ I’m sure he didn’t kill Eadbald. I will know when I look in his eyes.”
* * *
Meanwhile, Saehild, her heart fluttering, made her way to the lake to meet Ljotr. His message had said as the
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