Chapter 16 #4
“Someone somewhere has to know something,” Merewen said.
Yes. And Cwenthryth suddenly realized that she knew someone who would.
Aldred might know details of Astrid’s life the Norsemen didn’t know about.
How had she not thought of this before? The man would have seen another side of his lover, talked to her about different things, met different people.
He lived outside the Norsemen village, and had different connections.
He might have interesting information to share with them.
She turned to Steinar, hope bubbling in her chest. It might not lead anywhere, but at least they had a starting point.
“I think you need to tell your parents about…”
She stopped, unsure how to refer to the man without betraying his connection to Astrid.
Wolf and Merewen didn’t know their son had been about to ask for a divorce.
It was therefore reasonable to assume they didn’t know his wife had had a lover, and she didn’t think it was her place to make the revelation.
“You need to tell them about my neighbor, Aldred,” she finally said.
To her relief, Steinar immediately understood who she meant and why it might be useful.
“Yes.” Though he seemed ill at ease, he agreed this was a path worth exploring.
“Why? Who is this man?”
Steinar looked at his father, and cleared his throat.
“There is something you don’t know. I told you things had gone awry between Astrid and me, as you and Mother suspected.
But what you don’t know is that she had a lover, and was planning to leave me for him.
That man is Cwenthryth’s neighbor. In fact, that’s why she’s here, because she befriended Astrid during her visits into town. ”
He ran a hand over the back of his neck and Cwenthryth’s heart went out to him.
That his wife had been about to leave him for another man would be humiliating to admit.
But neither Wolf nor his wife betrayed any surprise at the revelation or asked any questions.
Clearly, they believed Astrid capable of such behavior.
“We need to go and speak to him,” she said as firmly as she dared.
The last thing she wanted was to appear as if she was taking control of the conversation, but she was convinced they had to talk to Aldred.
“He might know if Astrid was in trouble, had made some enemies in town, or… anything. She might have spoken to him about it.”
Cwenthryth reddened when two pairs of identical blue eyes and a black one stared at her. Were they offended she was telling them what to do? Admittedly, she was not part of the family and had no role to play in this.
But Steinar’s mother only nodded. “I agree. Considering his relationship with Astrid, he might know something we don’t. It’s worth a try.”
“Yes,” Cwenthryth whispered, relieved her suggestion had not been dismissed. She desperately wanted to help the man she loved clear his name. “But I will have to be the one questioning him. He will not open up to—”
“Out of the question.” Steinar’s voice brooked no refusal. Something between a sigh and a laugh escaped her lips. How had she not guessed he would object to the idea?
“It’s the best way. I’m a Saxon, and he already knows me. A discussion with his neighbor will not raise his suspicions, whereas if Norsemen he’s never met came out of nowhere to question him, he would be on his guard, suspecting they were from the same village as Astrid.”
“I don’t care. It’s too dangerous.”
“No.” Though Cwenthryth was comforted to see this protective side to Steinar, she would not let him stop her.
She had to do this, because she was their best chance at success, and they all knew it.
“Aldred has no reason to suspect I have an ulterior motive for going to speak to him. He has no idea I know you, so he will not guard his tongue. Besides, I will not accuse him of anything, merely inform him of Astrid’s death.
” The likelihood was that the man didn’t even know of his lover’s recent demise, for how would he have found out?
Their affair had been a secret, no one from the village would have gone to him.
“I will tell him that her husband has been accused of killing her. In the discussion, he might let slip a piece of information that will lead us to the culprit.”
“I will not—”
“Cwenthryth’s right, it is our best solution,” Wolf agreed, cutting his son’s protest short.
“You look too much like me, and distinctively Norse. He might recognize you from what your wife told him about you—or get scared by your inability to hide your hatred toward him. I cannot go in your place either. Everyone knows me in town. Most would also know Astrid was my daughter-in-law. A Saxon he already knows come for a casual chat is the best possible chance at finding out what the man knows.”
“Well, I still don’t like it,” Steinar grumbled.
“You don’t have to like it, just to accept it is the best way.”
Wolf was implacable. Stony. Well, like father like son, she supposed. Cwenthryth smiled again.
“I will be fine,” she assured, putting a soothing hand over Steinar’s arm. “With Godfrid dead, I have nothing to fear in town. No one cares about me.”
He reached out to her, eyes ablaze. “That’s not true. I care.”
The words shot straight to her heart, warming her. Because it was not just some idle claim, destined to make her feel better. He did care, she saw it in his eyes, heard it in his voice, felt it in the way he held her. She melted against him.
In the corner of her eye Cwenthryth saw Wolf and Merewen exchange a knowing look. Heat invaded her chest. His son, Sven, now his parents… Would his whole family think there was something between them?
And what if they did? Wasn’t there something, something she, at least, wanted to explore further?
She lowered her gaze to the floor.
“Very well,” Wolf concluded. “We’ll go to see Aldred tomorrow.”