Chapter 23
“Congratulations!”
From the way Osbert’s eyes started to sparkle, Eahlswith could have sworn he was seeing her properly, like he had all those years ago, when she’d first arrived in town. A lump started to form in her throat at the memory.
“Thank you,” Sven said, gifting the old man with one of his most stunning smiles.
“Call me a silly old fool, but I had hoped to see you fall for the strapping Norseman who did such a splendid job of repairing the roof,” Osbert carried on, winking at her. “Why do you think I pretended not to be able to welcome him in my house that first night?”
The wretched man, plotting behind her back…
But she could not be mad at him, not when he had welcomed the news so well.
Her relief was so acute that she started sobbing.
She had been so worried he would think she had forsaken his son and here he was, telling her he’d hoped to see her find love again.
He’d even done what he could to bring her and Sven together. She felt humbled.
“Thank you. It means a lot to me. I didn’t want you to think—”
“To think what?” Osbert interrupted sharply. “That you were wasting your life away? That you were too young to be on your own? That you deserved a chance at a family with a good man, like any other good woman? I did think all those things and I’m glad I won’t have to worry over you any longer.”
Eahlswith stared at him, dumbfounded. “You worried over me?” She would have thought it was the other way around.
“Of course I did! A woman with her life ahead of her cannot wallow in grief like you did. You’re allowed to live a happy life, my dear.” His voice wavered and his eyes clouded over once more. “And I know Edwin would agree with me.”
Fresh tears burned her eyes because he was right. Edwin had been nothing if not generous and selfless. He would have wanted her happiness.
“Thank you,” she murmured. “I think I needed to hear that.”
As she was wiping at her eyes, Sven leaned in to speak into her ear. “Tell him what you told me the other day in the forest. Free yourself of the guilt you are carrying. Osbert is a good man. I trust him. He will understand, he will forgive you. I can leave you two alone if you prefer.”
She grabbed his elbow before he could turn and disappear through the door. “No. Stay. Please.”
She needed him if she really was to do this.
With him she might find the strength to say the terrible words.
He was right, she was about to become a wife, and a mother.
It was time she told the truth and gave the old man at least the possibility to forgive her.
If he couldn’t find it in himself to do so then she would be no worse off.
But if he did, with Sven’s help and love, then she might be able to let go of some of the terrible guilt.
“Osbert, I’m so sorry. There is something I’ve never told you.
” She paused and swallowed hard. “That day, Edwin was on the road because of me. He wanted to go to my village to retrieve something precious for me, something I had told him about a few days earlier. I blame myself for his death. If I had not mentioned that carving, he would never have set off alone, he would never have been attacked.”
For a long moment the old man stayed silent, as if weighing up what he’d been told. “Edwin loved you more than life itself. I’m not surprised he would have wanted to please you thus.”
“No, but it cost him his life. I swear I never meant it to happen like that and I’m not sure I will ever be able to forgive myself. But perhaps you can help.” Another sob escaped her lips. “Before I start on the new part of my life, I need to know that—”
“You don’t need my forgiveness because I never held you responsible.
You are not responsible for what happened, do you hear?
Before going Edwin told me where he was going and why.
I encouraged him, thinking it a lovely gesture.
” There was a long silence. “If you think you should carry the burden of his death then at least let me carry half of it. Or we could both put it down and try to live what is left of our lives as best as we can.”
He’d known? Eahlswith was stunned. All this time Osbert had known that his son had been killed because of something he’d wanted to do for her and he had not once blamed her. He had loved her like a father, worried about her, the woman responsible for his loss.
She fell into the old man’s arms, feeling both wretched and blessed. “I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry. I wish—”
“I know. Me too. But let me repeat. You are not to blame for what happened, any more than I am for not dissuading him from going. Now, enough of this, my dear. I’m afraid old men cannot stand to see young women cry,” Osbert said gruffly, patting her on the shoulder before letting her go.
“Strapping Norsemen can’t either, if you must know,” Sven replied, drawing her back into his arms. She melted against him, feeling lighter than she had in years, since Edwin’s death.
Osbert chuckled. “I wouldn’t have thought the two of us would have anything in common.”
“No, but we do. We both want nothing more than Eahlswith’s happiness.”
“Your command of our language is remarkable, you know, for a Norseman.”
“I know. But it is no wonder, since I’ve been speaking it all my life. I was born here and my mother is a Saxon.”
“Is she now? But physically, you favor your father, I take it?”
Sven let out a sunny laugh. “So much so that I look exactly like he did at my age, or so I’m told.”
Eahlswith listened to the exchange, gratitude swelling in her chest. The two men were giving her time to compose herself and she was pleased to see them getting on so well. Osbert would of course be invited to the wedding next week. But there was still something she needed to tell him.
“There is more,” she said once she had herself under control. “I am expecting a child, to be born just after the summer.”
Osbert stilled. He would understand from the revelation that she and Sven had started their relationship weeks ago. “My dear. This time I don’t know what to say. Except that you will be a wonderful mother.”
Sven’s hold around her tightened. “She will. We’ll bring the babe to you as soon as we can.”
“I will hold you to that promise, young man.”
A dazzling smile answered him. “Anyone who knows me knows that I always keep my promises.”
After one last exchange of well wishes, Eahlswith and Sven exited the house.
Outside the sun had pierced through the clouds, causing the thin layer of ice over the snow to glimmer like a thousand tiny diamonds.
It was a spectacular sight, and would be even more beautiful in the village, away from the filth and the bustle of the narrow street.
After five years living in a town, Eahlswith was ready to go back to the peaceful setting of a village.
“Let’s go see the reeve, see what transpired with your sister and Richie’s family,” Sven declared once he’d tightened the girth on Gulltoppr’s saddle.
They had already gone to her house to get the white bone comb and the few possessions she wanted to take with her to his hut.
“I just want to ensure she is making amends for her and Godstan’s carelessness in some way. ”
“Yes.” The boy might never regain the complete use of his leg.
Ealawynne should pay for that. “While you were gone, the reeve and I agreed she should work for the family, who are chandlers, for three months, time for Richie’s leg to heal.
She will go from kitchen to kitchen collecting fat to make the candles.
The backbreaking and dirty work should teach her some humility. ”
“Perfect.” He smiled at her. “And when the three months are over, I will make sure he sends her back from whence she came, with an interdiction to come to town ever again on pain of far more severe punishment.” The smile died on his lips.
“It’s only because she is your sister that I didn’t make her pay for what she made you go through. ”
Eahlswith placed a soothing hand over his arm. She was grateful for his leniency, because, unlike Ealawynne, she wouldn’t have been able to live with the death of her twin on her conscience. “I know, and I thank you for it. And in the end, nothing happened. You saved me, remember?”
“Come, my love.” He gave her hand a squeeze.” Let’s go to the reeve. And then we can go home.”
“Turn right, please.”
Sven obeyed the request, though he had no idea why Eahlswith would want to veer off course now. After visiting the reeve, who had confirmed Ealawynne would indeed be working for the chandlers for the next three months, they had agreed to go straight back home.
She guided him toward a clearing that soon became familiar.
When she jumped down from Gulltoppr and signaled that he should do the same, he’d already understood what she wanted to show him.
Taking the hand she extended to him, he followed her to a young, particularly straight oak.
On the trunk, recently carved, was a roundish shape complete with what looked like a beak on the left side and two spindly legs underneath.
It was the carving she had done for Edwin the day she had confided in him, the day they had eaten snow together.
“A wren?” he guessed, giving the hand he was holding a squeeze.
“A wren,” she confirmed, her voice barely above a breath. “Do you still have your dagger? I need to carve another symbol.”
He reached into his boot and gave her the dagger that had allowed him to free himself and save her from certain death. It was fitting that it should be the tool that would leave a trace of their love in the heart of the forest.
“Please stay this time,” Eahlswith said, a shy smile playing on her lips. “This is about you.”
He watched as she started to etch the new symbol next to the little bird. One tiny nick at a time, she painstakingly created an image in the tree bark.
“I know it doesn’t look like much but it’s not exactly easy to do,” she said once it was finished. She sounded dubious, and a little disappointed with her efforts. Sven wrapped an arm around her waist and drew her to his flank.
“It’s an elf.” He knew because he’d hoped that would be what she would choose. And once you knew, you made sense of the admittedly crude drawing. “A female elf.”
“Yes. But it—”
“But nothing. It’s perfect.” Certainly better than anything he could have done. He should definitely learn to be more creative.
“I love you, Alva. I have never loved anyone half as much as I love you in this instant and I thank you for wanting to declare your love to me to the world,” he said, cradling her face in his palms.
“I love you too.” She smiled and handed him the dagger back. “So now that the world knows, let’s go tell your family.”
“Osbert took the news into his stride, but I think the people here will be somewhat surprised to hear of my upcoming wedding,” Sven said as they made their way back to Gulltoppr, who had found a patch of grass not covered in snow to nibble on.
That was putting it mildly. Everyone at the village, his own family included, thought marriage was the furthest thing from his mind.
He would delight in showing them that it was what he’d wanted from the start.
As to the news that he was to have a child within the year, he wasn’t sure what they would make of it.
What was certain was that he would strive to offer this baby a childhood as happy as his had been.
“Let’s go see Steinar and Cwenthryth first,” he decided, nudging Gulltoppr into a trot.
His brother and her best friend. It seemed appropriate that they should be the first to be told their news.
They found the whole family, all six of them, outside the hut, making the most of the sunny day to work in the garden.
The two boys were sorting out root vegetables, selecting the ones that had best be eaten immediately from the ones that would keep.
Steinar was digging a trench in which to put the vegetables that were to be buried for later use.
Cwenthryth and Sanna were preparing the straw that would be used to cover them and little Liv was asleep, warm in her cot under a layer of furs. It was a perfect scene of contentment.
“Sven.” His brother’s greeting was matter of fact. Then he stilled and took another, closer look. His gaze fleeted to Eahlswith. “Sven?” he repeated, putting his shovel down. “Do you have something to tell us?”
“Yes, I suppose I do.” He took Eahlswith’s hand. “I am getting married to my very own Saxon beauty.”
Cwenthryth let out a gasp and he was sure she would have thrown herself into her friend’s arms if she had not already been holding Sanna on her lap.
“Oh, but that is wonderful news!” she cried out. “Does it mean that you’re going to live here in the village next to us?”
“Yes. I missed you so much I’m delighted to be close to you. Besides, I think it’s better for children to be raised away from towns, don’t you?”
Eahlswith placed her hand over her stomach, smiling. Cwenthryth cried out again. “You’re with child!”
This time even the boys paid attention.
“You mean that we are to have more baby cousins?” Rothgar, the youngest, asked, dropping a turnip into the pile to his left. Aged almost eleven, he fancied himself a man already. “Could we have a boy this time, at least?”
Sven laughed. Indeed, in the last few years the boys had welcomed three cousins, all girls, and two little sisters. “I’m sorry, I cannot guarantee this baby will be a boy. But I suppose if it’s not we can always have another try.”
Eahlswith blushed.
“Congratulations, brother. I’m happy for you.” It was obvious Steinar was fighting a smile. Sven didn’t let it bother him, he’d already known he would be met with incredulity when he announced his news. But people would soon see he was as reliable as the other men in the family.
“Will you please hold Sanna while Cwenthryth feeds Liv?” Steinar asked next, lifting his daughter up to him. Up until then her mother had kept an eye on her, but the baby had now woken up and needed to eat. “I don’t want her to fall into the trench.”
“No, that wouldn’t be the best idea.” The trench in question was almost as deep as she was tall and he could see the little girl’s fascination with it.
As he took his niece in his arms, Sven felt a surge of pure joy course through him.
Soon, he would get to hold his own child.
What would his baby look like? Girl or boy, unlike Rothgar, he had no preference.
All he wanted was a healthy child, if possible with eyes as dark as its mother’s, just like Sanna’s were.
He smiled at the little girl, who was clapping her hands for no reason he could discern.
“Uncle Sen.”
“Yes. Come with me, sweetheart. We’re going to see your grandparents.”