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Ice crept into Edith’s spine, chilling her from deep within. Something was terribly wrong. She should have known that it was far too easy to be happy. She should never have gone on the ride or kissed Brand back. She should have been here to deal with the problem. ‘What is wrong? What has happened? What have you done, Hilda? Why do you need me to cope?’
‘Godwin’s father has returned. Athelstan. He’s back.’ Hilda’s hand gripped Edith’s elbow. ‘He’s alive, Edith.’
Edith withdrew her arm from Hilda and walked over to a tapestry her mother had woven. She could recall clearly the many happy hours she’d spent, helping. Then when her mother fell ill, Edith had finished the last bit herself. When it was completed, Athelstan and her father had hung this tapestry to help keep her mother’s room warm while she lay ill.
Athelstan had come back. If he’d returned, what about Egbert? What if he came back too?
Edith drew a deep breath and willed the sudden panic to be gone. Egbert was dead. She knew what had happened to him and how his body had been shown to everyone.
‘I thought they all perished,’ she said when she trusted her voice. ‘It was what we heard. Halfdan ordered them all to be killed after they broke the truce and they were. Edward the baker’s son only escaped because he crawled away in the brush.’
‘Not all of them. Athelstan made it home. He came through the unblocked tunnel last night. Mary came to see me as she couldn’t find you. He’s been hurt. He is asking for you. Will you go? Will you tell him to leave us alone? We have suffered enough.’
Edith closed her eyes, remembering Brand’s words from when Hrearek was unmasked. Anyone harbouring one of the rebels would be considered a traitor. Mary and Godwin were taking an awful risk, harbouring him, even for a night. Hilda was right, for everyone’s sake, Athelstan had to go and make his way to the south. He was an able man. He’d survive.
There were some things which Brand would not forgive. She knew that after his decisive treatment of Hrearek, he was the sort of man who saw the world in black and white. Her father had been the same. Once he’d established a course, he wouldn’t change. It was no good pleading with him for Athelstan.
She couldn’t turn her back on a man who had served her family for so long simply because some king decreed it. His family and hers had always been intertwined. She could remember his father and grandfather and how her father set such a store about his advice. More than once he’d intervened when Egbert was in a murderous rage. He’d only gone with Egbert to look after the men when she’d insisted. At first he’d asked to stay as Mary had just had her baby.
She refused to allow such a man to be slaughtered in cold blood, simply because he had the misfortune to be on the losing side.
‘Athelstan is a good man. He served my father well.’ She concentrated on the tapestry and saw a few of her crooked stitches. Gives it character, Athelstan had laughed when she complained about it not being perfect. ‘Will he live?’
‘He was been injured in the shoulder and left leg, but Mary is convinced he will live now that he can be nursed properly. You know what she is like.’ Hilda gave a crooked smile. ‘And Godwin knows he will. He is pleased his father has returned and the bad man hasn’t.’
‘You will have to take me to him.’ Edith reached for her shawl. A blinding pain shot through her head and she found it difficult to think straight. She stumbled back to the side of the bed.
The happy bubbly feeling from earlier vanished as if it had never been. She had a responsibility towards her people which transcended everything. It gave her reasons for breathing. She wished she could see a way where it was going to end happily for Athelstan and his family and her. She doubted if Brand would ever be able to forgive her once he found out what she had done. She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. No one ever said that being responsible was easy. She owed a debt to Athelstan.
‘When do you want to go?’
‘Now, without delay.’ Edith covered her eyes and tried to think logically. ‘The sooner Athelstan is made aware of the situation and danger he has placed everyone in, the better.’
‘We won’t be back for supper and it is the final of the singing competition. You are the judge. And Brand Bjornson has promised to sing as well after you have crowned the victor. Starkad said that he has the most marvellous voice.’
Edith sank back on the bench. Hilda was right. If she went too quickly, Athelstan’s hiding place would be discovered. The best thing she could do tonight was not even to think about him. She had to put Athelstan in a little box and forget. Luckily she had experience with that sort of play-acting. It depressed her that until a few heartbeats ago she’d planned to share everything with Brand, but now there would be secrets between them. Edith bit her lip. ‘You are right. And you are willing to help or shall I go on my own?’
