Page 46 of Summer of the Viking

Cleofirth adopted a face of injured innocence. ‘It was an accident. My wife has already confessed. I panicked when I heard your new steward was coming looking for sheep and things. My wife will back me up.’

Valdar looked at her and slowly shook his head. She understood the unspoken message. ‘Where is Urien? Is she even here?’

‘She is in the house.’ Cleofirth ran his hand through his thinning hair. ‘Look, it is a simple misunderstanding. The room must have been here since before my time. I honestly thought it was just a few mouldy turnips not worth bothering with.’

‘Lady Alwynn should question Urien without you being there. In the interests of justice.’

Alwynn caught Valdar’s gaze. He wanted her to see Urien on her own. Alwynn’s stomach knotted. How much had she allowed to go unnoticed?

‘Somehow I doubt what you say, Cleofirth. You came to me accusing my new steward of being unjust, but it was you.’

He tugged at his collar. ‘It will not happen again. I’d...I’d forgotten about the sheep being in there. An honest oversight.’

Alwynn turned towards her new steward. Valdar’s face was implacable and his hand rested lightly on his sword. She was grateful that he was there and willing to back her up. ‘Valdar, I would like a complete inspection of this farm. I want to know precisely what has been hidden. How many other sheep have accidentally made it into this fold. A full accounting will be given to Lord Edwin when he returns. Cleofirth, you go with him. I will see Urien. She is an old friend.’

‘It would be my pleasure,’ Valdar said.

‘I have done right by her, even though she lost the bairn she’d been carrying. Third one since we married and then there was my little girl who died of the fever last winter,’ Cleofirth called out. ‘I swear that woman is cursed.’

Ice-cold fury entered Alwynn’s soul. All the things they whispered about her.

‘The child and your marriage to Urien was one of the reasons why my husband gave you this farm, do you remember?’

The man flushed red, but refused to answer.

Alwynn walked quickly over to the farmhouse.

‘Urien, I’ve come to see you,’ she called out. ‘After all this time...’

Urien stood beside the fire, stirring the pot. ‘My lady. It was me who done wrong with the sheep. I feared the Northmen would come and take them. They have before, like. My man is trying to cover for me. I herded them wrong during the storm and what with one thing and the next, there hasn’t been time. None of them died, like. I knows some of them is not ours, but promise me Cleofirth won’t be punished for something I’ve done.’

Urien burst into tears.

Alwynn went over and put her arm about Urien’s shoulders. The woman was far too thin. Urien shivered slightly and drew away from her. ‘It will be sorted. I believe Owain simply wants his sheep back. He is not seeking to press charges. Neither am I. But the law must be upheld. It will be for Lord Edwin to decide when he returns.’

‘That is good to know.’

‘You should come outside with me. It has been far too long since we sat and talked. I’ve missed that.’

‘I have the supper to be seeing to, my lady.’ Urien gave a quick curtsy. ‘Begging your pardon and no offence intended, but my man likes a hot meal at the end of the day.’

She pointedly went back to stirring the stew pot and keeping her face from Alwynn’s.

Alwynn crossed the small room and looked closely at Urien’s face. The bruising was clear and it appeared at some point she had had other injuries. Alwynn swallowed hard, hating that the woman had not felt able to turn to her. ‘Are you going to tell me who did this? Or do I have to guess?’

Tears filled the woman’s eyes. ‘It were my fault. It happened when I was milking the cows. I’m so ashamed about it. Right clumsy I am. Everyone will think...’ She reached out and grabbed Alwynn’s hand. ‘He is a good man. He has been good to me. Most of the time. And I wanted to let you know that the bairns I lost, they were his...not as some said... I’ve never had another man.’

Alwynn’s throat closed. She curled her fingers about Urien’s. In her heart she wondered if Urien was telling the full truth about her injuries. ‘If I had known about your face, I would have brought some salve.’

‘I’ll mend. I always do.’

‘It is no trouble. I grow my herbs to be used, not to collect dust.’

Urien gave a tiny smile. ‘Your concoctions are always welcome. But send someone else. You will be too busy at the hall. There is always so much to be done.’

Silently Alwynn promised to send Merri to visit in the morning. It was very possible Urien would say something to Merri as Merri could worm a secret out of a snail shell. ‘If you ever need it, you know there is place for you at my hearth. No questions asked.’

---