The Northumbrian Saga

Part 11

Aethelwin was too busy on the loom to worry about the knocking. It was too late in the evening for visitors and she knew it would not be Eadred. Ailith went to open the door.

Aethelwin heard her yelp in fright and turned curiously. There was a haggard looking man in the doorway, looking back at them with startling blue eyes in a dirty black face. No wonder Ailith had been frightened. Aethelwin stood up.

“Leodgar?”

A small weary smile touched his lips.

“Didn’t you think I would come back?”

Where have you been? She wanted to scream. But she was so relieved to see him and confused by his awful appearance that she bit back her words. They brought him in to sit by the fire and for a few quiet moments they fussed around him with food and ale.

Then Eadred appeared at the door with two of his men.

“You have guts coming back here, after all you have stolen from me.”

Leodgar's head sagged into his hands, but Eadred had no compassion for his exhaustion. He turned his attention to Aethelwin.

“I thought I told you what would happen if he came back? Do you think you are so much better than your lord that you can do as you want?”

“Eadred, My Lord,” Leodgar stood with some effort, his hands out in supplication. “I have only just returned, Aethelwin does not know where I have been or what I have had to endure. She is blameless.”

From within his coat he drew out a long silver chain. Eadred’s eyes followed the shiny metal greedily until it lay securely in his large hands. He stared at it incredulously, until another chain was laid beside it. Leodgar pulled out a small bag and passed it over as well, giving Aethelwin an apologetic grimace. Aethelwin didn’t mind. She knew it was the only way to diffuse the situation. Besides, whether it came into her hands at all did not matter, sooner or later it all eventually went to Eadred anyway.

“I have made some contacts who will buy more before winter.”

That broke the spell for Eadred. His eyes sharpened as he quickly tied the bag to his belt.

“You want to take more? You’ve taken a whole year’s worth of fabric and come back with one bag of scraps. You’re either a poor negotiator or else someone here is being tricked. I don’t like being tricked, Leodgar.”

“It’s the war, My Lord.”

“The war, the war. It’s always the war. Once, a man could lead his men into battle and come back with as much loot as he could carry. Now we’re lucky to come back with the clothes on our back. You say it’s because of the war, Aelle says it’s because of the war. Well I don’t believe it. Gold and silver just don’t vanish into thin air, someone is getting plenty of it, aren’t they?”

“My contacts have plenty of it, Lord Eadred. Now they know we have quality products, they will buy. I promise you on my life, you will be rich.”

A cruel sneer slowly marred Eadred’s face. He weighed the bag of silver greedily, menacingly.

“You already owe me your life Leodgar, and a year’s worth of fabric. Either way, I will collect what is owed.”

He gave them both a quick suspicious look then left with his men.

As soon as they had gone, Leodgar visibly relaxed. He collapsed gratefully back into the chair, his head resting heavily in his hands. He seemed to have aged ten years in a matter of seconds.

“What happened?”

“Would you believe me if I said I had been robbed?”

Aethelwin looked him up and down.