Читать книгу The Dream Weavers онлайн | страница 32

Eadburh stared at her. ‘Who?’

‘Prince Elisedd.’ Alfrida giggled. ‘Why else would he send you off with him to stare at a line of wooden stakes and a thousand men carrying baskets of mud for his wretched rampart when he could have sent one of his surveyors. Marriage is the best way to ensure peace between the kingdoms. He’s told us so often enough.’

‘So, if you know so much about it, who has he got in line for you?’ Ethelfled pushed back her stool and stood up suddenly. ‘Has he told you?’

Alfrida shook her head. ‘He keeps very close counsel, as we all know.’

‘Who keeps close counsel?’ Their mother swept into the room, two of her handmaids trailing after her carrying baskets of newly picked herbs. Cynefryth, unlike her daughters who all took their colouring from their father, had dark hair and sallow skin. Her eyes were hazel, and at this moment narrowed as she sent a sharp glance at each of the girls in turn.

‘Papa.’ Alfrida met her mother’s eye defiantly. ‘We were discussing our marital fate.’ Her voice carried a touch of bitterness. ‘I presume that was why he allowed Eadburh to go riding with King Cadell’s son this afternoon. At least she gets to lay eyes on her intended husband.’

‘I don’t know where you get the idea that Offa intends anyone to marry that young man,’ their mother said curtly. ‘He has mentioned no such thing to me.’

‘Thank the Blessed Virgin for that!’ Eadburh said fervently. ‘Can I help you with your herbs, Mama. Sewing bores me.’ She threw down her work. ‘And no doubt if we are all to be queens like you, we don’t need to excel in that particular skill.’ She glared at Alfrida, who loved embroidery.

Cynefryth suppressed a sigh of exasperation and walked back towards the door. ‘Come along then. These were picked this morning while the moon was still in the sky; I have to see to their steeping while they still hold the life force of the moonlight, and there are salves to make.’ She did not add that there were spells to add and charms to recite, known only to her, which was why she did not leave the task to a local herb-wife.