When they entered the great hall, Ethelred was deep in conversation with one of his clerks. Queen Emma was not present. Ethelred held up a hand to tell Wynstan and Gytha to wait. They stood a few paces away while the king finished his conversation. Then the clerk left and Ethelred beckoned.

Wynstan began: “The child of my brother Wigelm and the lady Ragna is a healthy boy who seems likely to live, my lord king.”

“Good!” said Ethelred.

“It is indeed good news, though it threatens to destabilize the ealdormanry of Shiring.”

“How so?”

“First, you have given Ragna permission to go to the nunnery at Dreng’s Ferry. There, of course, she will be away from the influence of the ealdorman. Second, she has the ealdorman’s only child. Third, even if the baby should die, Ragna also has Wilwulf’s three young sons.”

“I see what you’re getting at,” said the king. “You think she could easily become the figurehead of a rebellion against Wigelm. People might say that her children were the true heirs.”

Wynstan was pleased that the king saw the point so quickly. “Yes, my lord king.”

“And do you propose a course of action?”

“There is only one. Ragna must marry Wigelm. Then Wigelm has no rivals.”

“Of course, that would resolve the issue,” said Ethelred. “But I’m not going to do it.”

Wynstan burst out: “Why on earth not?”

“First, because she has set her face against it. She might well refuse to take the vows.”

“You may leave it to me to deal with that,” Wynstan said. He knew how to make people do what they did not want to do.

Ethelred looked disapproving, but did not comment. Instead he said: “Second, because I have promised my wife that I will not force the marriage.”

Wynstan gave a man-to-man chuckle. “My lord king, a promise to a woman . . .”

“You don’t know much about marriage, do you, bishop?”

Wynstan bowed his head. “Of course not, my lord king.”

“I’m not willing to break my promise to my wife.”

“I understand.”

“Go away and think of a different solution.” Ethelred turned away dismissively.

Wynstan and Gytha bowed and left the house.

As soon as they were out of earshot Wynstan said: “So one troublemaking Norman bitch supports the other!”

Gytha said nothing. Wynstan glanced at his mother. She was deep in thought.

They went to Gytha’s house, and she poured a cup of wine for him.

He took a long draught and said. “I don’t know what to do now.”

“I have a suggestion,” said Gytha.

* * *

Wynstan came to Ragna’s house and said: “We need to have a serious talk.”

She looked at him with suspicion. He wanted something, of course. “Don’t ask me to marry your brother,” she said.

“I don’t think you understand your situation.”

He was his usual arrogant self, except that he touched his pectoral cross. She thought that was a sign of a hidden lack of confidence, which was unusual in Wynstan. She said: “Enlighten me.”

“You can leave here any time you like.”

“The king said so.”

“And you can take Wilwulf’s children.”

It took a moment for her to see the implication, but when she did she was horrified. “I will take all my children!” she said. “Including Alain.”

“You’re not being offered that option.” Wynstan touched the cross again. “You can leave Shiring, but you can’t take the ealdorman’s only son with you.”

“He’s my baby!”

“He is, and naturally you want to raise him yourself. That’s why you have to marry Wigelm.”

“Never.”

“Then you must leave your baby here. There is no third choice.”

A cold weight settled in the pit of Ragna’s stomach. Involuntarily she looked over at the cradle, as if to make sure Alain was still there. He was sleeping soundly.

Wynstan put on a treacly voice. “He’s a beautiful baby. Even I can see that.”

There was something so malign in the insincere compliment that Ragna felt nauseated.

“I have to raise him,” Ragna said. “I’m his mother.”

“There’s no shortage of mothers. Gytha, my own mother, is longing to take charge of her first grandchild.”

That infuriated Ragna. “So that she can raise him the way she raised you and Wigelm?” she said. “To be cruel and selfish and violent!”

To her surprise, Wynstan stood up. “Take your time,” he said. “Think about it. Let us know your decision in due course.” He went out.

Ragna knew she had to resist immediately and fiercely. “Cat,” she said. “Please go and ask if Queen Emma can see me as soon as possible.”

Cat left, and Ragna brooded. Had she been granted a false liberation? To be allowed to go only if she left her baby behind was no freedom at all. Surely Ethelred could not have meant that?

Ragna expected Cat to come back with a message saying when she could see Queen Emma, but when Cat returned she said breathlessly: “My lady, the queen is here.”

Emma walked in.

Ragna stood up and bowed, then Emma kissed her.

“I’ve just seen Bishop Wynstan,” Ragna said. “He says that if I don’t marry Wigelm they will take my baby from me.”

“Yes,” said Emma. “Gytha explained that to me.”

Ragna frowned. Gytha must have gone to see Emma at the same time as Wynstan spoke to Ragna. This was planned and coordinated. Ragna said: “Does the king know?”

“Yes,” Emma said again.

Emma’s face frightened Ragna. She looked worried, but not horrified or even shocked. What her face showed was pity. That was scary.

Ragna felt that she was losing control of her life again. “But the king freed me. What does that mean?”

“It means that you cannot be imprisoned, and the king will not force you to marry a man you loathe; but also you cannot take away the ealdorman’s son. His only son, I believe.”

“But then I’m not free after all!”

“You face a hard choice. I didn’t foresee this.” The queen went to the door. “I’m very sorry.” She left.

Ragna felt as if she were in a nightmare. For a moment she considered taking the first option, abandoning her child to be raised by Gytha. Anything to avoid marriage to the loathsome Wigelm. And after all, Alain was the product of a rape. But as soon as she looked at him, lying in his cot sleeping peacefully, she knew she could not do it, not if they made her marry five Wigelms.

Edgar walked in. She recognized him through her tears. She stood up, and he enfolded her in his arms. “Is it true?” he said to Ragna. “Everyone says you have to marry Wigelm or give up Alain!”

“It’s true,” Ragna said. Her tears soaked into the wool of his tunic.

“What are you going to do?” said Edgar.

Ragna did not answer.

“What are you going to do?” he repeated.

“I’m going to leave my baby,” she said.

* * *

“No, no, this won’t do!” Wynstan said angrily.

“It’s happening,” said Wigelm. “Edgar is helping her pack all her possessions. She’s going to leave the baby behind.”

“She will still have Wilwulf’s three young sons. People will say they are the genuine heirs. We’re hardly better off.”

Wigelm said: “We have to kill her. It’s the only way to be rid of her.”

They were at their mother’s house, and now she interrupted them. “You can’t kill Ragna,” Gytha said. “Not right under the nose of the king. He couldn’t let you get away with it.”

“We could put the blame on someone else.”

Gytha shook her head. “Nobody really believed that last time. They won’t even pretend to believe a second time.”

Wigelm said: “We’ll do it when the king’s gone.”

Wynstan said: “Idiot, Ragna will be safely ensconced in the nunnery on Leper Island by then.”

“Well, what are we going to do?”

Gytha said: “We’re all going to calm down.”

“What good is that?” said Wigelm.

“You’ll see. Just wait.”

* * *

That night Edgar and Ragna slept together in her house. They lay on the rushes, in each other’s arms, but they did not make love: they were much too distressed. Edgar took consolation from holding Ragna. She pressed her body to his in a way that seemed loving but also desperate.

She fed the baby twice in the night. Edgar dozed but he suspected that Ragna did not sleep at all. They got up as soon as it was light.

Edgar went into the town center and rented two carts for the journey. He had them brought into the compound and stationed outside Ragna’s house. While the children were given breakfast, he loaded most of the baggage on one cart. He put all the cushions and blankets on the other, for the women and children to sit on. He saddled Buttress and put Astrid on a leading rein.

He was getting what he had longed for over many years, but he could not rejoice. He thought Ragna might eventually get over the loss of Alain, but he feared it could take a long time.

They all had their traveling clothes and shoes on. Gilda and Winthryth were coming with them, as well as Cat and the bodyguards. They all walked out of the house, Ragna carrying Alain.

Gytha was waiting to take him.

The servants and children climbed onto the cart.

Everyone looked at Ragna.