bland and pleasant, and his thoughts to himself.
When Swanne reopened her eyes, it was to notice that the entire world seemed to have
changed.
No longer was she the sole object of attention within her circle of clerics, thegns and
musicians.
Instead, all of their eyes—indeed, every eye within the hall!—was watching as Caela and
several of her attending ladies walked slowly and assuredly up the hall towards Harold and his
company.
It must have been Caela and her party who had entered the hall after Aldred. But why
wasn‘t Caela with her husband? What was she doing here? Swanne had never known Caela to do
something like this.
It was far too bold for the contemptuous wretch.
And the way she walked. She was so confident, so majestic.
So sure of herself.
Every eye in the hall was riveted on Caela, and not merely because of her surprising
entrance.
Because of the way she walked. That wasn‘t like Caela at all. Not even a Caela who had
suddenly recalled her previous life.
Swanne felt her heart thudding within her chest. There was something about the way
Caela moved, something in the way she held herself. Something Swanne should have recognised,
and yet it remained curiously just out of reach. Damn her!
She swivelled about on her seat, and stared towards Caela who was, by now, within ten
paces of Harold.
And the empty chair beside him.
Nausea and cold disbelief gripped Swanne in equal amounts. Caela was about to take
Swanne”s place at Harold‘s side.
Apart from making an inelegant and highly embarrassing dash to get to the chair before
Caela, there was absolutely nothing Swanne could do about it.
Caela was about to take Swanne‘s place at the top of the hall. Caela!
That Caela, both as Queen of England and as Harold‘s sister and equal, had every right to
take that chair did not enter Swanne‘s mind. That she herself had disdained to sit with Harold did
not cause Swanne a moment‘s thought. All she could think of was that Caela was going to take
her place at the head of the hall.
Then, just as Caela reached the group of nowstanding men, she turned around in a move
so elegant and lissome that Swanne had trouble believing that it was Caela standing there at all, faced Swanne, and extended one long, white graceful hand and arm behind her to the chair by
Harold‘s side.
―If I may, sister?‖ she said, smiling with sweetness at Swanne. ―This is your seat, after
all.‖
Swanne was so furious her entire body tensed, and she almost growled. Caela had her
trapped. Swanne simply could not refuse her permission without appearing scandalously
ungracious.
Every eye in the hall was on her.
A moment passed.
Something changed within Caela‘s smile, something so subtle that Swanne was sure no
one else would have noted it. Swanne realised that Caela was deliberately provoking her. For the
sheer enjoyment of it.
―As my queen wishes,‖ Swanne said. Then, as Caela bowed her head in acceptance, and
started to turn back to Harold, Swanne added, ―And, if you wish, you can also take my place in
your brother‘s bed. We all know how much you have both lusted for it.‖
Absolute silence filled the hall. No one could believe Swanne had said that. Rumour and
innuendo was one thing, outright accusation another.
As one, eyes turned from Swanne to Caela.
Among them, Asterion was absolutely incredulous. If he didn”t mind his way, Swanne
would dig her own grave before he could manage it for her! Gods! The intemperance of the
woman.
He narrowed his eyes, intrigued as to how Caela would react.
Caela tilted her head slightly, her still face composed, and regarded Swanne thoughtfully.
―Even if your own tastes have been bred within the dung heap, sister, then you should think
twice before ascribing them to others. If you find my purity unbearable, then think not to
besmirch it with your own foulness.‖
Swanne froze in humiliation and fury, unable for the moment to respond.
Caela‘s eyes shifted slightly, looking to Archbishop Aldred, sitting a few places from
Swanne, and looking as shocked as everyone else. ―Perhaps, my lord archbishop,‖ she said, ―you
might take my Lady Swanne aside for some instruction in manners. Such careless accusations,
bred within privy pits and spoken with spitefulness, are the wont only of barnyard sows
accustomed to rolling in muck. They are not becoming to those who believe themselves ladies of
the realm.‖
With that, Caela turned her back to Swanne, smiled at Harold (who had been glaring at
Swanne with silent promises of later retribution), took his hand and allowed herself to be
escorted to the chair beside his.
Behind her, thegns slowly began to drift away from Swanne‘s group, thinning it to such
an extent that within minutes there remained only Swanne, the highly embarrassed archbishop,
the equally embarrassed, but also angry, abbot, and a Welsh bard, who looked as if he did not
know whether to continue singing or not.
―I am most sorry for that,‖ Harold murmured as Caela sat down. He was studying her as
many others were, surprised that the queen had managed to best Swanne in the verbal exchange.
―You spoke well, sister. Swanne has ever had a vicious tongue, and that little jest of hers was
unbecoming in the extreme.‖
It was what Harold had to say, even if, in his heart, he was writhing in shame. What had
Swanne seen when she”d walked in on him and Caela that single time they”d let their passions
rule their heads?
Caela shrugged, looking utterly unperturbed. ―Swanne is…Swanne. It is no matter to me,
brother. Now, Judith shall stay with me, and my other ladies may interest themselves as they see
fit in the hall.‖
She waved away her attending ladies, save for Judith who sat on a stool Saeweald had
placed beside Caela‘s chair, and nodded greetings to her brother Tostig and the other men who
were now resuming their seats about Harold. Tostig was regarding her as thoughtfully as most
others were: that exchange was not what he would have expected from the girl he had known so
many years.
―What great conference have I interrupted, Harold, Tostig?‖ Caela said. ―Such grave
faces you all wear!‖
Harold glanced at Judith, and Caela reached down a hand to the woman, keeping her eyes
steady on Harold‘s face. ―I trust Judith with my life,‖ she said. ―You may also.‖
Harold looked again to Judith, then to Saeweald, who gave a very slight nod.
―Very well,‖ he said, then he sighed, and rubbed a hand over his suddenly haggard face.
―Not good news, Caela. I have heard that Harold Hardrada has agents within this court. I fear
their intent.‖
Tostig rolled his eyes. ―Our brother has turned to womanly fancies, sister.‖
―The intelligence is good!‖ Harold snapped.
―What do you fear, Harold?‖ Caela said.
―Hardrada wants England, he has made no secret of this. I worry that he will try to
smooth his way to the throne with some silent, treacherous action.‖
―Do you fear for yourself, Harold?‖ Tostig asked softly. ―Why, the last I heard, you had
surrounded yourself with an army to keep unwanted daggers at bay.‖
Harold gave Tostig a dark look, but did not respond to his taunt.
―Can you discover who they are?‖ Caela said.
Harold nodded. ―Within a day or two. My men know where one of the agents, a man
named Ölafson, hides. I will have him taken, and questioned.‖
Caela grimaced. She knew precisely what Harold meant by that ―questioned‖.
To one side, Tostig‘s face had suddenly gone very still.
―Ah!‖ Harold continued, ―if only I had the knowledge of the angels on my side, and knew
when Edward will finally gasp his last. Then I could plan the better to meet any challengers.
But,‖ he shrugged, smiling wryly now, ―who can know such things?‖
Caela started to speak, then stopped, indecision written across her face. She exchanged a
glance with Saeweald, then dropped her gaze to her lap.
―What do you know, sister?‖ Harold asked very quietly. ―You share his chamber
intimately. Is there something you can share?‖
She lifted her eyes to his. ―Edward will not live more than a few days past the New Year
celebrations.‖
There was an utter silence as everyone stared at her.
―How can you know this?‖ asked Wulfstan, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. ―Such
knowledge is witchery, surely.‖
Caela regarded the bishop very calmly. ―I know this,‖ she said, ―because, as Harold has
said, I am my husband‘s wife, and I know his every breath and manner. And I know this because
my husband‘s physician,‖ again she glanced at Saeweald, ―tells me that Edward has not long to
live. And…and I have dreamed it. An angel has indeed come to me and told me as much.‖
People nodded, accepting her explanation. But again, as before, Tostig‘s face was very