To Love Again - Bertrice Small [184]
Across the hall, Aelfa sat upon the floor with Nellwyn, giggling as they played with Aurora. They made a most charming picture, even if that was precisely what Aelfa had intended, Cailin thought angrily, wondering why the others could not see the girl for the schemer she was. In time, that little voice counseled her wisely. In time.
Chapter 17
There would never be a Beltane celebration, Cailin thought pensively, when she would not remember the tragedy that had struck her family. The merriment of the festival would always be tinged with sadness for her. When she and Wulf had returned to Britain last year, the holiday had been a subdued one for them because they were too involved with rebuilding their lives. This year, however, it was different. The fields were already green with new grain. There was an air of new hope about them that she could not remember having felt in all her life.
The weather was perfect, and despite the impending birth of her child, Cailin arose early to gather flowering branches for the hall. She took Aurora with her, and upon their return, Cailin noticed Nellwyn and Aelfa loitering about the hall’s gates, flirting with the men on duty. She called sharply to Nellwyn to come and take Aurora, and scolded Aelfa for her idleness. Then she hurried into the hall, hearing laughter behind her and knowing that Aelfa had probably said something rude.
Cailin could not understand why the girl’s memory had not returned. She had not been that badly injured when they had found her. In fact neither her head nor her face had been touched, it seemed. She had been treated with great kindness in the weeks she was with them. Cailin suspected that the girl knew full well who her people were and where she had come from, but would say nothing lest she be dislodged from her comfortable place at Caddawic, which was obviously better than anything she had ever known. Cailin realized that she did not want Aelfa at Cadda-wic much longer. If the girl could or would not remember, then a husband must be found for her in one of the villages by summer’s end. Cailin was perfectly willing to supply the dowry, but Aelfa must go.
“Mama! Mama! See fire!” Aurora, who was snuggled into her mother’s arms, pointed with fat little fingers at the Beltane fires leaping up across the hillsides as the sun set.
“Aye, Aurora, I see,” Cailin answered her daughter.
“Pretty,” Aurora said. “Look at Papa!”
Cailin smiled as Wulf leapt the fire, laughing, and then other men and women both began to follow him.
“Mama jump!” Aurora commanded her mother.
“Nay, precious, not this year,” Cailin laughed. “I am too fat with the new baby. Next year,” she promised.
Aelfa leapt over the flames, her pale gold hair flying. She was laughing, and Cailin had to admit, even grudgingly, that she was beautiful. The men clustered about her like bees to a honey pot. Corio had come from Braleah village just to see her, but Aelfa did not seem to favor him, to his great disappointment. Her two favorite swains were men-at-arms, Albert and Bran-hard, who vied mightily for her attention. It was just as well, Cailin thought. She was sorry to see the look of hurt on Corio’s face, but she also knew he could do better than Aelfa if he really desired a wife. She watched, half amused, half annoyed, as Aelfa disappeared into the darkness, first with one of her admirers, and then returned with him to shortly go off with the other.
“She has the morals of a mink,” Cailin said to Wulf. “She will have those two at each other’s throats before the night is out.”
“She is young, and it is Beltane,” he answered mildly.
“We must find her a husband, and the sooner the better, from what I have observed here tonight, my lord,” Cailin told him severely. The gods! She sounded like an old woman! What was the matter with her?
“I suspect you are right, lambkin,” he answered, to her great surprise. “She is far too lovely a maid to be allowed to run freely much longer. I cannot have dissension among my men