CHAPTER 10“Yesterday,” I said to Hereward.
It was early morning, the beginnings of light only just managing to peep through the bars of the bear’s cage. I was sitting opposite the beast while Hereward stroked its great head and sang it rude songs in Norwegian.
I had first heard of it the day after our arrival when, summoned to the bedside of the injured Matilda, I had found her lecturing a restless Hereward, who sat astride a stool, drumming feet and fingers through her words.
“You know I am very pleased to see you here — the Lord knows Torfrida and I have every cause to be! But it won’t do, you know!”
“I’ll leave as soon as I have seen my godfather.”
The words were not pettish or defiant, merely matter-of-fact. My eyes flew to his face — veiled and carefully expressionless — the morn
