I left the Jutland freemen with assurances of non-belligerence from Norway, and from me in return receiving promises of allegiance to Cnut. There was no hint of the trouble to come; not that I departed convinced of their trustworthiness – far from it. Their eyes did not share their smiles and reassurances.
My visit to Olaf served to gain respite, a blessing given my family situation. Estrid gave birth to a healthy babe soon after my return to Heidaby – our second son, Bjørn. His name is ‘bear’ in our language as I wished to honour my ancestor’s ursine origins. There would come a day, God willing, when Bjørn’s grip will crush a hand but for the moment it curled gently around my forefinger.
I remember those weeks of calm, shared with my wife and children as the happiest of my life. But the
