Free The Chosen Queen by Joanna Courtney

assessment,’ Harold agreed, ‘but a protective mother all the same and Lord Alfgar will not want his daughter de-flowered. If nothing else it would greatly lessen her
value at court.’
    ‘Harold!’
    ‘Well, it would. Come now, my love, what would you have me do?’
    Svana shook herself.
    ‘I know not. Just, well . . . the sooner Alfgar is pardoned and back in East Anglia the better for his daughter.’
    ‘If not for England.’
    ‘Alfgar does well enough as an earl.’
    ‘Praise indeed.’
    ‘Please, Harold – for the girl.’
    ‘Very well. I’ll talk to the king and I’ll send forces to Hereford. Griffin will look to attack, I’m sure, and once he does we can meet them and peace can be
arranged.’
    ‘Could we not just arrange peace now?’
    Harold laughed.
    ‘It does not work that way, Svana.’
    ‘Why not?’
    ‘Why not? I don’t know. There needs to be a show of force, I suppose, so both sides can be judged.’
    ‘My fighting man,’ Svana breathed softly, an allusion to the emblem he bore so proudly on his cloak and shield.
    Her own was a laden vine and she much preferred its delicacy to Harold’s tough, dark figure but she believed everyone had the right to be their own person and she had to remember that
now.
    ‘
Your
fighting man,’ Harold agreed, just as softly, pulling her close, but at that moment the clink of jesses heralded Godwin’s eager return. Svana bowed graciously
away.
    ‘I shall leave you to it and ride back to help Elaine create a fine feast for my falconers.’
    ‘Oh, good,’ Godwin said. ‘I’m starving. Can it be just us? Not Edmund and Magnus?’
    ‘Are your brothers not allowed to eat?’
    ‘They can, but in the nursery.’
    ‘How then will you tell them of your success with Artemis?’
    Svana watched Godwin struggle with this conundrum and smiled at Harold over his little head. She was glad to see her husband had relaxed again and reminded herself not to touch further on
matters of war. Harold was here too rarely to spoil their time with quarrels.
    ‘I suppose they can come,’ Godwin conceded now, ‘but I get served first.’
    ‘We’ll see,’ Svana said lightly and kissed him and Harold before heading back to Spirit.
    She would order luncheon and afterwards she would reply to Edyth and urge her to caution until such time as she could be safely brought back to England.

CHAPTER SIX

    Rhuddlan, July 1055
    My dearest Lady Edyth,
    I am touched and honoured that you have written to me and would happily give my time to however many words you would be kind enough to send. I am glad you are well and being made welcome
     at Rhuddlan. I hope you enjoy your time in King Griffin’s court but hope too that you will soon be returned to us in England.
    I am certain any overtures your father might make to King Edward would be welcome. If you could persuade him to prostrate himself you could soon be back in East Anglia and could,
     perhaps, come and stay on my estate? Harold is often away on the king’s business and I would greatly value your company if your mother could spare you. We live simply here but you would
     be well cared for.
    I trust you are safe in Wales. I am sure there is much to learn and to experience but do not rush, I beg of you. Be wary of the price of gifts, for I would see you home not too much
     changed from the Edyth who rode forth. King Griffin is a brave king but, perhaps, a dangerous man. Do take care, my sweet.
    With very fond wishes,
    Svana
    ‘God’s truth,’ Edyth muttered to herself, ‘what do they all think I’m going to do – besiege his bed?’
    She tossed her head indignantly, trying to ignore the sneaking awareness that the idea was far from unpleasant to her. She had been in Wales for three months now and Griffin had remained
flatteringly attentive. She had come to enjoy the aching tug of his touch in a dance and sometimes, when she lay in bed with her younger brothers sleeping soundly on pallets either side, she pulled
a