The Edge of Light by Joan Wolf Read Free Book Online

the foreboding reply. “It was the Lady Judith who nursed the king while he lay ill. It seems she too has contracted the fever.”
    “I want to go to her, Ethelbert,” Alfred said. “Poor Judith. She is all alone.”
    But Ethelbert would not hear of sending his youngest brother into the contagion of Wilton, and Judith was left to suffer alone. Ethelbert had been crowned by the time they learned that though Judith herself would recover, she had lost Ethelbald’s child.
    It was June before Ethelbert and Ethelred would allow Alfred to go to Wilton to visit Judith. He was grieved to find her pale and drawn-looking and listless. He felt horribly guilty that she had been left to suffer her losses alone, and exerted himself to divert her. But nothing he did seemed to help.
    Alfred had been at Wilton for two weeks when the news came that the Danes had attacked Winchester, Alfred listened to the men in the hall and then ran to tell Judith.
    She was in the garden, sitting empty-handed on a bench, staring into space. She did that often. Too often. It worried Alfred greatly.
    “Judith,” he said now as he reached the bench and flung himself down beside her. “A messenger has just ridden in with terrible news. The Danes have attacked Winchester. They brought their ships up the Itchen and sacked the city!”
    Her blank gaze transferred itself to his face. Then she roused herself to ask, “Did no one withstand them?”
    “Osric called up the fyrd from Hampshire, and Ethelwulf, Ealdorman of Berkshire, did the same. The messenger who came here is asking for men from Wiltshire to assist as well. They are going to try to get back some of the booty before the Danes could finish loading it on their ships.” Alfred jumped to his feet again and began to pace up and down in front of Judith. “I wish I could go!”
    “No!” That seemed to reach her as nothing else had. “No, Alfred!” she repeated. “You are too young. You do not turn ten until next month.” She added, as if repeating a talisman, “You are too young.”
    “That is what the thanes said,” came Alfred’s reply. He sounded bitter.
    “Where …” Judith drew a long breath. “Where,” she tried again, “is Ethelbert? Where is … the king?”
    “In Surrey.”
    There was a silence. Alfred continued to pace up and down. Judith stared now at her lap. At last she said, very low, “It did not take them long to seize advantage of Ethelbald’s death.”
    Alfred halted. There was a little silence, then he said, “It is true that Ethelbert has not the reputation Ethelbald had as a warrior. And perhaps not the ability. But Ethelbert is no coward, Judith. He will know how to defend Wessex.”
    “I hope so.” Her voice was muffled. Her bent head hid her face.
    “Judith …” Alfred broached the question he had long been wanting to ask. “Judith, what are you going to do now?”
    “I think I must return to France,” she answered, her voice still not perfectly clear.
    He came to sit beside her once more. “If you do, will your father force you to marry again?”
    She shrugged. “I am a woman now, Alfred, not a girl, and I do not care what my father may wish.” At last she raised her head to look at him, and her large brown eyes were very somber. “If ever I marry again,” she said, “it will be my choice, and no one else’s.” She sounded as if she were making a vow.
    Alfred stared at her. “Did you … did you love Ethelbald?” he asked at last in a very small voice.
    Her face was oddly still. “Yes. I think I did.”
    Alfred said, “I think you are right; I think you should go back to France.” She turned to him in surprise; she had not expected this reaction from him. “It is too hard for you here in Wessex,” he said sadly. “There are too many memories.”
    “Yes.” Quite suddenly her voice shook. “I feel so old, Alfred. I am only eighteen, yet I feel so very old.” She squared her shoulders and rose to her feet. “Come,” she said,