He said: “How do you like Wilwulf’s family?”

“I’ve talked to Gytha, and she has accepted that I’m to be mistress here; but I have a lot to learn and I wish I could depend on her help.”

“I feel sure you’ll win everyone’s affection. I’ve seen you do it.”

“I hope you’re right.”

She was wary, but nevertheless Aldred was not sure she fully understood what she had let herself in for. He said: “It’s unusual for two brothers to be bishop and ealdorman in the same territory. It gives a great deal of power to one family.”

“It makes sense. Wilf needs someone he can trust as bishop.”

Aldred hesitated. “I wouldn’t say he exactly trusts Wynstan.”

Ragna looked interested.

Aldred had to be careful of his words. To him, Wilwulf and his family were wild cats in a cage, always on the brink of attacking one another, kept from violence only by self-interest; but he did not want to say so bluntly to Ragna, for fear of demoralizing her. He needed to warn her without scaring her. “I’d say his brothers are less likely to surprise him, that’s all.”

“The king must like the family, to have given them such power.”

“Perhaps he did, once.”

“What do you mean?”

She did not know, Aldred realized. “Wilwulf is out of favor with King Ethelred because of the treaty with your father. He should have asked the king’s permission.”

“He told us that permission would be readily forthcoming.”

“It wasn’t.”

“My father was worried about that. Was Wilf punished?”

“He was fined by the king. But he hasn’t paid the fine. He thinks Ethelred is being unreasonable.”

“What will happen?”

“Nothing much, in the short term. If a nobleman boldly defies the royal court, there’s not much a king can do immediately. In the long run, who knows?”

“Is there anyone who acts as a counterbalance to the family’s power? Any post Wilf was unable to fill with his own appointee?”

It was the key question, and Ragna went up in Aldred’s estimation for asking it. She had learned everything her father had to teach her, Aldred guessed, and perhaps she had even added wisdom of her own. “Yes,” he said. “The sheriff, Denewald.”

“Sheriff? We don’t have such a thing in Normandy.”

“He’s the shire reeve, the king’s representative in the locality. Wilwulf wanted Wigelm to have the job, but King Ethelred refused and put in his own man. They may call him Ethelred the Misled, but he’s not completely stupid.”

“Is it an important role?”

“Sheriffs have recently grown more powerful.”

“How come?”

“It has to do with the Vikings. Twice in the last six years Ethelred has bought off a Viking invasion with a cash payment—but it’s hugely expensive. Six years ago he paid ten thousand pounds; three years ago it was sixteen thousand.”

“We heard about that in Normandy. My father said it was like feeding a lion in the hope that it would stop him eating you.”