Aldred gasped. “You didn’t know about Inge?”

“No.”

“And I never mentioned it. I thought you’d prefer not to talk about her.” Aldred was struck by a thought. “He wants a son.”

“What?”

“You said that to me about Wilf. ‘He wants a son.’ I knew there was something odd in that conversation, but I couldn’t figure out what. Now I know. Wilf already had a son—but you didn’t know. What a fool I am.”

“I didn’t come here to put the blame on you.” On the north wall was a built-in stone bench: at the Christmas service, when the whole town had crowded in here, older citizens who were unable to stand for a whole hour had sat tightly packed on that cold, narrow shelf. Now Ragna nodded toward it and said: “Let’s sit down.”

When they were settled, Aldred said: “Inge was the reason King Ethelred gave for refusing to acknowledge your marriage.”

That shocked her. “But Wynstan had royal approval in advance—he told us!” she said indignantly.

“Either Wynstan lied, or Ethelred changed his mind. But I think Inge is just a pretext. Ethelred was angry with Wilf for not paying the fine.”

“This is why the bishops didn’t come to my wedding—because the king disapproved of the marriage.”

“I’m afraid so. Then Ethelred fined Wilf sixty pounds for marrying you. But Wilf hasn’t paid the fine. Now he’s even more out of favor.”

Ragna was dismayed. “Can’t Ethelred do anything?”

“He could ravage Shiring. That’s what he did to Rochester about fifteen years ago, in a quarrel with Bishop Elfstan, but it’s a bit extreme, and Ethelred later regretted it.”

“So a nobleman can just defy the king and get away with it?”

“Not indefinitely,” said Aldred. “It reminds me of the famous case of Thane Wulfbald. He repeatedly ignored the rulings of the royal court and refused to pay fines and got away with it. Eventually his lands passed into the possession of the king, but not until Wulfbald was dead.”

“I had no idea my husband was so badly at odds with his king—no one told me!”

“I assumed you knew but did not want to talk about it. Wynstan would have told Wilf’s family not to say anything to you. The servants probably don’t even know about it, although they seem to find these things out eventually.”

“Am I even married to Wilf?”

“Yes, you are. Inge was set aside, and Wilf married you. The church disapproves of the setting aside and of the marriage, but English law does not forbid either.”

“What am I to do?”

“Fight back.”

“It’s not just Inge, it’s Wynstan and Gytha and Wigelm and Milly and even Garulf.”

“I know. They form a powerful faction. But you have a magic weapon that will overcome them all.”

She wondered if he was going to turn pious on her. “Do you mean God?”

“No, though it’s always wise to ask for His help.”

“So what is my special weapon?”