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towering over the mattress. He glowered, and the housecarls shifted their weight forward. Instantly she sank to her knees, her pale gold-green eyes blinking up at him, framed by the gold-and-scarlet veil. The room smelled, for some reason, like drying hay. “You were never their puppet, sire,” she said firmly. “I think you do not realize how much power you truly have. You were—and are—the only choice for the throne. You have no heirs yet, sire, nor is there anyone fool enough to supplant you. Godwin is the only man with the means to try, but if he did that, my husband and Siward would join to defeat him. Your kingship is the only means to keep the balance.”
    He gave her a puzzled blue-eyed frown. “Exactly. That is why I require the heregeld. How can you say these things and then suggest I abolish the only way I have of securing my position, woman?”
    â€œYou miss my meaning, sire. Abolishing the heregeld now would be an act of brilliant statesmanship, for you would be telling all the earls that you know they will keep you on your throne, even without a private army to protect you.” She leaned in slightly closer to him and rested her hand upon the woolen bedcover. Alden cleared his throat warningly and the frowning housecarls took a step toward her; she withdrew her hand and pressed it to her chest, again fingering her necklaces. “Disband your mercenary bodyguard. Rely on the fyrd —your lords, and their men under them—to perform defense, as it was in our fathers’ fathers’ time, stretching back to the days of Rome. Behave as if you’ve nothing to fear from your earls—what could demonstrate more strength than that?”
    Edward glanced over her head into the dusky corner of the small room. He was considering it. Edgiva would be so pleased with her!
    â€œNot to mention the adoration you would receive,” she added, “from all corners of England. Tell the masses their lords are such loyal and devoted subjects to your rule that it is now possible to do away with the heregeld. Then, the lords are pleased because you have extolled them to their people. The people are pleased because you have guaranteed them calm and safety. The lords and the people are pleased because the heregeld goes away. Everyone is satisfied.”
    Edward huffed, sardonically, and returned his watery gaze to her face. “There is no event in history in which everyone is satisfied,” he informed her.
    â€œThe few who are not, they are malcontents who never will be satisfied anyhow,” she argued. “And who, if they wanted to sow discord, would do so even if you had the largest mercenary bodyguard in all of Christendom.” She caught herself, realized she had been earnest and hearty where usually she would be deliberate and coy. She had actually used a tone with him she only ever used with Leofric, a voice nearly male, in that it was not deliberately feminine. It was not her coaxing voice.
    She took a moment, to regain her coaxing voice.
    She slowed her speaking, and fixed her gaze on his lips. “Those who matter will be very . . . satisfied with you,” she said coaxingly. “Speaking as one of them, I swear it.” Here she carefully lowered her chin but kept her eyes lifted up, and met his. She began to reach out toward the coverlet again, but thought better of it. Instead she leaned her upright body toward the bed.
    He looked at her a long moment without speaking. The room was very still. “It would satisfy you?” he asked.
    She smiled. “Yes, sire,” she said, lowering her voice to near a whisper. “It would satisfy me greatly.” She immediately blushed—being able to blush at will was a tremendous advantage for her, and the shade of red in this particular veil always made the blush look deeper. She sat back a little and shifted her shoulders. “And I am sure many others as well, sire,” she added.