“Well,” said Eglaf, “this is about
what I expected when your brother came. Good
it has been to have you here; and I think that I shall
see you as a housecarl for good yet. When do
you go?”
“The first time that I do not turn up on guard
I am gone, not till then.”
“Come and drink a farewell cup first.”
“I shall be in a great hurry if I do not do
that,” I answered, laughing.
But it was my thought that maybe when once my back
was turned on the town, I should not have time to
think of going near King Alsi’s guard.
Then I went to find Ragnar the earl, for we thought
it well that he should know what was on hand.
But when I came to the house of the thane with whom
he was quartered, they told me that he had gone hastily
with all his men, for word had come of some rising
in his land that must be seen to at once. That
was bad; and as one must find a reason for everything,
I thought that the going of Griffin had much to do
with the outbreak. There I was wrong, as I found
later. But then, too, I knew that the craft of
Alsi was at work in this message. He had his own
reasons for wishing the earl out of the way.
Long spoke Withelm and the priest David together,
until it was time for them to seek the palace; and
when they came there, they spoke to Mord also.
Then David thought it was well to say naught to Havelok
until more was learned from Goldberga herself, for
he would soon see how things stood with her.
Then he would see Withelm again, and they would plan
together for the best. So Withelm waited for the
return of the priest, whom Mord took to his mistress.
Alsi and his men were supping in the hall, but Goldberga
was waiting in her own chamber.
Now the princess thought that, after her message to
the king, she would hear no more of the kitchen knave,
and so was happier. But all the while she pondered
over her dream the thought of Havelok must needs come
into it, and that was troublesome. Nevertheless,
it was not to be helped, seeing that there was no
doubt at all that he and the man of the vision were
like to each other as ever were twins. Wherefore
if the thought of one must be pleasant so at last
must be that of the other. And then came the
nurse with tales of what Berthun thought of this man
of his—how that he was surely a wandering
prince, with a vow of service on him, like Gareth
of the Round Table in the days of Arthur.
So presently it seemed to the princess that the churl
was gone, as it were, and in his place was a wandering
atheling, at least, who was not a terror at all.
Then at length the slow time wore away until Mord came
with David the priest.
No priestly garb had the old man on, for that had
made his danger certain; but though he was clad in
a thrall’s rough dress, he was not to be mistaken
for aught but a most reverend man.
