There was a stockade round the hall and its outbuildings which stood to right and left of it.  The guest house was to the right, and the bower, which was Gerda’s own place, stood on the left, both handsome timber buildings, with high-pitched roofs and carved gables and doorways.  The hall itself was like them, but larger, with low, wide eaves that made, as it were, a gallery all round, raised a little from the ground.  Daylight showed that every timber that could be seen was carved most wonderfully, but one could not heed that now in the torchlight.

A man stood on guard in the stockade gate, and Gorm the Steward spoke to him, bidding him salute the queen who had returned.  He gave one look at Gerda, and tossed his leathern helm in the air, and so fell in with us as we crossed the courtyard to the great door.  From the hall came the pleasant sounds of song and laughter from the courtmen within.

Gorm knocked and the doors flew open.  The shipmen had been expected to return with him for supper.  I saw the whole place as we stood there for the moment in the broad light of the torches on the walls.

We entered at the end of the hall, and right over against us was the high seat, where sat Arnkel and half a dozen other men.  There were no ladies with them, and for that I was glad.  Two great fires burnt on hearths on either side of the hall, halfway down its length, and at this end sat at their trestle tables the thralls and herdsmen and fishers of the house.  Beyond the fires and below the high place were the courtmen on either hand, so that from end to end of the hall ran a clear way for the serving.  With them were their wives and daughters here and there, and there were many women with the lesser folk nearer us as we entered.  Some were carrying round the ale jugs, and stood still to see us enter.

Asbiorn and his men left us even as the door opened, and went quickly to the rear of the hall.  I could see only one other door, and that opened behind the high seat, being meant for the ladies of the house, so that they could pass to the bower without going down the noisy hall.  It led to the open gallery round the building, whence it was but a step to the bower.

Very bright and pleasant it all was, with the light flashing red on the courtmen’s arms on the walls behind them, and the glow of the two great pine-log fires on the gay dresses of the women.  And Arnkel himself, a big man with long, reddish hair and bristling beard, looked at his ease altogether, as he turned a laughing face to see the guests who came.

There was a little hush as we came out of the shadow of the great doorway, and everyone turned, of course, to see us.  Gerda was between Bertric and myself, and for the moment behind Gorm the Steward, who ushered us in with all ceremony.  She had her dark cloak over her mail, and the hood of it hid her bright helm, and we two were cloaked also.  Behind us was Phelim, and then the men followed.  I waited until they were all inside the hall, and then Gorm stepped aside, and Gerda stood forward.