Sighard frowned, and said: 

“If it is true that Offa is thus—­well, we are forewarned.  Quendritha has let us see that in one way or the other she would fain have East Anglia.  I think that she spoke unwarily to you, my king.”

“Nay,” said Selred the priest; “I hold that she sounded you as to whether you had any thought of adding Mercia to your own realm.  If it is true that Offa has some secret ailment which is slowly and surely bringing his end near, she looks onward to the time when she shall stand alone.  She would find out if you are to be feared.”

“Maybe that is it,” said Ethelbert, with a sigh of relief.  “It must be.  She is a mistress of craft; and had I one thought of adding to my realm, that would have made me show it.  However, she should be satisfied.  I would hear naught of putting off the wedding, as you may suppose.”

I said nothing, but it was in my mind that mayhap there was more at the back of all this than they saw.  I had heard overmuch of Quendritha to have much doubt that if she could see her way to reigning over both realms, she would stay for naught, even for the removing of Offa from her path if he stood in it.  And almost did I tell the king of Thrond’s knowledge of her, but forbore.  Sighard knew it also, and he was the best judge of that.  But I will say that I was somewhat lighter of heart to hear this, for it was plain to me that Offa himself had no thought of guile toward Ethelbert; and to this day I do not believe that he had.  His mind was far too great for that; and if he loved power, I hold that to have married his daughter to a king was fully enough for him.  Beyond that all was from Quendritha.  To tell the truth, if I feared for any one, it was for Offa himself.

Now Ethelbert rose and said that he grew weary and would go to rest.  Sighard said that he would get him a light from the council chamber; but he would rather bide in the moonlight, which was enough to fill all the room.  So we three went into his sleeping chamber with him.  At one side was the state bed with its heavy hangings, and midway in the room, by its side, was a great chair, softly cushioned.  The smell of the sweet sedges with which the room had been newly strown was pleasant and cool, and a little chill breeze came in from the window with the moonlight.

“Leave me for a while, my thanes,” he said; “I will call you anon.  Wilfrid will no doubt be glad to go to his place; so goodnight”

He smiled at me, and held out his hand, and I bent and kissed it.  So we went back to the other room to wait, for we knew that the king would pray.  The door swung softly to after us.

Now I thought I heard the chair creak as the king went to it.  Then there was a sound as of a fall somewhere near us, and a stifled cry.

“What is that?” I said, turning to Sighard.

“Housecarls outside;” he said.  “It was from the place whence we heard the footsteps awhile ago.  Listen! there they are again.”