he had been loved, we
should have rejoiced to name her in our own way.

Then Godwine said:

"You have had an ill time with Emma, as I think, if she is all that
my father says."

"Nay, Godwine," said Relf, "Redwald will not bear much of this. He
is the queen's faithful servant, and will have nought against her,
and he is right."

"So he is, and I am wrong," said the lad at once. "Forgive me,
friend; I did not think."

Then I laughed, and turned it off. Godwine was only too right, but
I could not say so. Now, however, I may say that the memory of Emma
the queen's ways is to me as a nightmare.

"I would that I could meet with this Egil," Godwine said as I gave
him sword Foe's Bane to handle; and then he forgot all else in the
beauty of the weapon.

"What have you done with the brave maiden?" Relf asked me now.

"She is in the nunnery here," I said. "She is friendless, having no
folk of her own nearer than Peterborough."

"That is far off," said Relf, and began to think, twisting his
beard as was his wont when pondering somewhat weighty.

Now, before he had made up his mind to say any more, Godwine was
ready to hear about the winning back of the sword, and of the
fights in Ulfkytel's land, and then a man came from the ships with
some business, and he went away with him. And by that time Relf had
somewhat to say.

"Penhurst is a lonesome place, and it will be worse for my wife
when Sexberga is gone," he said musingly.

"Why, where is your daughter going?" I asked him.

He looked at me sidewise for a moment, and I thought that his face
fell a little. Then he said:

"Going to be wedded shortly."

"That is well," I said. "To whom?"

Then the thane turned fairly round on me with wide eyes, and a
blank fear fell on me that he meant that I was to wed her. Yet
surely the lady had told him that I was betrothed.

"Ho!" he said; "did you not know that? Methought everyone did."

That was worse, and I knew not what he looked for from me.

"I have been away; I have heard nought," I answered lamely enough.

"Oh, aye; so you have," he said. "Truly, I forgot that. We quiet
people fancy that all the world knows our affairs. And it was in my
mind that you had a tenderness that way yourself. I knew not how
you would take it."

Then we both laughed, but it was not a hearty laughter, for each
feared the other a little, as it seemed.

"I am glad for Sexberga, if she is happy," said I.

"Why, now, that is well," sai