wed, and
Berthun and the nurse came after me. One flung the door open; and on the
steps, all unaware of what had happened, lounged Mord, waiting, and up
and down on the green the grooms led the horses of the princess--six
in all. On two were packed her goods, and the third had a pack saddle
that waited for the bags that held her dowry. The other three were for
herself and Mord and the nurse. There was not one for Havelok.

"This is hasty, my princess," Mord said. "Whither are we bound?"

"For Grimsby, Mord," I answered quickly. "Are there no more horses to be
had?"

"Never a one, unless we steal from the king," he answered.

The people were crowding out now that they might see the start, and I
saw Berthun speak to a man among them who was a stranger to me. And from
him he turned directly with a glad face.

"Go down to such a hostelry," he said to me, "and there ask for what
horses you will. Maybe I shall have to follow you for my part in this
matter--that is, if I am not put in the dungeon."

"Faith," I answered, "better had you come with us than run that risk.
Alsi is in a bad mood."

He shook his head; and then the people behind him made way, for the king
was coming.

"Almost had you forgotten this," he said; "and I think you will want it."

The men with the money were there, and he waved his hand to them.
Havelok lifted the princess to her horse without heeding him, and the
men set the bags on the pack horses.

"See the bridegroom down the street, you who were his witnesses," the
king went on, with a curling lip; "and if you are a wise man, master
Berthun, you will not come back again."

Berthun bowed and went into the hail, past the king, and across to his
own door, without a word. After him the thronging people closed up, and
though I thought that a housecarl would have been sent to see what he
was about, this would have made an open talk, and Alsi forbore.

"Let Havelok take your horse, Mord," I whispered to him; "I will tell
you why directly."

He nodded, and I told Havelok to mount. Then I helped up the nurse, who
wept and muttered to herself; and so we started, Alsi standing on the
steps with words of feigned goodspeed as we did so.

But the housecarls and the people shouted with wishes that were real, no
doubt thinking that we were bound for the far-off kingdom of the prince
who had won Goldberga by service as a kitchen knave in her uncle's hall
for very love of her.

Directly we were outsid