. That
Cornish damsel must be better watched. Come, let us go and tell the
king."

So we went, and when Ina heard what we had to say he grew very
grave, and asked many questions before he told us what his thoughts
were.

"They have struck at Owen through you, my Thane, even as I feared,"
he said. "I think that the matter of the land of Tregoz has saved
you, for I seem to see in this thrall one of his men who hates him
and will thwart his plans. There are yet men who will carry out
what he planned ere he died. Now I am glad that we soon shall be
gone from hence, and that is the first time that I have been ready
to leave Glastonbury."

Now I will say that when Herewald's messenger came back from Norton
it was even as we thought. Jago had no knowledge of the Welsh girl,
or her sending. But Mara was gone a fortnight or more since, for
Gerent had sent her father for safer keeping to the terrible old
castle of Tintagel on the wild shore, and she had followed to be as
near him as she might. Doubtless the girl might be found there also
in time.

So I had no more warnings, and in a few days the strain on my mind
wore off. I sent a message through Jago to Owen to tell him what
had happened, so that he should have less anxiety for his own
comfort, while he knew that I was shortly to be far hence.

Before that came about, however, Erpwald and Elfrida were betrothed
with all solemnity in the new church, for their wedding was to be
held here also in the summer, when all was ready for a new mistress
at Eastdean. So Erpwald rode with us to Winchester a proud man, and
by that time I thought I had forgotten that I ever held myself
entitled to the place he had won.

But I did not forget the plotting, and as the days wore on, and my
thoughts of it grew a little clearer, I began to wonder if the
thrall who saved me from the poisoned horn might not be the man who
slew Tregoz on the ramparts at Norton in the moonlight. I must say
that it went against the grain for me to believe that Mara had
aught to do with contriving my end through her maid, but unless
there was some crafty hand at work in the background, all
unsuspected, it seemed that there could be none else.

And then one day I found the little letter that Nona had sent me.
In that I was warned against Morfed the Cornish priest, and I had
forgotten him.

Now I will confess that two days after the Cheddar business I took
that little brooch that Elfrida had given me, and drop