ded ones on the first stage of their homeward journey. The
Sussex thanes and their men were with them as guard, and they rode
on ahead and left us to take our leave.

And by and by, after a mile or two, the rest turned back with gay
farewells, and left me alone with the two, for they knew that I was
their nearest friend, and would let me be the last to speak with
them. We had not much to say, indeed, but there are thoughts, and
most of all, good wishes, that can be best read without words.

"There is but one thing that I wish," Elfrida said at the very
last, even when I had turned my horse and was leaving them.

"What is that?" I asked, seeing that there was some little jest
coming.

"Only, that I had seen the Princess Nona."

I laughed, and so they were gone, and I went back to Glastonbury,
wondering if Elfrida guessed what my thoughts of that lady might
be. I had not said much of her to any one, except as one must speak
of people with whom one has been for a while.

Strangely enough had come to pass that which I vowed to do for
Elfrida, though not in the way which had been in my mind when I
drank the Bragi bowl. Presently, when I came back to the
ealdorman's house, I had to put up with some old jests concerning
that vow, which seemed to others to have come to naught, but they
did not hurt me.

Three days after the wedding Thorgils came to Glastonbury with his
charge, and glad enough I was to hand it to Herewald, as I have
already said, and to get the care of it off my mind. Yet I will say
that by this time there had come to me a knowledge concerning this
gold which was pleasant. Only the other day I had been but the
simple captain of house-carles, though I was also the friend of a
mighty king, and foster son of a prince indeed, and that had been
all that I needed or cared for. Lately there had come a new hope
into my life, and it was one that was far from me at that time. But
now, when the time came for me to go to Dyfed for Owen, I should go
with power to choose lands and a home for myself and for that one
whom I dared now to ask to share it. And that was the only reason
that I cared to think of the new riches at all. If that hope came
to naught I should certainly care for them or need them little
enough, for my home would be the court as ever.

Better to me than the gold was a letter from Owen. The honest
Norseman had gone out of his way to put in at Tenby, knowing that I
should be glad to have news thenc