“I knew that you, my Heregar, would not fight against your own land, and so they would surely slay you.”

So will a woman see the truth of things often more clearly than a man.  For that the vikings might call on me to fight my Saxon kin had, till last night, never crossed my mind, yet after Charnmouth fight it was like enough.

Then she asked what brought me here, and I told her that, seeing the burning of Watchet, I had a mind to join the levy, if I could, and so fight both for country and for her.  That was true enough as my thoughts ran now—­and surely I was not wrong in leaving out the story of the errand with the war arrow, for that would have told her of her father’s lust for my destruction.

Then she wept lest I should fall, but being brave and thoughtful for my honour, and for my winning back name and lands, bade me do so if I could, cheering me with many fond and noble words, so that I wondered that such a man as I could have won the love of such a woman as she.

Now the time was all too short for me to tarry long:  but before I went, Alswythe would bring me out food and drink that I might go well strengthened and provided.  And as I let her go back to the hall, I asked her the name of that old warrior to whom she spoke, for it was he, I told her, who had tried to help me before the Moot.

And then I was sorry I had told her that, for she might ask him of the matter and hear more than was good for her peace of mind; but it was done, and nothing could recall it.

Yet she did not notice it then, but said his name was Wulfhere, and that he was a stranger from Glastonbury, as she thought, lately come into her father’s service.  She was going then, and I asked her to let me have speech with him, as I thought it safe, if he were to be trusted, for I needed his advice in some things.

She said she would sound him first, not knowing how he had seen me already, of course, and so went quickly away towards the hall.

What I needed the old man for was but to try to repair my slip of the tongue, and warn him of my love’s ignorance of her father’s unfaith to me; but as it fell out, it was well I asked to see him.

Presently he came to me.  I had to slip into the bushes and lie quiet till I knew who it was, and when I came out he smiled gravely at me, shaking his head, yet as one not displeased altogether.

“Well managed, master,” he said, still smiling, “but I knew not that you had so strong a rope to draw you hither.”

Then I told him the trouble I was like to bring on Alswythe if he told her all that passed at Brent; letting him have his own thoughts about my reason for coming to Matelgar’s hall, which were wrong enough, though natural at first sight, maybe.

He promised to be most wary, and I was content.  Then I asked him how I should join the levy.