“But he has no enmity with you, our friend,” she went on; “though he speaks little to you, he listens as you talk to us.  But there has grown up in his heart a hatred of all men in your land, save of yourself alone.  And once he said that he would that you were a Dane, and his comrade as you had been Halfden’s.”

Then I told Osritha of how Halfden had let me go from him rather than have me fight against my own land.  I had said nothing of this to the jarls, for there was no reason.  And this was the first time that I had had private speech with Osritha.

“That is Halfden’s way,” she said, “he is ever generous.”

“I would that he were back,” I answered, and so we ceased speaking.

Yet after this, many were the chances I found of the like talk alone with Osritha before the weather broke, and we could once more get into the woods, hunting, and the men began to work in the ship garths on a great ship that was being built.

Now we had good hunting in the forests, and on the borders of the great mosses of Ingvar’s lands.  But there were many more folk in this land than in ours, and I thought that they were ill off in many ways.  In those days of hunting, Ingvar, seeing me ride with the carven spear that was partly his gift, and with Lodbrok’s hawk on my wrist, would speak more often with me, though now and again some chance word of mine spoken in the way of my own folk would seem to turn him gloomy and sullen, so that he would spur his horse and leave me.  But Hubba was ever the same, and I liked him well, though I could not have made a friend of him as of Halfden.

In March messengers began to come and go, and though I asked nothing and was told nothing, I knew well that Ingvar was gathering a mighty host to him that he might sail in the May time across the seas for plunder—­or for revenge.  The hammers went all day long in the ship garths, where the air was full of the wholesome scent of tar; and in their houses the women spun busily, making rope and weaving canvas that should carry the jarl’s men “over the swan’s bath;” while in the hall the courtmen sat after dark and feathered arrows and twined bowstrings, and mended mail.  And now and then some chief would ride into the town, feasting that night, and riding away in the morning after long talk with the jarls.  And some, Bagsac and Guthrum, Sidrac and his son, and a tall man named Osbern, came very often as the days lengthened.

I would ask nothing of this matter, even of Osritha, having my own thoughts thereon, and not being willing to press her on things she might have been bidden to keep from me.  She would ask me of my mother and Eadgyth, as they would ask the jarl of her, and I told her all I could, though that was not much, for a man hardly notes things as a woman will.  Then she would laugh at me; until one day I said that I would she could come over to Reedham and see for herself.

At that I thought that I had offended her, for her face grew red, and she left me.  Nor could I find a chance of speaking to her again for many days, which was strange to me, and grieved me sorely.