I do not think that she heard me, and I am glad, for I spoke in anger.  I saw her lean against the bulkhead, and her hand sought her heart, and she reeled a little.  The maiden sprang forward to support her, for it seemed as if she would fall.  But she recovered in a moment, and shook herself free of the girl’s clasp.

“I am wrong, good friends,” she said.  “Now I know from what you have shielded me all this long journey through.  What will they do with me?”

And she began to weep silently, yet she would not let the maiden touch her.

Elfric spoke then in his gentle voice.

“We cannot blame you, my queen, for the blow is heavy; yet the chief who has taken us is a true warrior and kindly, you need fear nought.”

Then came Egil from the fore deck, and bowed to the queen, and said: 

“I must take you to Cnut the king, lady; and his commands are that you are to be treated as becomes the sister of Duke Richard.  I am here to see that it is so.”

Then the queen’s mood changed, and she was once more herself.

“You shall answer to my brother for all you do,” she said in her proud way.

“I have to answer to Jarl Thorkel and to King Cnut,” Egil said simply.  “The duke is no lord of mine.”

Thereat the queen paid no sort of heed to him, but spoke to me.

“I will tell my brother hereafter of your great care for me, my thane.  Why must you leave me now?”

Surely I should have asked Egil to let me stay, but he knew best what was safe for me.

“I will not take either thane or nuns, lady,” he said.  “They must leave you even now; time is short.”

She glanced coldly at the chief, and answered him by speaking to me.  She had brought herself now to see that she was powerless.

“Then I must say farewell, Redwald.  In better days I will not forget your service,” and then she smiled a little, and gave me her hand to kiss as I knelt before her, adding:  “I think that I have been an ill-natured travelling companion at times.”

Then she turned away quickly and sought the cabin.  But she said no word to the maiden who had made the journey lighter to her, and I saw that this grieved her sorely.

Now I took hasty leave of Elfric and the athelings, and sad was I at parting with them.  But I told Eadward that Egil was worthy of his charge, and a generous foe.

“You will not blame me that this matter has failed even at the last, my prince,” I said.

“Not I, Redwald, good friend; you and I will laugh over it at some time hereafter,” the atheling said.

I shook my head.

“It has been waste trouble and pains,” I said sorrowfully.

“That it has not been,” quoth Elfric.  “No duty well and truly done is lost in the end, though it may seem to be so at the time.  I shall remember my guardian in this journey all my life long, and the queen shall remember presently.  You have been most patient.  Lose not patience now.  Be of good cheer rather that things are none so ill as they might be.”