Quick as thought I grasped the hilt of my sword, and smote upwards with it as I drew it from under the fold of my cloak.  There is no stopping that stroke, and the man leapt back from it as it seemed, but the blade smote him beneath the chin, and so far as he was concerned Edric’s message had come to naught.  He would never draw sword on any man again.  Nor do I think he would have been thus bold had he not thought me unarmed.

Then at the same moment my man was up, cursing, and the doorway to the street was full of Edric’s men, and some of mine were coming leisurely through the other.

The crash of the falling man woke my people into life, and they ran to their spears, which were piled along the walls, and the earl’s men faltered on the threshold, for they liked not the look of sword Foe’s Bane, maybe.  Then my man Thrand ran at the great door, which opened inward, and swung it to in the faces of Edric’s men, and barred it.  I heard them give a howl of rage as he did so, for one or two of them were flung backward into the street, so suddenly and strongly did he fling it against them in his rage.

Then we looked at one another, and at the dead man on the floor, in silence.  I was the only one of all who knew what this message brought by armed men from Streone might mean.  And all had happened so suddenly, from the time that the man had told me that I must come, and had drawn sword on me, to when the door slammed, that there had been no time for thought or wonder even.

I took up the scabbard and buckled it on, and sheathed the sword, and said: 

“We shall hear more of this, men.  Stamford town is no place for us now.”

“What is all this, lord?” asked the leader, who stood with his back against the door still.

“Edric the earl has another business on hand like that of Earls Sigeferth and Morcar,” I said.  Whereat the men growled fiercely.

The goldsmith came in with the last of my men, and heard me say this, and now looked in the face of him whom I had slain.

“This is the man who brought the like message to our earls,” he said.  “I was at Oxford, and saw him come.  And the street then was full of armed men, as is ours tonight.  Better go hence, lord, else you will be burnt out, as our men were when they went to avenge our lords’ deaths, and were driven into St. Frideswide’s Church.”

Now it seemed to me also that we had better hasten, or we should have a strong force down on us.  Then if we fought, Edric would have occasion against me, and if not, I was lost.

“To horse, men!” I said.  “We will go to Peterborough for this night.  Abbot Elfric is my friend, and will give us shelter.”

“Let us take the road for London rather, and get back to Olaf the king,” said the headman.  “The horses are fresh, and we can ride far, and the nights are warm if we must lie out.”

“We will speak of that outside the town,” I answered.  “To horse at once, and silently, or they will take warning and bring more men.”