Under cover of the confusion, Alwin approached Helga.  Having no greetings of his own to occupy him, he made over his interest to others.  The shield-maiden was standing on the very spot where Leif had left her, Editha clinging to her side.  She was gazing at Thorhild and nervously clasping and unclasping her hands.

Alwin said in her ear:  “She will make you a better mother than Bertha of Trondhjem.  It is my advice that you reconcile yourself to her at once.”

“It was in my mind,” Helga said slowly, “it was in my mind that I could love her!”

Shaking off Editha, she took a hesitating step forward.  Thorhild had parted from Leif, and turned to welcome Sigurd.  Helga took another step.  Thorhild raised her head and looked at her.  When she saw the picturesque figure, with its short kirtle and its shirt of steel, she drew herself up stiffly, and it was evident that she tried to frown; but Helga walked quickly up to her and put her arms about her neck and laid her head upon her breast and clung there.

By and by the matron slipped an arm around the girl’s waist, then one around her shoulders.  Finally she bent her head and kissed her.  Directly after, she pushed her off and held her at arm’s length.

“You have grown like a leek.  I wonder that such a life has not ruined your complexion.  Was cloth so costly in Norway that Leif could afford no more for a skirt?  You shall put on one of mine the instant we get indoors.  It is time you had a woman to look after you.”

But Helga was no longer repelled by her severity; she could appreciate now what lay beneath it.  She said, “Yes, kinswoman,” with proper submissiveness, and then looked over at Alwin with laughing eyes.

Eric’s voice now made itself heard above the din.  “Bring them into the house, you simpletons!  Bring them indoors!  Will you keep them starving while you gabble?  Bring them in, and spread the tables, and fill up the horns.  Drink to the Lucky One in the best mead in Greenland.  Come in, come in!  In the Troll’s name, come in, and be welcome!”

Rolf smiled his guileless smile aside to Egil.  “It is likely that he will say other things ‘in the Troll’s name’ when he finds out why the Lucky One has come,” he murmured.

CHAPTER XIV

FOR THE SAKE OF THE CROSS

A wary guest
Who to refection comes
Keeps a cautious silence;
With his ears listens,
And with his eyes observes: 
So explores every prudent man. 

          Ha’vama’l