Maybe
the Witan thought so also, and would see fair play. Ethelwald and his
wife Orwenna had been well loved both here and in Norfolk, and it was
said that Goldberga their daughter grew wondrous fair and queenly.
I had learned one thing though, and that was that we should have
Ethelwald's Danes here shortly, and that I did not like; but after all,
what did these few men of an old household know of the past days in
Denmark? There had been no going backwards and forwards between the two
countries since the king died ten years ago. Nevertheless I was glad
that I had found a friend in Eglaf, and that I was to be here.
Then I got up to go, and the captain bade me come as soon as I could,
for he could talk to me as he could not to the men, maybe. So I bade him
farewell, and went slowly back, down the street, sitting down in the old
place.
It was not long after that before Havelok came, and I saw Berthun the
steward come as far as the gate with him, and stand looking after him as
he walked away; then Eglaf came out, and both looked and talked for a
while, and therefore, as soon as I knew that Havelok saw me, I went away
and across the bridge to a place that was quiet, and waited for him there.
"Well, brother," I said, "you have had a long job with the cook. What is
the end of it all?"
"I do not know," he answered slowly.
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