When they saw my
Norfolk housecarls, they waited no longer, and we only rode down one or
two of them. But I have somewhat against this Griffin, for he helped me
not at all. Until this day he and his men had ridden fairly with us, but
by the time this attack came they were half a mile behind us."
"Do you mean to say that you think Griffin in league with these--
outlaws, as one may suppose them?" said Alsi, with wrath and more else
written in twitching mouth and crafty eyes.
"I would not have said that," Ragnar answered, looking in some surprise
at the king, "it had never come into my head. But I will say that as the
Ermin Street is straight as an arrow, and he was in full sight of us, he
might have spurred his horses to our help, whereas he never quickened
his pace till he saw that the outlaws, or whoever they were, had gone. I
put this as a complaint to you."
"These men seem to have scared you, at least," sneered the king.
Ragnar flushed deeply.
"For the princess--yes. It is not fitting that a man who is in charge
of so precious a lady should hold back in danger, even of the least
seeming, as did Griffin. And I told him so."
Now I thought that Alsi would have been as angry with Griffin as was the
earl, and that he would add that he also would speak his mind to him,
hut instead of that he went off in another way.
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