Go and meet Goldberga at the gates, and bring
her to me in state, and you shall be lodged here, if you will. Quite
right of you to tell me this, or Griffin would have been in trouble. But
I must not have the lady scared again, mind you."
He turned quickly away, then, with a sort of stifled laugh, as if he
wanted to get away to enjoy a good jest, and left Ragnar staring
speechless at him as he crossed the high place and went through the
private door.
Then the earl turned to me, "By Loki, fellow countryman, there is
somewhat wrong here. What does he mean by feigning to think the whole
affair a jest? It won't be much of a jest if Griffin and I slay one
another tomorrow, as we mean to do, because of what was not done, and
what was said about it."
"It has seemed to me, jarl," I said plainly, "that all this is more like
a jest between the king and Griffin."
"Call it a jest, as that is loyal, at least. But I think that you are
right. If Goldberga had been carried off--Come, we shall be saying too
much in these walls."
I had only been told to wait while the king and earl spoke together, and
so I opened the door and followed him out. The horse was yet there
waiting for him, and it was plain that the king had not meant him to stay.
"Bid the grooms lead the horse after us, and we will go to your captain.
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