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"I will remember, lady," I answered, kissing her hand; and she smiled on me and was content. Truly that one who teaches a man that he is worthy of trust is his best teacher of honour, and the name of the lady of Penhurst is ever dear to me.
And so I came into the way that leads across the woodland through Ashburnham and so by the upper hammer ponds to Penhurst, and when I was about a mile from the hall I met Uldra coming from a side track. "Why, thane," she said in her bright way, "is aught amiss?" "I have lost my kinsman, lady," I said, "and I have none other left me. Therefore I am sad enough.
"Tell me what was the trouble, then." "I thought there were things said, and you called me by her name that the wedding Relf spoke of was yours and Sexberga's. That was all." "Surely Relf knew not who you were?" "No. He did not till Ailwin came to Penhurst." "Then," said I, "it passes me to know how he found out what the trouble was." "Because he has a daughter of his own," she laughed.
I tried to assure her that her home would be safe, and I promised her many things in order to see her smile, and to please her. Yet when I went down to the ships presently, for none of us slept within Wulfnoth's walls, I was glad that there was no light of burning houses over Penhurst woods, as yet. It was very dark when we marched from Pevensea.
Nor did I lose much. I had nought to lose as it seemed to me. As for the rest of those who were such good friends of mine at Penhurst, they had wished me hearty God-speeds, bidding me return again, and that soon.
So I came back into the Thames to Olaf, and glad was he to see me once more, and that I was in no wise the worse now for my hurts. And in his company it soon came to pass that I longed not at all for Penhurst, though at first it seemed to me that I should have little pleasure in life away from Sexberga.
And so we came to Penhurst in its valley among the trees, and the ride was over. Now there is no need to say what welcome was at that house, whether for its lord, or for the warrior who had been nursed back to life there, or for the new-come homeless maiden. Relf was not wrong when he told her that she should be as a daughter in the house.
So he said, and so it is, and our England is rising from the strife into a mighty oneness that has never been hers before. We went to London before long to see the great wedding that was made for Godwine, my friend, and Gyda, the fair daughter of Ulf the jarl, and niece of Cnut himself. There also were Relf and the lady of Penhurst, and Eldred and Sexberga, and many more of Wulfnoth's thanes.
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