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"I am going to win ransom from a town or two against the time when I shall need gold wherewith to win men to me in Norway." I think that I should have done this in the end, though I did not like to leave England without striking one more blow for Eadmund, and I cannot deny that I thought that Uldra would blame me if I did leave our land when she needed every sword that would strike for her.
For as she came into the clearing and was close to me she held out her hands, and the basket fell at her feet, and lo! it was Uldra, whom I loved and Uldra was Hertha and I had in my arms all that I longed for, and my trouble was gone for evermore. "How was it that you knew me not before this?" she asked presently, while we walked together to Wormingford to find Ailwin.
They call her 'Uldra', though why I know not." That was the name of the water spirit they believed in. So I became all the more sure that Gunnhild was there. It would be easy for her to feign to be the White Lady and so terrify any man who sought her. A man is apt to shape aught he sees into what he fears he may see. "Has the White Lady been seen of late?" I asked therefore.
There was nought of which I could be sure save of Uldra's friendship, and of that it were better not to think, maybe. Ten days after I spoke thus with Uldra I was at Berkeley with Wulfnoth and Godwine. That was in the third week in June, while I was on my honour not to fight for a month yet.
Now I knew well what that comradeship might easily ripen into, and maybe, because I knew it, what I would not allow had begun. But Uldra had never given me any reason to think that this was so with her. Olaf said that maybe I was right, and after that we talked of his doings, wondering now when we should meet again, for we were going different ways.
So Relf took my arm and we went, while the young earl joked us till we were out of hearing. "Now," said the thane, "we will not spoil the earl's jest, but must even let him think that all has been his doing thus." "Why, he will see us start for Penhurst, and if Uldra is not there " "Aye, but she will be. She is coming gladly," Relf said. "How is this?" I asked.
"You have had an ill time with the womenfolk of late," he said, and it was true enough. "I have," said I, "and I am tired thereof. I shall be glad to be where byrnies and swords are more common than kirtles and distaffs." Yet in my mind I knew that I should not leave Uldra with much cheerfulness.
Now I had said no more to Uldra about ourselves save for a few words concerning sea and tides and the like but had tried to cheer her, and myself also, by speaking of how Cnut would treat the queen namely, that it was most likely to be in high honour, lest the duke should fall on him. But as we sighted our journey's end, I bethought myself.
But there stood Uldra, no longer in convent dress, but in some robe of dark blue and crimson that became her well, so that at first I hardly knew her, for now for the first time I saw her bright brown hair that the novice's hood had hidden from me. I could not say that Uldra was fair as Sexberga to look on, but, as ever, I thought that her face was the sweetest that I had seen in all my life.
But ever do I choose rather to call my dear one "Uldra," the name which she borrowed from the White Lady when I met her at Bosham, and asked what I should call her, for by that name I learnt to love her. Now one day she bade me take her to the great mound of Boadicea the queen beyond the river, for she had somewhat to show me, and half fearing I went.
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