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Updated: April 30, 2025
He was young and fresh-coloured, and showed fine white teeth when he smiled, which was often. He produced his bales, presents for Halldis and Orme; and presently, while they were all pulling over the things, he held up a jointed girdle of wrought silver with crystals set in every square of it. This he offered to Gudrid. "For you, lady, if you will accept of it," he said.
It was true, Einar had told them of it, and of his friend Biorn who had found his father out there after seven weeks at sea. "And you go out there without a husband?" said Halldis, with sympathy ready and waiting in her kindly eyes. Gudrid said, "Why not? It is not I who have the wedding of myself." She would not meet Halldis half-way, nor any part of the way. Halldis felt the chill.
"All chattering together like starlings on a thatch. All talking at once, and none listening. Do you wish her fetched?" "No," said Thorbeorn, waving his hand. "She will do better where she is." He felt the impossibility of saying what he wished. Then he took his way homewards, and the couple looked at each other. "A love affair," Halldis said. "It looks like it," said Orme.
"And there will be love affairs. She's a paragon." "That remains to be seen," Halldis said. "She's a beauty at least. But a baby as yet. Wait till she's cut her teeth." "I hope she won't cut them here," said Orme; but his wife said briskly, "Better here than there." Halldis could see through Thorbeorn and pity his barren pride. Gudrid was happy at Erne Pillar, and soon very much at home.
Gudrid drew back and blushed. Then she looked at Halldis. "Oh, may I?" she asked. Halldis, who had her hands full of scarlet cloth, looked at the glittering thing. "It is too good to refuse," she said. "And why should you refuse it?" "You will make me proud and contented if you will take it," Einar said. "It will be a kind action on your part." "Einar speaks well," said Orme.
"Put it about you, Gudrid." Gudrid put the belt round her waist and fastened it. "That's a good fit," said Halldis. "It might have been made for you." Einar was still looking at Gudrid, and smiling all the time. "Does it please you, lady?" he said. "It is beautiful," said Gudrid. "It ought to be," Einar said.
Moreover it was a Christian settlement, with a church and a priest. Most of the houses and land there belonged to Orme, who lived in a good house of his own with his wife Halldis. They had no children, which was a grief to them. Thorbeorn brought Gudrid to the house, and had a good reception from the goodman and his wife.
"Take her with you, good wife, into your bower," he said, "while I have a word with Orme. He will tell you all about it, or I will. It is good for me to be sure that it makes no matter which of us tells you." Halldis said, it was easy to see that Gudrid was not making a short stay, and took her with her through the house into the bower.
But she had heard plenty of talk about the old gods; and now she was to hear more about them, and something of the new gods too. Orme and Halldis had both been heathens and knew a deal about Frey and Redbeard, as they called Thor. Orme was not interested in religion at all; but Halldis was.
Gudrid received it in silence, but put her hand up and laid it over the token which fluttered in her bosom. "My pretty one," said Halldis, "I blame myself." "No, no," Gudrid said, "you must not do that. Nobody is at fault." But Halldis thought Einar had been much to blame. She would have comforted Gudrid and made much of her if she had been able but Gudrid would not have that.
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