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Meanwhile the family at Haldorstede had made a narrow escape, and some members of it were still in great peril. When Hilda and Ada were sent thither, with the females of Ulfstede, under the charge of Christian the hermit, as already related, they found Dame Herfrida and her maidens busily engaged in making preparations for a great feast.
"What hadst thou to supper last night?" asked Herfrida. "Let me think," replied the boy meditatively; "I had four cuts of salmon, three rolls of bread and butter, half a wild-duck, two small bits of salt-fish, some eggs, a little milk, and a horn of ale." "It must have been mara," said she, thoughtfully; "but go on with thy dream."
Then it all at once came into my head that my guardian spirit was behind me, and I turned quickly round, but did not see it." "Art thou quite sure of that, my son?" Herfrida asked this in a tone of great anxiety, for to see one's own guardian spirit was thought unlucky, and a sign that the person seeing it was "fey", or death-doomed.
While he was thus engaged his mother Herfrida entered. The soft-eyed dame could scarcely be called a matronly personage. Having married when about sixteen, she was now just thirty-eight years of age; and though the bloom of maidenhood was gone, the beauty of a well-favoured and healthy woman still remained. She wore a cloak of rich blue wool, and under it a scarlet kirtle with a silver girdle.
"Erling, my boy," she said suddenly, as her eye fell on the axe at his side, "what terrible weapon is this? Surely thou must have purchased Thor's hammer. Can ye wield such a thing?" "I hope so, mother," said Erling curtly; "if not, I shall soon be in Valhalla's halls." "What are these rumours of war that are abroad just now?" asked Herfrida.
Among them thine own goodman, Dame Astrid, and his house-carles; for if no one is left at Ulfstede there can be no supper there for them; and as the poor lads are likely to be well worn out, we must have something wherewith to cheer them." "But what if ill luck betide us?" suggested Astrid. "Ill luck never betides us," replied Herfrida, with an expression of bland assurance on her handsome face.
This was said to Herfrida, who was in the great hall spreading the board for the midday meal, and surrounded by her maidens, some of whom were engaged in spinning or carding wool, while others wove and sewed, or busied themselves about household matters. "Have patience, my son," said Herfrida. "Thou art not yet strong enough to go forth to battle. Doubtless, in three or four years "
"Meantime," said Hilda, "I am to go about like a witch plucked somewhat hastily from the fire by a sympathising crone." "Nay; Herfrida will make thee a new kirtle of the best wool at Haldorstede." "So thy mother, it seems, is to work and slave in order to undo thy mischief?"
Erling had thrown off his jerkin and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt of coarse homespun fabric, in order to give his thick muscular arms unimpeded play in wielding the hammer and turning the mass of glowing metal on the anvil. He wore woollen breeches and hose, both of which had been fashioned by the fingers of his buxom mother, Herfrida.
There is no doubt that they would have rushed out again and searched the woods, had not the feast which Herfrida had been preparing proved too attractive.
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