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Updated: June 19, 2025
"Streone is over careful for our safety, I think, and lets his love for us make him suspect all men. I told him as much, and he said that perhaps it was so. Then I said that Olaf had doubtless given you the weapon, and he would have me ask you. He thought that you should not have lightly set aside my gift."
It was not long before three or four men came through the gathering dusk, and one had a coil of rope over his shoulder. And after them came across the hillside a horseman, beside whom ran a man on foot. There were many men about, and these were too far for me to heed them. I only noticed that which should end my life. "Set to work quickly," said Streone.
"It is a good plan, but I have not tried it," said Eadmund; and then Streone spoke. "The old Saxon line is surely good enough," he said. "What need to take up with outland plans?" "It will be good enough if our men fight as at Sherston," Eadmund answered.
And from the bottom of my heart I blamed Edric Streone for all the woe that I saw must come on England. There was but one thing for me to do, and that was to go back to Stamford and see the Atheling. He would see me at midnight when no one else dared wake him, maybe, for he would know that I had heavy matters to speak of if I thus summoned him.
Justly was Edric Streone slain, and all men held that it was well done. Nor did any man ever seek Thrand to avenge the earl's death on his slayer. I think none held him worth avenging. I bade Thrand hold his peace concerning his part in this matter, for a while at least, lest I should lose him.
Then Wulfnoth and Godwine gave me twenty pieces of the gold from the treasure, and bade me return ere long. "And I think that you will come back presently with an itching to get home a sword stroke at one whom I care not to name lest I break out," said the earl grimly. "At Streone?" said I, being light of heart. "Aye; curses on him!" answered Wulfnoth, and turned away with a scowl of wrath.
We came to the further slope of the hill, and were going down, and through the tears of rage and grief that filled my eyes I saw a few horsemen breasting the slope towards us, and one of them was Edric Streone the traitor himself; and when I saw him I felt as a man who lights suddenly on a viper, and I shuddered, for the sight of him was loathsome to me, and Thrand ground his teeth.
"Who is this?" said one and he was Jarl Eirik. "No one worth having," said Streone, and reined round his horse to go on as if caring nought. They went on up the hill. I suppose that they were going there that Edric Streone might say who the slain were. As for us we went our way, and Thrand cursed the earl with every step.
Little gain will he be to you, for he is landless and ruined," he sneered, chuckling. "Well," said Egil, "he is a close friend of Earl Wulfnoth's, and maybe it is just as well that you hung him not. Cnut would hardly have thanked you for setting that man against him, and maybe bringing Olaf the Norseman down on him also." Streone had thought not of those things.
It was but a few weeks before it was plain that Wessex alone and London stood fast for Ethelred. I chafed, but Eadmund would not be hurried. I cannot tell what strange blindness, save it was his trust in Streone, had fallen on him at this time. Then the earl came from Nottingham, and at the very first he sent for me. Eadmund had told him my news when he sent for him.
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