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Updated: May 3, 2025
Thorbeorn had been Frey's priest at one time, but now would have nothing to say to him; and as for Gudrid, she had never known anything herself about Frey or the other gods, but had been sprinkled as soon as she could be carried down to Erne Pillar. That, so far, had been the utmost of her Christianity.
The boat came alongside, and they were hailed. "Who and whence are you?" Thorbeorn told his name and port of origin. "I hoped to make Ericsfrith," he said. "You have made a poor business of it," said the master of the boat. "This is Heriolfsness, a good ten hours' sailing from the frith; and I am Heriolf at your service." Gudrid's heart leapt.
She shuddered and hugged herself against the cold. Not even the promise of Einar seemed fortification enough for that. Nevertheless, there was comfort in the last days. She told her bedfellow stoutly that she did not believe a word of it, but the girl merely stared at her. Then she said: "I know who your first husband will be if he can persuade Thorbeorn. It is Skeggi of Whitewaterstrand."
There's many a worse man than he well married and he loves your Gudrid beyond price. There is nothing he will not put down for her." But that had wounded Thorbeorn in his most sensitive part. He knew that he was ruined and could not bear that other men should know it also. "It is hard that his money should tempt you to insult a poor man," he said.
Other men came, who wanted money, and went grumbling away, with voices which rose higher in complaint as they went further from the house. Thorbeorn himself was often away, and used to come back more silent and proud than he had gone out. The winter set in with wind and drifting snow. Darkness drew closer about the country; the sky was lemon colour, the fells were black.
"We will go where you will," said Einar. "It will be all one to me." Again she thought, with her face set towards the sea. Then she turned suddenly and put her arms round his neck. Einar spoke to Orme about the affair, and Orme put on a scared look, though he had been expecting something of the kind. "You will find Thorbeorn hard to deal with," he said.
"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.
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.
There, it was not long before she knew all that Thorbeorn or Orme could have to say, and may be more still. Meantime, Thorbeorn, after much unnecessary havers, said to Orme: "The matter is this, neighbour. I ask you and the goodwife to take Gudrid here in fostership. It will suit me in every way, and I hope you will agree to it." Orme said that it would suit him too very well.
There was a woman brought in here last summer with a sick man who died before he had been a week in bed. Before he was buried there were six men fighting who should be her next. And two of them were killed outright; but none of them got her." "Would she have none of them?" Thorbeorn asked, though he was not at all interested. "She had no opportunity," said Heriolf.
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