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I laughed, for he had heard Ottar jesting about the fair maid at Penhurst more than once. "No," I answered. "She has been crossing her lover, and he is in dudgeon for a while that is all." "I am glad," he said. "Asked you aught of Uldra?" "I have not spoken of it to her." "Is that so?" said Olaf, smiling. "Now she is likely to have more than common interest in you, for one reason or another."
I thought that I had not deserved so much. And of this I was sure, that had not the sisters' dress kept me far from Uldra, I had forgotten Hertha in her company. Then thought I that there was no reason why I should remember Hertha any longer. And next, that it were better that I should think of no maiden at all, at this time.
Then will we ask the bishop on the morrow what you had better do." Then they were eager to go with him, and I bade them farewell, bowing, and they turned away. They might say nothing, according to their rule, Elfric told me, save in need. Neither did Uldra speak, though no vow of silence was on her, but she went with them for a little way.
Then we knocked on the great door, and he was silent until a sister looked through the little barred square wicket in the midst of it. "We would speak with the Lady Uldra," I said. "I am the thane who brought her ashore." The sister said nought, but shut the wicket door, and left us. We heard her steps retreating across the little courtyard, and she shut a door after her somewhere else.
Now, I saw Uldra no more that night, and Sexberga was unfriendly with me because Eldred still kept away. So I had my thoughts to myself while Relf slept as was his wont after supper, and the lady of the house turned her wheel as ever. I think that I would not wish any man to have such strange and sad thoughts as mine were at that time.
Nay, but weep not so bitterly, you shall be as our daughter to us if you will, for Redwald's life's sake. Aye, you shall have Sexberga's own chamber and all that " But still Uldra wept, and I was unhappy to see her do so. This could not be all for sudden relief from doubt as I had thought at first.
I had parted from Uldra as from a dear friend and no more, though well I knew now that she was more than that to me. And there had been a look in her face, moreover, that bided with me, making me wretched and yet glad, for it told me that her thoughts were as mine. And more than that neither of us would show. The tide of war had hold of me, and whither it would drift me none could say.
And all the while those two words that came to me as I talked to Relf grew plainer, and seemed to ring in my ears unspoken, "Landless and luckless landless and luckless," for that was what it all came to. Then Uldra looked at me and saw the trouble in my face, and took what seemed to her to be the only way to help me. "You cannot think of these matters now, Redwald," she said softly.
Thus, by the time we came over the great spur of the Downs that ends in Beachy Head, and looked over all Pevensea level to the Penhurst woods and hills beyond, I and Uldra were very good friends, and Relf was pleased that it should be so, and rode between us in high content.
"Then I was right," said Godwine gleefully. "I will warrant that you two wise heads would never have thought thereof." "Are you coming with us?" I asked him, for I did not care to have to find answers to many questions about our speech with Uldra, as things were. "I am coming by sea presently with two ships," he said.
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