"Thanes," said Witred, quite coolly, "if we want to see another day dawn we had best be going.
"Brother, I rede you go to the horse watering yourself, and take your best steed under you; and I pray you bring mine also.
"Paladin, that gay steed of yours will be with the rest--and yours also, thane.
"Erling, you shall in nowise go stablewards, but come with us."
The thane who had to see to the stables leaped up, and without more than a nod to his comrade and us went his way down the hall in haste.
"There are two or three things I don't want to leave behind," said Witred, "but I shall have to forego them. A man need not stop to gather property when Quendritha is at his heels. Come; why are you waiting? I tell you that we shall find the far end of that passage closed in one way or another if we haste not."
"My daughter!" said Sighard, groaning; "she is in the queen's bower."
"So also is Etheldrida the princess," said Witred. "She is of her court, as one may say, and will be safe. No harm can come to her."
"I fear for her," said Sighard, still hesitating.
"This woman, who has slain the bridegroom of her own daughter, will stick at little. I have offended her, and I know it."