"I will not take either thane or nuns, lady," he said. "They must leave you even now; time is short."
She glanced coldly at the chief, and answered him by speaking to me. She had brought herself now to see that she was powerless.
"Then I must say farewell, Redwald. In better days I will not forget your service," and then she smiled a little, and gave me her hand to kiss as I knelt before her, adding: "I think that I have been an ill-natured travelling companion at times."
Then she turned away quickly and sought the cabin. But she said no word to the maiden who had made the journey lighter to her, and I saw that this grieved her sorely.
Now I took hasty leave of Elfric and the athelings, and sad was I at parting with them. But I told Eadward that Egil was worthy of his charge, and a generous foe.
"You will not blame me that this matter has failed even at the last, my prince," I said.
"Not I, Redwald, good friend; you and I will laugh over it at some time hereafter," the atheling said.
I shook my head.
"It has been waste trouble and pains," I said sorrowfully.
"That it has not been," quoth Elfric. "No duty well and truly done is lost in the end, though it may seem to be so at the time. I shall remember my guardian in this journey all my life long, and the queen shall remember presently. You have been most patient. Lose not patience now. Be of good cheer rather that things are none so ill as they might be."