"So he is, and I am wrong," said the lad at once. "Forgive me, friend; I did not think."
Then I laughed, and turned it off. Godwine was only too right, but I could not say so. Now, however, I may say that the memory of Emma the queen's ways is to me as a nightmare.
"I would that I could meet with this Egil," Godwine said as I gave him sword Foe's Bane to handle; and then he forgot all else in the beauty of the weapon.
"What have you done with the brave maiden?" Relf asked me now.
"She is in the nunnery here," I said. "She is friendless, having no folk of her own nearer than Peterborough."
"That is far off," said Relf, and began to think, twisting his beard as was his wont when pondering somewhat weighty.
Now, before he had made up his mind to say any more, Godwine was ready to hear about the winning back of the sword, and of the fights in Ulfkytel's land, and then a man came from the ships with some business, and he went away with him. And by that time Relf had somewhat to say.
"Penhurst is a lonesome place, and it will be worse for my wife when Sexberga is gone," he said musingly.
"Why, where is your daughter going?" I asked him.
He looked at me sidewise for a moment, and I thought that his face fell a little. Then he said: