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."
Then I said frankly, knowing what he meant:
"And I in her. That is partly the reason why I must go with Wulfnoth and Godwine westward. And the rest of the reason is this, that I would be near Eadmund. And maybe if I looked to find more reason yet it would be to leave Sexberga to work out matters without having me to fall back on when Eldred is to be made jealous."
Thereat Olaf laughed long.
"You have had an ill time with the womenfolk of late," he said, and it was true enough.
"I have," said I, "and I am tired thereof. I shall be glad to be where byrnies and swords are more common than kirtles and distaffs."