“Thou needst not bear it, child. Come with me. I promise thee that thou shalt not regret it. Come! Edward must not find thee here when he returns. Come!”
She held out her hand. Scarcely knowing what she was doing, Egwina put her own within it, and the two glided noiselessly into the woods.
[CHAPTER XIX—DARK DAYS]
Away into the forest they went, the seid woman keeping fast hold of Egwina’s hand, and speaking not. Once the maiden thought she heard the voice of Edward calling, “Egwina! Egwina!” She half paused but Gyda hurried her on. At last the wicca stopped before a small, low cottage quite outside the demesne of the royal vill. In answer to her knock, the door was thrown open and they entered the hut. The inmates, a wite and his wife, seemed to know the seid woman, and accepted the presence of Egwina without question.
Gyda did not pause to converse with them, but half carried the drooping form of the girl into an adjoining room which was evidently used by her as a bower chamber.
“There, child, lie down,” she said, not unkindly. “Spent art thou with thy exertions, and grief maketh heavy thy heart. Rest, while I prepare thee hot drink.”
The maiden sank on the bed, and gave way to her woe. Soon the wicca returned with a horn full of steaming liquid.
“Drink!” she commanded, and the maiden drank obediently. “’Tis a potion that will lull thee to dreamless repose, and woe will sit lightly on thy pillow.”
The eyes of the maiden waxed heavy as the drug took effect, and soon she sank into a deep sleep. The seid woman bent over her, noting her fairness exultantly.
“Now shalt thou be to me as mine own child,” she murmured. “Happy shalt thou be, for I will love thee. Always shalt thou be by my side, and even though the king himself should claim thee, thou shalt not leave me. Sleep, my pretty one! None shall take thee now from Gyda.”