“The girl doth deny her kith and kin.”
“Well, sith she doth, let her deny,” returned the man lazily.
“But seest thou not, blockhead, that ’tis to keep us from the money,” cried the woman angrily.
The man sprang to his feet and entered the room where they were. Egwina regarded the pair with wonder.
“Art thou not Gyda’s daughter?” demanded the man of her.
“Gyda’s? No. Why should ye think me the seid woman’s daughter?” asked Egwina in amazement.
“Hast thou not lived here with her always, and then sayest thou that thou art not her daughter?” the woman exclaimed fiercely. “How now, maiden?”
“Nay; but I am not her daughter,” reiterated Egwina.
“Then how camest thou here? The neighbors say that thou wert here for weeks, and that Gyda called thee daughter. Thou didst call her mother!”
“True; but it was to please her that I called her thus. Her own child died, and she yearned for love as age crept upon her. Hence she took me to dwell with her.”