And when he knew of the burning of Edmund’s hall, “Surely,” he said, “my father hath a knowledge of this thing. He must be in his dotage, and in his old age is doing that which in his youth he would have scorned. It seemeth to me that ye must fly together, and the sooner the safer, for the thane will not long leave his kin unavenged.”
“Now, Torfrida, hearken ye to Edwy’s rede.”
Then she looked dark, and said she, “If I fly my father will be slain and thou also, Edwy.”
“And if thou stayest here then surely will Feargus be slain, and Osbert will wed thee.”
“Nay, that will he never.”
“Once wed, Sigmund and Edwy will not be long before they follow Feargus, and then Osbert’s hand will be uppermost in the land of the Lindiswaras; for Lindesey he will join on to the land of his fathers and the house of Sigmund will be no more.”
Then Torfrida wept.
“Nay, do not weep, sister; if thou wilt fly with Feargus thou mayst have a good journey to the land of the Albanich, and Feargus will return again with his father’s men, and maybe our mother’s kin forbye, and they will come and smite the traitor.”
“Nay, I cannot leave my father, for he hath but one daughter.”