may be near you. Now tell me how you came to be with
Elfric."

She blushed a little, and laughed.

"When we were at Penhurst," she said, "you told me how you were
seeking me--well, maybe I was seeking you. It fell out thus. When
you and Olaf, whom I long to see, scattered the Danes here,
Gunnhild said that we must fly, for they were seeking hiding
places. So she would go to her sister, who is abbess at Ramsey, by
the great mere of Whittlesea. So we fled there, and the journey was
overmuch for her, and there she died after two days. That was a
sore grief to me, but I will not speak of grief now. Then Ailwin
told the abbess to keep me with her until all things were safe,
when he would return for me. But Gunnhild had asked her to find me
a place with the Lady Algitha, Eadmund Atheling's wife, because I
should meet you in his house often enough. That she could do, and
would have done.

"Then the Danes came, and one day Elfric sent word that he was
going to Normandy. Those two sisters would go home, and so the
abbess sent me with them, thinking that thus her sister's plan for
me would be best carried out. For she was told by Elfric that you
were in charge of the party, saying the sisters would be safe in
your care. Elfric might get me a place in the queen's new
household; and if not--if you knew me not nor cared for me--there
was always the convent."

"So all that plan came out thus--and it is well," I said. "But why
would you not come to Penhurst at first?"

She laughed lightly, answering:

"Can you not guess? Relf saw, and set things right. Did he never
tell you what was wrong?"

"He said that it was want of travelling gear," said I.

"Why, that was not it, though being thoughtful and fatherly he
asked of that first."

"Tell me what was the trouble, then."

"I thought--there were things said, and you called me by her
name--that the wedding Relf spoke of was yours and Sexberga's. That
was all."

"Surely Relf knew not who you were?"

"No. He did not till Ailwin came to Penhurst."

"Then," said I, "it passes me to know how he found out what the
trouble was."

"Because he has a daughter of his own," she laughed.

And so she began to speak of Sexberga's wedding, which had been not
long since.

Then we came to Wormingford, and there was Ailwin, bent and aged
indeed by the troubles, but well, and rejoiced to see me once more,
and that I and Hertha were so happily together. But I had to ask
his pardon for