ow how to thank you for the promise."

She set forth her hand to mine, and I bent and kissed it; but she
pressed my great fingers as my own mother used to press them. Then
she said in a low voice:

"I do not fear Offa, for he is noble in all he does. I fear
Quendritha."

"I have heard that she is to be feared. Can you tell me more of
her?"

"You will see her as the fairest woman in all the land, and will
but know her as the softest spoken. Once or twice I have seen what
looks may lie under that fair outward show, and I know that in her
heart is the rage for power and ever more power, let it be what it
may. It goes ill with the lady of her train who shares a secret
with her, if the secret is the lady's. I cannot think how harm may
come to Ethelbert from her; but none know how it may not. I pray
you remember that."

I promised, and then she led me to her doorway; and there I left
her, but not before she had thanked me again. I suppose that to
share a burden even with me helped somewhat to lighten it. And in
all truth I meant to do my part in watching, and if possible
guarding, the king. Perhaps it would be as the queen said, that
being in and yet not of his train I might be able to look on at all
that went on more easily.

To that end I kept my Frankish dress, though I had meant to take to
plain Saxon wear once more, with the knowledge that none would
wonder that Carl's man was kept near the king, and that in Offa's
court I should not be taken for an Anglian of his train.

Now the day came when we should set out on the long ride across
England to the Welsh border, where Offa had set his throne for the
time. As may be supposed, we went first of all on that morning to
the church in the dim daybreak, and there heard mass and sought for
blessing on our going and returning, and then I went and saw all
ready for the ride. I had bought two more horses, good enough for
change of mount now and then, one brown and the other black; and
Erling was to lead them, with our belongings on a pack. The king
would travel steadily, but no more slowly than might be managed,
and we were to have no wagons or the like to hinder us, though
there were three ladies besides the Lady Hilda who were to go with
us.

It was past sunrise when I went to find Erling, but the morning was
dull and dark. It was hot, too, for no breath of wind stirred the
trees, and I seemed to notice a silence around me. That was because
the thrushes and blackbird