made me the jest of your idle comrades over that foolish cup of the
king's."

That was a new way of looking at the matter, in all truth. I
supposed that a vow of fealty to any lady would have been taken by
her as somewhat on which to pride herself maybe, from whomsoever it
came. Which seemed to be foolishness in this fresh light. Still, it
came to me that her anger was not altogether fair, for I was the
one who had to stand the jesting, and not one of my honest comrades
so much as mentioned her name lightly in any wise.

"That was no jest of mine, Elfrida," I said gravely enough. "If
there is any jest at all that will come from my oath, it will be
that I have been foolish enough to vow fealty to one who despises
me. The last thing that I would do is anything that might hurt you.
And my vow stands fast, whether you scorn me or not, for if it was
made in a moment, it is not as if I had not had long years to think
on in which we have been good friends enough."

"Ay," she said, turning from me and reaching some apples that yet
hung on a sheltered bough, "I have heard the terms of that vow from
my father, more than once. You can keep it without trouble."

"Have I your leave to try to keep it?"

"You have had full leave to be a good friend of ours all these
years, as you say, and I do not see that the vow binds you to more.
No one thinks that you are likely to forget last night, or any one
who took part in that cruel business. And if a friend will not help
to guard a lady--well, he would be just nidring, no more or less."

Then she took up her basket, which was pretty full and no burden
for a lady, for she had picked fast and heedlessly as she spoke to
me, and so turned away.

"Nay, but surely you know that there was more than that meant," I
said lamely.

"No need to have haled my name into the matter at all," she said.

And then, seeing that my eyes went to the basket, she smiled a
little, and held it to me with both hands.

"Well, if you meant some new sort of service, you can begin by
carrying this for me. I am going to the queen's bower."

I took it without a word, and we went silently together to the door
that led to the queen's end of the hall. There she stayed for a
moment with her hand on the latch.

But she had only a question to ask me:

"Do you go with your father to the Welsh king's court, as it is
said that he will go shortly?"

"We start together in an hour's time or thereabout," I answered,
w