be well. Owen will take things in hand then, and
will be master."

That was indeed a way out of the trouble, and therein Nona helped
us with Owen, so that at last he consented. I will say that he knew
little or nothing of possible trouble here, and we told him
nothing, for, in the first place, we had no certainty thereof, and
in the next, he was not strong enough to do anything against it if
we had.

When we came to ask Gerent if Howel might take him to Dyfed, we
found no difficulty at all, which surprised me not a little. I
think that the king knew that it was well for him to be across the
channel in all quiet.

So it came to pass that in a few days all was ready for our going
to Watchet to find Thorgils or some other shipmaster who would take
us over. We could wait at Norton until the time of sailing came, if
we might not cross at once, and thence I should go back to Ina.

One may guess without any telling of mine what the parting with
Owen was for Gerent. As for myself, I was somewhat sorry to bid the
old king farewell, for I liked him, and he was ever most kind to
me. But I was not sorry to leave his court, by any means, for those
reasons of which I have spoken, and of them most of all for fear of
more plotting against Owen.

Now I will say that the ride to Watchet, slow and careful for his
sake who must yet travel in the litter, and in fair summer weather,
is one that I love to look back on. As may be supposed, by this
time I and the princess were very good friends, and it is likely
that I rode beside her for most of the way. We had many things to
talk of.

One thing I have not set down yet is, that it had been easy, after
what he had done for us, to win full pardon for Evan from Gerent.
Now he rode with me, well armed and stalwart, as my servant, and
one could hardly want a more likely looking one. And Nona had some
good words and friendly to say to him, which made him hold his head
higher yet after a time.

Presently, since I was on my way back to Glastonbury and onwards,
we must needs speak of Elfrida, and I told her how I had fared when
I came back from Dyfed. She laughed at me, and I laughed at myself
also; for now I knew at last that the old fancy had in all truth
passed from my mind.

So we came to Norton, and then sought Thorgils, and after that it
was a week before he was ready. I mind the wonder on the face of
the Norseman when he saw Evan at my heels on the day when his ship
came home and I