ittle time, and now it was as if
Yuletide had come again in high summer, so full was the little town
with guests who came to the wedding. Erpwald had come soon after
us, with a train of Sussex thanes, who were his neighbours and
would see him through the business, and take him and his bride home
again. Well loved were the ealdorman and his fair daughter, and
this was the first wedding in the new church, of which all the land
was proud.

Only Ina was somewhat uneasy, though he would not shew it. For on
all the Wessex border from Severn Sea to the Channel there was
unrest. It seemed that the hand of Gerent had altogether slackened
on his people, so that they did what they listed, and it was even
worse than it had been in the days of Morgan and his brother, for
at least they were answerable for what the men of Dyvnaint wrought
of harm. There was none to take their place here, while the old
king bided in Exeter or in Cornwall, and never came to Norton at
all now. So there was pillage and raiding across the Parrett, and
at last Ina had sent messages to Gerent concerning it.

A fortnight ago that was, and now the messengers had returned,
bearing word from Gerent that he himself would come and speak to
Ina of Wessex and answer him, and it was doubtful what that answer
meant. There might well be a menace of war therein, or it might
mean that he was only coming to Norton. It would not be the first
time that the two kings had met there and spoken with one another
in all friendliness concerning matters which might have been of
much trouble. And we heard at least of no gathering of forces by
the Welsh.

Yet Ina warned all the sheriffs of the Wessex borderland, and could
do no more. The levies would come up at once when the first summons
came.

All of which the ealdorman spoke to me of, but neither Erpwald nor
Elfrida knew that war was in the air. We did not tell them. Thus we
hoped to keep all knowledge that aught was unrestful from them in
their happiness, until at least they two were beyond the sound of
war, if it needs must come.

But it came to pass on the day before the wedding that all men knew
thereof in stern truth, and that was a hard time for many.

Erpwald and I sat on the bench before the ealdorman's house in the
late sunshine of the long July evening, talking of the morrow, and
of Eastdean, and aught else that came uppermost, so that it was
pleasant to think of, and before us we could see the long road that
g