d of my changed rank and all that, I
saw that she was right, and it heartened me somewhat. Not that I
thought it would make any difference to Nona, but that it surely
must to Howel, which was a great matter after all.

In a week Ina gathered the Witan of Somerset here to Taunton, first
that the last stone of the fortress should be laid with all
solemnity and due rites, even as the foundation had been laid with
the blessing of Holy Church on it, and then that he might take
counsel for the holding of the new land. Then in full Witan I did
homage and took the oaths that were fitting, and so the king girt
my sword on me afresh as I sat at the foot of his throne as the
first ealdorman of Devon; and the Witan confirmed his choice, also
making sure to me all dues that should come to the man who held the
rank. They seemed well satisfied with the king's choice of me, and
that was a good thing, for I will say that I had somewhat feared
jealousy here and there. I do not think that their approval was due
to any special merit of my own at all, but it was plain that I
stood in a halfway place, as it were, between the two courts in a
way that was in itself enough to make the choice good policy.

After that Ina bade me go to Dyfed, while he was yet in the west,
and would set all things in train for me, choosing my house-carles,
and setting such men as I could work well with in places of trust
in the land. There was much for the king to do yet.

"Therefore take what time you will, Oswald," he said kindly. "You
will be busy enough when you come back, and I can trust you not to
overstay your time. If Owen can come to speak with me bring him,
but that is doubtful yet."

One may suppose that I did not delay then. I sent Evan to Thorgils,
and asked him to give me a passage over, and so had a fortnight to
wait for him, as he was on his way from some voyage westward at the
time. Then a fair summer sailing and a welcome from the Danefolk at
Tenby, where we put in rather than make for the long tidal waters
of Milford Haven against a southwest breeze.

There the Danes must needs set themselves in array in all holiday
gear that I might ride to Pembroke as a prince's foster son, with a
better following than Evan and my half-dozen house-carles, and I
rode with fifty men after me, so that the guard at the palace gates
might have thought that Ina himself had come to see Owen, and there
was bustle of welcome enough.

And so there were wonderful