what
you carry—”
“No!” Her hands went to that talisman of Gunnora’s. “I have been to the shrine of
Gunnora. She has promised me my desire—the child I bear will be mine wholly, taking
nothing from him! ”
“And did she also send you to the Toads?”
Hertha shook her head. “Gunnora guards life. I knew of the Toads from old tales. I
went to them in my blindness and they gave me that which I placed in your bed to draw
you to them. Also they changed my face in some manner. But—that is no longer so?”
“No. Had I not known your cloak, I should not have known you. But this thing in my
bed—Stay you here and wait. But promise me this, should I return as one under orders,
bar the door in my face and keep me here at all costs!”
“I promise.”
He went with the light-footed tread of one who had learned to walk softly in strange
places because life might well depend upon it. Now that she was alone her mind returned
to the matter of what could come to her with the morn. Who would give her refuge—save
perhaps the Wise Women of Lethendale. It might be that this marshal would escort her
there. Though what did he owe her except such danger as she did not want to think
on. But although her thoughts twisted and turned she saw no answer except Lethendale.
Perhaps Kuno would some day—no! She would have no plan leading in that path!
Trystan was back holding two sticks such as were used to kindle brazier flames. Gripped
between their ends was the pebble she had brought from the Toads’ hold. As he reached
the fire he hurled that bit of rock into the heart of the blaze.
He might have poured oil upon the flames so fierce was the answer as the pebble fell
among the logs. Both shrank back.
“That trap is now set at naught,” he observed. “I would not have any other fall into
it.”
She stiffened, guessing what he thought of her for the setting of that same trap.
“To say I am sorry is only mouthing words, but—”
“To one with such a burden, lady, I can return that I understand. When one is driven
by a lash one takes any way to free oneself. And in the end you did not suffer that
I be taken.”
“Having first thrust you well into the trap! Also—you should have let them take me
then as they wished. It would only have been fitting.”
“Have done!” He brought his fist down on the seat of the settle beside which he knelt.
“Let us make an end to what is past. It is gone. To cling to this wrong or that, keep
it festering in mind and heart, is to cripple one. Now, lady,” she detected a new
formality in his voice, “where do you go, if not to your brother’s house? It is not
in your mind to return there, I gather.”
She fumbled with the talisman. “In that you are right. There is but one place left—the
Wise Women of Lethendale. I can beg shelter from them.” She wondered if he would offer
the escort she had no right to ask, but his next question surprised her.
“Lady, when you came hither, you came by the Old Road over ridge, did you not?”
“That is so. To me it seemed less dangerous than the open highway. It has, by legend,
those who sometimes use it, but I deemed those less dangerous than my own kind.”
“If you came from that direction you must have passed through Nordendale—what manner
of holding is it?”
She had no idea why he wished such knowledge, but she told him what she had seen of
that leaderless dale, thehandful of people there deep sunk in a lethargy in which they clung to the ruins
of what had once been thriving life. He listened eagerly to what she told him.
“You have a seeing eye, lady, and have marked more than most given such a short time
to observe. Now listen to me, for this may be a matter of concern to both of us in
the future. It is in my mind that Nordendale needs a lord, one to give the people
heart, rebuild what man and time have wasted. I have come north seeking a chance to
be not
you carry—”
“No!” Her hands went to that talisman of Gunnora’s. “I have been to the shrine of
Gunnora. She has promised me my desire—the child I bear will be mine wholly, taking
nothing from him! ”
“And did she also send you to the Toads?”
Hertha shook her head. “Gunnora guards life. I knew of the Toads from old tales. I
went to them in my blindness and they gave me that which I placed in your bed to draw
you to them. Also they changed my face in some manner. But—that is no longer so?”
“No. Had I not known your cloak, I should not have known you. But this thing in my
bed—Stay you here and wait. But promise me this, should I return as one under orders,
bar the door in my face and keep me here at all costs!”
“I promise.”
He went with the light-footed tread of one who had learned to walk softly in strange
places because life might well depend upon it. Now that she was alone her mind returned
to the matter of what could come to her with the morn. Who would give her refuge—save
perhaps the Wise Women of Lethendale. It might be that this marshal would escort her
there. Though what did he owe her except such danger as she did not want to think
on. But although her thoughts twisted and turned she saw no answer except Lethendale.
Perhaps Kuno would some day—no! She would have no plan leading in that path!
Trystan was back holding two sticks such as were used to kindle brazier flames. Gripped
between their ends was the pebble she had brought from the Toads’ hold. As he reached
the fire he hurled that bit of rock into the heart of the blaze.
He might have poured oil upon the flames so fierce was the answer as the pebble fell
among the logs. Both shrank back.
“That trap is now set at naught,” he observed. “I would not have any other fall into
it.”
She stiffened, guessing what he thought of her for the setting of that same trap.
“To say I am sorry is only mouthing words, but—”
“To one with such a burden, lady, I can return that I understand. When one is driven
by a lash one takes any way to free oneself. And in the end you did not suffer that
I be taken.”
“Having first thrust you well into the trap! Also—you should have let them take me
then as they wished. It would only have been fitting.”
“Have done!” He brought his fist down on the seat of the settle beside which he knelt.
“Let us make an end to what is past. It is gone. To cling to this wrong or that, keep
it festering in mind and heart, is to cripple one. Now, lady,” she detected a new
formality in his voice, “where do you go, if not to your brother’s house? It is not
in your mind to return there, I gather.”
She fumbled with the talisman. “In that you are right. There is but one place left—the
Wise Women of Lethendale. I can beg shelter from them.” She wondered if he would offer
the escort she had no right to ask, but his next question surprised her.
“Lady, when you came hither, you came by the Old Road over ridge, did you not?”
“That is so. To me it seemed less dangerous than the open highway. It has, by legend,
those who sometimes use it, but I deemed those less dangerous than my own kind.”
“If you came from that direction you must have passed through Nordendale—what manner
of holding is it?”
She had no idea why he wished such knowledge, but she told him what she had seen of
that leaderless dale, thehandful of people there deep sunk in a lethargy in which they clung to the ruins
of what had once been thriving life. He listened eagerly to what she told him.
“You have a seeing eye, lady, and have marked more than most given such a short time
to observe. Now listen to me, for this may be a matter of concern to both of us in
the future. It is in my mind that Nordendale needs a lord, one to give the people
heart, rebuild what man and time have wasted. I have come north seeking a chance to
be not
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