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, wondering.
"Well then, take this to mind you of your vow," she said, and threw a little bronze brooch, gilt and set with bright enamel, into the basket, and so fled into the house, leaving me on the doorstep with the apples.
I set them down there, and had a mind to leave the brooch also.
However, on second thoughts I took it, and went my way in a puzzled state of mind.

It certainly seemed that Elfrida was desperately angry with me for reasons which were not easy to fathom, and yet she had given me this--that is, if to have a thing thrown at one is to have it given.