There was a fire blazing now on the green before our own house, and one on the hill above the Wormingford mere, which men say is haunted.
"I would see your mistress," I said as they came and held my horse.
I had not been to the house for two days, as it chanced.
Then one ran and brought the house steward, and told him.
"I know not if that may be, master," he said; "but I will ask Dame Gunnhild." "Has the lady gone to rest ?" I said, being surprised at this delay.
"She is not well" the man said; "and the dame has not suffered her to rise today." "Then let me have speech with the dame without delay," I said, for this made me uneasy, seeing what need there was for speedy flight.
The steward went in, and I bade the thralls do all that Edred ordered them, telling him to see to what was needed for flight and so I went into the house, and stood by the hall fire waiting for Gunnhild the nurse.
There is nothing in all that wide hall that I cannot remember clearly, even to a place where the rushes were ill strewn on the floor.

And the short waiting seemed very long to me.
Then came Gunnhild.

She was old, and I feared her, for men said that she was a witch.

But she had been in the house of Osgod the Thane since he himself was a child, and Hertha loved her, and that was enough for me.

Nor had I any reason to think that the dame had any but friendly feelings towards myself, though her bright eyes and tall figure, and most of all what was said of her, feared me, as I say.