"I cannot!" she cried. "I cannot." "You must," he said harshly. "Or you will
do little credit to the blood that is in you. Do you no longer think your
father and brother of any importance?"
"They are pitiless to demand it of me," she murmured, and buried her face in
her hands.
Anger leaped from the young noble's eyes as, in his turn, he came between her
and the Jarl. He said forcefully, "No one shall ask anything of you that you
do not want, nor shall any king compel you. Yet I think I have a right to know
what his will is with you."
"You have not," the Dane contradicted. "Do you think the King's purposes are
to be opened to the sight of every Angle who becomes his man? Nor have you
ally right soever over her who is the King's ward. End this talk, maiden, and
give me your promise to be obedient."
She gave it in a cry of despair, "I must--I know I must!" then sought to make
peace with her lover by laying caressing hands on his breast. "And he is
right, love, that I ought not to tell any one. It is another one of those
things that you must trust."
But for once the Etheling's will did not bend to her coaxing; his mouth was
doggedly set as he looked down upon her. "I trust no man I do not know," he
answered, "and I do not know Canute the man,--nor do I greatly like what I
have heard of him, or this plan of sending me from the City at this time.
Pages:
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344