"Let Havelok take your horse, Mord," I whispered to him; "I will tell
you why directly."

He nodded, and I told Havelok to mount. Then I helped up the nurse, who
wept and muttered to herself; and so we started, Alsi standing on the
steps with words of feigned goodspeed as we did so.

But the housecarls and the people shouted with wishes that were real, no
doubt thinking that we were bound for the far-off kingdom of the prince
who had won Goldberga by service as a kitchen knave in her uncle's hall
for very love of her.

Directly we were outside the gate that leads down the hill, I saw
Withelm, who was there waiting for me, and he knew at once what had
happened.

He came to my side, and asked only, "Already?"

"Already," I answered; "but it is well. Go to the widow's straightway,
and bring Havelok's arms to him at the hostelry at the end of the
marketplace, where we have to find more horses."

He went at once, and silently we came down the street and to the
courtyard of the inn. Some few folk stared at us; but the princess was
hardly known here, and she had cast her long, white mantle hoodwise over
her head and face, so that one could not tell who she was. So early in
the day there were few people in the marketplace either.

Berthun was in the courtyard of the inn, and I was glad to see him, for