"My Queen, that is not the Norman shore which you see. The Danes, into whose hands we have fallen, are taking us back to England." As I said this, the queen's face grew white with rage, and she looked from Elfric to me, speechless. On the deck above stood Egil, and he caught my eye, and looked ruefully at us. "What!" she said, "has Cnut bought you also? Is there no man whom I can trust?" That was the most cruel thing that she could have said, but I knew what despair might lie behind her anger, and I answered nothing--nor did Elfric. We waited for the storm to pass. "Ill it was that Ethelred trusted me to your hands--" she began again. But there was one who would not bear this. The friendless maiden spoke plainly for us. "Queen," she said, "I have borne your reproaches to myself in silence, but I cannot bear that these brave servants of yours should be blamed. Look at the abbot's torn and dusty robes, look at the thane's care-worn face--are they in the plight of men who are bribed?" But the queen made no answer, and her face was like stone as she looked on none of us, gazing straight before her. "What lies on yonder deck?" the girl went on, pointing to where the two bodies lay under their covering. "It is the thane's sword and risk of life that stayed them from laying hands on you. Does a bought man slay his buyers?" Still the queen was silent, and then I said: "I think that you misjudge us, my queen. Had we wished to betray you it would have been long ere this that the Danes would have been summoned to take you." I do not think that she heard me, and I am glad, for I spoke in anger. I saw her lean against the bulkhead, and her hand sought her heart, and she reeled a little. The maiden sprang forward to support her, for it seemed as if she would fall. But she recovered in a moment, and shook herself free of the girl's clasp. "I am wrong, good friends," she said. "Now I know from what you have shielded me all this long journey through. What will they do with me?" And she began to weep silently, yet she would not let the maiden touch her. Elfric spoke then in his gentle voice. "We cannot blame you, my queen, for the blow is heavy; yet the chief who has taken us is a true warrior and kindly, you need fear nought." Then came Egil from the fore deck, and bowed to the queen, and said: "I must take you to Cnut the king, lady; and his commands are that you are to be treated as becomes the sister of Duke Richard. I am here to see that it is so." Then the queen's mood changed, and she was once more herself. "You shall answer to my brother for all you do," she said in her proud way. "I have to answer to Jarl Thorkel and to King Cnut," Egil said simply. "The duke is no lord of mine." Thereat the queen paid no sort of heed to him, but spoke to me. "I will tell my brother hereafter of your great care for me, my thane. Why must you leave me now?" Surely I should have asked Egil to let me stay, but he knew best what was safe for me.