"You would not wait for me, then?" I said, being glad that he had managed without me, as things had turned out. "Methought I could do better alone. The girl would say more to me than if you were there, perhaps. Moreover, I had a notion why she would not come, and I wanted to ask her if I was right. And I was." "I thought of that," said I; "she was in the same plight as myself until Godwine decked me out thus. Women think more of their attire than we." The thane chuckled in his quiet way. "Why, perhaps that had somewhat to do with it, but I did not ask her, I forgot. But I did tell the old Lady Superior to do so, and gave her withal to care for the maiden." Then I said: "It is well that you persuaded her; maybe I should have been in the way. I should have lost my tongue again, I think." "Well, yes," said Relf, still laughing to himself, "it was you who were in the way; however, as you say, all is well, and she rides with us tomorrow. We will go and find a mule or a good forest pony for her, and so tell Godwine that the clothes have done it." Now I never thought that there was anything more behind the thane's words, for of all things that had made my soul weary in these last weeks the complaints of Emma the queen about her dress had been the worst. So this seemed to me to be quite enough to explain Uldra's first refusal, and though I believe that Relf had been on the point of telling me more, he forbore, and let this suffice. Relf knew where to look for a beast, and we soon had a good bay pony, that was quiet enough and strong, sent to Godwine's stables. And then Relf told the earl what he had done. "Then I was right," said Godwine gleefully. "I will warrant that you two wise heads would never have thought thereof." "Are you coming with us?" I asked him, for I did not care to have to find answers to many questions about our speech with Uldra, as things were. "I am coming by sea presently with two ships," he said. "I shall wait till Bertric comes back, and so maybe shall have news of your queen to tell you. He should not be long. Relf goes back for the early hay time, he says, but I believe that he is tired of the sea." "I am no sailor, lord," the thane said. "As any of my crew will tell you," Godwine said merrily. "Never, Redwald, was any man so undone as Relf when there is a little sea on. A common forest deer thief could tie him up." "I should have thanked one for slaying me at times," said Relf grimly. "I prefer solid ground to shifty deck planks." So whether it was love of home or loathing of sea that took him back to Penhurst, Relf and I left Godwine on the next morning; and at the nunnery door waited Uldra, looking bright and cheerful and greeting us gladly as we came. And it seemed to me that her troubles had passed from her, and that she was indeed glad to be leaving the walls of the place that was so prison-like.