It seemed that the pleasure of her champions,
as she called us, in the war gear pleased her.
"Swords you shall have," she said at once. "I did but wait."
"For what, lady?" asked Dalfin.
She smiled and reddened somewhat, looking down on the deck.
"One can hardly be mistaken as to whether a man is used to war
gear," she said. "Now I see you three--prince, jarl, and thane--as
I might have known you to be at first. Forgive me for the little
doubt."
Seeing what sort of scarecrows we must have been, we did not wonder
at all that she had doubted. And, after all, not every day are
three men of rank of different lands to be found adrift in an open
boat, simply as it had come about in our case.
"It would have been a wonder if you had not doubted," said Bertric.
"We have naught to forgive, and, indeed, have held ourselves
honoured that you took our words as you did. In all truth, I do
feel myself again in mail, and so must Malcolm."
I did, and said so. There are thoughts knit up in the steel
ringwork which are good for a man.
"The swords are in yon chamber," Gerda said quickly, not being very
willing, mayhap, to speak more in this wise. "I will ask Malcolm,
for he is a Norseman, to come and choose them."
That was the last thing I wished, but would not say so.
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