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strictly forbidden he made some excuse and went over to France, while I

went down home till my arm was well again. I fancy we hurt each other about

equally, but the scar on my arm won't show, while I fancy, from what the

leech who dressed his wound told me, the sear is likely to spoil his beauty

for life."

"I am sorry you quarrelled with him about me, Beorn. It would have been

better to have said nothing, though I thank you for your championship."

"Nonsense, Wulf. I know very well you would not hear anyone speak ill of me

without taking up the cudgels for me."

Wulf could not deny this. "Certainly not, Beorn; still it is a pity to make

an enemy, and Fitz-Urse has shown in my case that he is not one who

forgives."

The Welsh campaign had terminated at the end of August, and it was a month

later that Wulf had returned to Steyning. Just a year afterwards he

received a message from Harold to come up to London, and to order his

housecarls to hold themselves in readiness to start immediately on

receiving an order from him. Somewhat surprised, for no news had reached

him of any trouble that could call for the employment of an armed force,

Wulf rode for London alone, bidding Osgod follow with the housecarls as

soon as he heard from him. When he reached the palace he heard news that

explained the cause of his summons. Northumbria had risen in rebellion

against Earl Tostig. He was accused of tyranny and oppression, and had

been continually away from his earldom, leaving it to be governed in his

absence by a thane.

The country north of the Humber had for a long period of years been

independent, appointing their own rulers, who owed no allegiance whatever

to the kings of the West Saxons. Although now incorporated in the kingdom

of England the Northumbrians regretted their lost independence, and this

all the more, that the population were for the most part Danish, and viewed

with an intense feeling of jealousy the preponderance gained by the West

Saxons. Tostig at the time the revolt declared itself was hunting with the

king--who had a great affection for him--in the forests of Wiltshire, and

had not arrived in town when Wulf reached the capital. It was not until the

afternoon that Wulf had an interview with Harold. The earl had just come

from a council and was alone.

"Thank you for coming up so speedily," he said as he shook the young thane

by the hand. "You have heard the news, I suppose?"

"I have heard that Northumberland has risen in rebellion."

"Yes, that was the news that arrived four days since."

"Is it serious?"

"Yes, very serious; the rebellion grows each day. It is headed by several

of the greatest landowners in the north, both Danish and Saxon, and the

worst part of the news is that the trouble has, as I hear, been stirred up

by Edwin of Mercia and his brother. It is the old rivalry between the House

of Leofric and ours. They are jealous of our influence with the king, and

would gladly rend England into two kingdoms again. We hear to-day that the

Northumbrian nobles have summoned a Gemot to meet, which amounts in fact to

a rebellion, not only against Tostig but against the king."

"If Mercia joins Northumbria it would be a more serious business than that

in Wales."

"I think not that it will be so," Harold said. "Edwin has been always

conspiring. He stirred up the Welsh, he has encouraged the Norwegians, he

has intrigued in Northumbria. He and his brother have ever been a source

of trouble, and yet he has never openly rebelled; he sets others to do the

fighting for him, prepared if they are successful to reap the fruits of

their victory. There is, of course, still hope that moderate councils may

prevail, but I fear that the Northumbrians will consider that they have

gone too far to turn back. At present, at any rate, no steps will be taken.

As long as no armed forces are set in motion there are hopes that matters

may be arranged, but the approach of an army would set all Northumbria on

fire. The Gemot is summoned to meet this day week--that is on the third of

October--and we shall wait to hear what steps they take. Messengers have

already been sent to a large number of thanes to be prepared for service. I

would that all kept a force of housecarls as you do. I am going down

to-night to my house near Hampton. Do you come down with me, Wulf. Edith

will be glad to see you."

Wulf had in the days of his pageship several times accompanied Harold to

Hampton, and knew well the lady, who was known to the Saxons as Edith of

the Swan-neck. She was by birth far inferior in position to Harold. The

relation between them was similar to that known throughout the middle ages

as left-hand marriages. These were marriages contracted between men of high

rank and ladies of inferior position, and while they lasted were regarded

as being lawful; but they could be, and frequently were, broken off, when

for politic or other reasons the prince or noble had to seek another

alliance. The lady was of great beauty and talent, and exercised a large

influence over Harold. This was always employed for good, and she was much

beloved by the Saxons.

The alliance had been formed while Harold was quite a young man, and he and

Edith were fondly attached to each other. His rise, however, to the

position of the foremost man in England, and the prospect of his accession

to the throne, rendered it probable that ere long he would be obliged to

marry one who would strengthen his position, and would from her high birth

be fitted to share the crown with him. William of Normandy was perfectly

well aware of the relation in which Edith stood to Harold, and had not

regarded her as any obstacle to the earl's marriage with his daughter; and

even Harold himself had not attempted to give it as a reason for declining

the offer of the hand of the Norman princess.

As they rode down to Hampton the earl said, "I dare say you are somewhat

surprised at my leaving the court at this crisis, Wulf, but in truth I want

to keep my hands free. Tostig, you know, is rash and impetuous. I love him

well, but am not blind to his faults; and I fear that the people of

Northumbria have some just cause for complaint against him. He is

constantly away from his earldom. He was absent for months when he went to

Rome, and he spends a great part of his time either at the court here or

with the king at his hunting-lodges. The Northumbrians are a proud people,

and it is small wonder that they object to be governed by an absent earl.

Tostig is furious at what he terms the insolence of the Northumbrians, and

I would fain avoid all questions of dispute with him. It is not improbable

that the king and his councillors may be called upon to hear the complaints

of the Northumbrians, and to decide between them and Tostig. This will be

bitter enough for my brother. He may return at any moment, and I greatly

wish to avoid all argument with him before the matter is discussed in

council."

The house at Hampton was a large one, and here Edith lived in considerable

state. Grooms ran up and took the horses as Harold and Wulf dismounted. Six

retainers in jerkins embroidered with the earl's cognizance appeared at the

doors. As they entered the house, Edith came out from an inner room and

fondly embraced Harold.

"Who is this you have with you, Harold?"

"What, have you forgotten Wulf of Steyning, who has, as I told you, turned

out a great fighter, and was the captor of the castle of Porthwyn, and of

its owner, Llewellyn ap Rhys?"

"I did not know you again, Wulf," Edith said holding out her hand to him,

"but now that I hear who you are I recognize you. Why, it is four years

since I saw you, and you were then a mischievous little page. Harold has

often spoken to me about you, and your adventures in Normandy and Wales. I

did not expect to see you, Harold," she went on turning to the earl, "after

what you told me in the letter you sent me yesterday, about the troubles in

the north. I feared that you would be kept at court."

"Tostig and the king are still away," he said, "and he will return so

furious at this revolt against his authority, that, thinking as I do that

he is in no small degree at fault--for I have frequently remonstrated with

him at spending so large a portion of his time away from his earldom,--I

thought it best to get away."

"It is strange how Tostig differs from the rest of you," Edith said. "You

and Leofwyn, and Gurth are all gentle and courteous, while Tostig is fierce

and impetuous."

"Tostig has his faults," Harold said; "but we love each other dearly, and

from the time we were boys together we have never had a dispute. It will be

hard indeed upon me if I am called upon to side against him. We have

learnt, Edith, that Edwin and Morcar have been intriguing with the

Northumbrians. These Mercian earls are ever bringing troubles upon the

country, and I fear they will give even greater trouble in the future. If

they stir up disturbances, as they have done, against the king, who is king

by the will of the people, and also by right of birth, what will it be

when--" and he stopped.

"When you shall mount the throne, my Harold," Edith said proudly. "Oh, that

this feud between Leofric's house and Godwin's were at an end. It bodes ill

for England."

"It is natural," Harold said gently. "It is as gall and wormwood to the

earls of Mercia to see the ascendancy of the West Saxons, and still more

would it be so were I, Godwin's son, without a drop of royal blood in my

veins, to come to be their king."

"The feud must be closed," Edith said firmly, though Wulf noticed that her

face paled. "I have told you so before, Harold, and there is but one way."

"It shall never be closed in that way, Edith; rather would I lie in my

grave."

"You have not to think of yourself, Harold, still less of me. It is of

England you have to think--this England that will assuredly choose you as

its king, and who will have a right to expect that you will make any or

every sacrifice for its sake"

"Any but that," Harold said.

She smiled faintly and shook her head. Wulf did not understand the

conversation, but there was a look of earnest resolve in her face that

deeply impressed him. He had moved a short distance away, and now turned

and looked out of the window, while they exchanged a few more words, having

been, as he saw, altogether oblivious of his presence in the earnestness

with which they both spoke.

For a week Harold remained at Hampton. Wulf saw that he was much troubled

in his mind, and concluded that the messengers who came and went every day

were the bearers of bad tidings. It was seldom that he was away from the

side of Edith. When they were together she was always bright, but once or

twice when Wulf found her alone her features bore an expression of deep

sadness.

"We must ride for London, Wulf," Harold said one morning after reading a

letter brought by a royal messenger. "The king has laid his orders on me to

proceed at once to town, and indeed the news is well-nigh as bad as can be.

The Gemot has voted the deposition of Tostig, has even had the insolence to

declare him an outlaw, and has elected Morcar in his place. It has also

issued decrees declaring all partisans of Tostig outlaws, and confiscating

their estates. Two of Tostig's Danish housecarls were slain on the first

day of their meeting. Two hundred of Tostig's personal followers have since

been massacred; his treasury has been broken open, and all its contents

carried off. The election of Morcar shows but too plainly the designs of

the earls of Mercia. They wish to divide England into two portions, and to

reign supreme north of the Wellan. This will give them full half of

England, and would assuredly, even did we not oppose them now, lead to a

terrible war. The more terrible as William of Normandy will be watching

from across the channel, ready to take instant advantage of our

dissensions. God avert a war like this. Every sacrifice must be made rather

than that the men of the north and south of England should fly at each

other's throats."

The earl scarcely spoke a word during the ride to London, but rode absorbed

in his thoughts with a sad and anxious countenance.

Day after day the news became more serious. Morcar accepted the earldom of

Northumbria, hurried to York, and placing himself at the head of the

Northumbrian forces, marched south, being joined on the way by the men of

Lincoln, Nottingham, and Derby, in all of which shires the Danish element

was very strong. At Northampton, which had formed part of the government of

Tostig, Morcar was joined by his brother Edwin at the head of the forces of

Mercia, together with a large body of Welsh. They found the people of

Northampton less favourable to their cause than they had expected, and in

revenge harried the whole country, killing and burning, and carrying off

the cattle as booty and the men as slaves.

Harold bore the brunt of the trouble alone, for, regardless of the fact

that half the kingdom was in a flame, King Edward and Tostig continued

their hunting expeditions in Wiltshire, in spite of the urgent messages

sent by Harold entreating them to return. In the meantime, still hoping

that peace might in some way be preserved, Harold sent messages to all the

thanes of importance in Wessex, ordering them to prepare to march to London

with the whole of their retainers and levies, as soon as they received

orders to get in motion. But while he still tarried in Wiltshire the king

acceded to Harold's request that he might be empowered to go to Northampton

to treat in Edward's name with the rebels.

As soon as he received this permission Harold hastened to Northampton,

accompanied by only half a dozen of his thanes, among whom was Wulf. He was

received with respect by the rebels, but when their leaders assembled, and