I may have to wait some time before I
can see Earl Harold. From sunrise to sunset he has but a few
moments to himself, and I shall have to watch my time to get
a word with him."
It was not, indeed, until two o'clock in the afternoon that
Wulf had a chance of speaking to the duke. Then, seeing that
he was for the moment alone, he entered the room and stood
with bowed head waiting for Harold to address him.
"So you have come to say good-bye, Wulf," the latter said kindly;
"it is best so, boy. A time in the country will do you good, and
there will be much for you to do down there. I have ordered two of
my men to be in readiness to mount and ride with you, for I would
not that you should go unattended. One of them will bear a message
from me and a letter under my hand to the steward, and will tell
him that although you will, of course, remain as my ward until you
come of age, you are in all respects to be treated as if you were
already my sworn man, and thane. It would be well if you could
gather among your tenants twenty stout men as house-carls. The
steward is ordered to pay to you whatever moneys you may require,
and to account for them to me when he sends me in his checkers.
These house-carls will, of course, be paid. There must be ample
store of armour at Steyning for them, for your father was followed
by forty house-carls when he went with me to the Welsh wars. One
of the men who goes with you is a stout man-at-arms and is one of
my own house-carls; he will remain with you and will instruct your
men in arms and teach them to fight shoulder to shoulder.
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