At this meeting Northern and Southern England
were again solemnly reconciled, as they had been forty-seven years before
at an assembly held at the same place.
CHAPTER XIII.
HAROLD, THE KING.
The day before the great Witenagemot was to assemble, Wulf, as he came out
from the house where Harold had taken up his abode, was approached by a
man, who by his attire appeared to be a retainer of a thane; his face
seemed familiar to him, as he placed a letter in his hand. Wulf was now
very much in the confidence of Harold. It was a relief to the earl in the
midst of his trials and heavy responsibilities to open his mind freely to
one of whose faith and loyalty he was well assured, and he therefore was
far more communicative to the young thane than to the older councillors by
whom he was surrounded. Wulf opened the letter. It contained only the
words: "I am here; the bearer of this will lead you to me. Edith."
Looking more closely at the man he recognized him at once as one of the
servitors at Hampton, though his dress bore no signs of any cognizance.
Greatly surprised to hear of Edith's presence in Oxford unknown to Harold,
he at once followed the servant, who conducted him to a house on the
outskirts of the town. Wulf was ushered into a room, and the servant then
left him. A moment later Edith entered.
"My message must have surprised you, Wulf," she said, as he knelt on one
knee to kiss the hand she held out to him.
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