Normandy and England are now one, and we are
vassals of the same king. As long as there was a probability that
Englishmen and Normans might again be ranged in battle against each other,
it was not expedient that aught should be done in the matter, but, now this
obstacle is removed, I can offer you the alliance on which I am sure your
heart is set, and give you the hand of my daughter in marriage."
"It is the greatest wish of my life," Wulf replied gratefully. "I should
have asked you for her hand before had it not been for the position of
public affairs. I love her dearly, though I have until now abstained from
speaking; and yet I would not wed her unless her heart went freely with her
hand."
"I think not that she will be disobedient to my wishes," De Burg said
smiling. "She has proved deaf to all her Norman suitors, and although among
them were some whom few maidens would have said no to, her mother and I had
no wish to force her inclinations, especially as we both shrewdly suspected
where her heart had been bestowed. This alliance, too, has long been the
dearest wish of Guy. On the bed of sickness where he lay so long, and from
which it seemed at one time that he would never rise, he often spoke to me
of it. He was fondly attached to his sister, and again and again said that
he wished of all things that you should some day become her husband, as he
was sure her happiness would be safe with you, and that you would worthily
fill his place to us, and would, when the time came, rule nobly over the
lands of De Burg.
Pages:
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467