Even now I suppose we shall be let go presently." Elfric shook his head.

I could see that he was far more deeply troubled than he cared to show, and my heart sank.
"I cannot rightly make it all out," he said.

"But these men are certainly the northern strangers who have harried Wales, even as we feared." "Well," I said, "we shall have the sheriff here shortly." "Beaduheard?
I suppose so.

Little help will be from him.

It would take three days to raise force enough to drive off these men, and he is headstrong and hot tempered.