I was sorry to part with Werbode, but I bade him carry back messages to Ecgbert, and in them I told him that I waited for the time when his message should best be spoken.
Werbode knew not what that meant, but did not trouble to ask.

He would give my message, and would also tell the atheling of the coming marriage.

I had no doubt that it would be understood well by him to whom it was sent.

At that time there were none of the Franks who knew or cared who Ecgbert was, save Carl; and if by chance my friend had spoken to any of these East Anglians of the Saxon leader under whom he had warred for Carl, the name of Ecgbert would mean naught to them.

A Wessex atheling has no honour in East Anglia, and I doubt whether it had ever been heard here.
On the day after the great ceremony I noticed that Erling went about somewhat silently, and I thought that he very likely had a wish to cross the sea with the Franks, and so make his way home by land from the Rhine mouth.