"He was Thorwald's friend, as you told us.

He will act as your guardian." She looked at us in some surprise.
"Have you heard naught from Norway of late ?" she asked.
Bertric had heard none, and we in Caithness were out of the way of news.
"Harald has been dead these six months and more," she said sadly.
"Now his son, Eric Bloodaxe, reigns unquietly.

Men hate him, and with reason.

That terrible name of his may tell you why.

Arnkel, who tried to burn me, is hand in glove with him." Then Bertric said: "Have you heard naught of Hakon, that son of Harald, whom our king, Athelstane, has brought up in England ?" "No," she answered, shaking her head.