The queen had Eadward and his brother Alfred and five maidens with her, and there were the pack horses and the servants.

But two of the maidens were unwilling to go, being daughters of London thanes.

Our court was very small in these days.

So, as every woman added to our company was a source of weakness, in that our pace must be that of the least able to bear fatigue, I doubted until I thought that the queen might let the sisters take the places of the maidens who cared not to fly with her.
I went and asked her this, and she flushed with wounded pride, though I gave her my reasons and urged her peril.
"How shall it be told that Emma of Normandy was beholden to a nunnery for her handmaidens ?" she said.
"It shall not be told, my queen," I said stoutly.

"Men shall say that you gave protection to the holy women." Truly my wits were sharpened by sore need, for at once the queen agreed to this.