Owen and I also had been far westward at one time or another, in
this space, though there is little worth telling beyond that we
went even to the lands of Tregoz that had passed to him, and so
took possession of them. I could not see that any of the folk on
those lands, whether free or thrall, seemed other than glad that
Owen was their lord now. It was said that Tregoz was little loved.
We left a new steward in the great half-stone and half-timber
house, with house-carles enough to see that none harmed either him
or the place, and so came back to Norton.

Now, one may say that all this time, seeing that Glastonbury was
but so short a distance from Norton, I was a laggard lover not to
have ridden over to see Elfrida, and maybe it would be of little
use for me to deny it. However, I would have it remembered that
there was always fear for Owen in my mind if I was apart from him
at the first, and then there was this westward journey, and the
hunting in new places, and many other things, so that the time
slipped by all too quickly. Also, when it is easy to go to a place
one is apt to say that tomorrow will do, and, as every one knows,
tomorrow never comes. Nor had we said much of that damsel; if Owen
had not altogether forgotten my oath, he never spoke of it, nor did
I care to remind him. Nevertheless, whenever we spoke of Howel and
his daughter, Owen's godchild, I minded that the princess had
bidden me see how Elfrida greeted me when I came back, and it was
in my mind that she would be no less glad to see me after a long
absence.

That I should find out very shortly, but the thought troubled me
little. I will say that the parting from Owen was all that was of
consequence to me, for it was hard enough. I could not tell when we