well-nigh drowned in landing, and being made prisoners, and then
travelling through the country and sleeping in the woods, Beorn and
Wulf would arrive here with their garments new and spotless. That
would indeed have been a miracle."

"But, indeed," Beorn said, "our garments differ not greatly from
those we now have on, for Norman fashions are prevalent at King
Edward's court, and we had no choice but to conform to them. Your
language is always spoken there, and methinks that were you to visit
Westminster you would see but little difference between King Edward's
court and that of your own duke."

"And your sisters, do they too dress like us?"

"Queen Edith's ladies dress like her in Norman fashion, but away
from the court the attire is different and more simple. Sisters,
Wulf and I have none; we are orphans both, and wards of Earl Harold,
who holds our estates until we are of age to take the oaths to him
and to lead our men in battle."

"And will you be barons like my father, or counts, or simple knights?"

"We shall be none of these things, Lady Agnes. We have our great
earls as in France you have your great dukes, but below that we
have no titles. We are thanes, that is land owners, who hold their
land direct from our earls. Some have wider lands than others, but
as free thanes we are all equal. As to knights, we have not in
England the titles and ceremonies which are so much thought of in
France and in other courts."