Erlend had listened to his sentence with a steadfast, calm expression, and he had greeted the gentlemen of the royal retinue in just as courteous, open, and splendid a manner when he was led out as when he had been escorted in. He was calm and cheerful when Kristin and Simon were allowed to talk to him the following day. Arne Gjavvaldss?n was with them, and Erlend said that he would take Arne’s advice.
“I could never persuade Kristin here to come with me to Denmark before,” he said, putting an arm around his wife’s waist. “And I always had such a desire to journey out into the world with her. . . .” A tremor seemed to pass over his features, and suddenly he pressed an ardent kiss to her pale cheek, without concern for the two men who stood looking on.
Simon Andress?n set off for Husaby to make arrangements for Kristin’s personal possessions to be moved to J?rundgaard. He had also advised her to send the children to Gudbrandsdal at the same time.
Kristin said, “My sons will not leave their father’s estate until they are driven from it.”
“I wouldn’t wait for that, if I were you,” said Simon. “They’re young; they can’t fully understand these things. It would be better if you let them leave Husaby believing that they are merely going to visit their aunt and see their mother’s property in the valley.”
Erlend said that Simon was right about this. But in the end only Ivar and Skule traveled with their uncle south. Kristin didn’t have the heart to send the two youngest boys so far away from her. When Lavrans and Munan were brought to her at the estate in town and she saw that the smallest didn’t even recognize her, she broke down. Simon hadn’t seen her shed a single tear since the first evening he arrived in Nidaros; now she wept and wept over Munan, who squirmed and wriggled in the crush of his mother’s arms, wanting to go to his foster mother. And she wept over little Lavrans, who crept up into his mother’s lap and put his arms around her neck and cried because she was crying. Now she would keep the two youngest with her, along with Gaute, who didn’t want to go with Simon. She also thought it ill-advised to let the child out of her sight, since he had to bear a burden that was much too heavy for his age.
Sira Eiliv had brought the children to Nidaros. He had asked the archbishop for leave from his church and permission to visit his brother in Tautra; this was gladly granted to Erlend Niku lauss?n’s house priest. Now he said that Kristin couldn’t stay in town with so many children to care for, and he offered to take Naakkve and Bj?rgulf out to the monastery.
On the last evening before the priest and the two boys were to depart—Simon had already left with the twins—Kristin made her confession to the pious and pure-hearted man who had been her spiritual father all these years. They sat together for hours, and Sira Eiliv impressed upon her heart that she must be humble and obedient toward God; patient, faithful, and loving toward her husband. She knelt before the bench where he sat. Then Sira Eiliv stood up and knelt at her side, still wearing the red stole which was a symbol of the yoke of Christ’s love; he prayed long and fervently, without words. But she knew he was praying for the father and mother and the children and all the servants whose salvation he had striven so faithfully to encourage all these years.
The next day Kristin stood on the shore of Brat?r and watched the lay brothers from Tautra set sail in the boat that would carry away the priest and her two eldest sons. On her way home she went over to the Minorites’ church and stayed there until she felt strong enough to venture back to her own residence. And in the evening, when the two youngest were asleep, she sat with her spinning and told Gaute stories until it was his bedtime too.
CHAPTER 6
ERLEND WAS HELD at the king’s palace until almost Saint Clement’s Day. Then messages and letters arrived stating that he was to be taken under safe conduct to meet with King Magnus. The king intended to celebrate Christmas at Baagahus that year.
Kristin grew terribly frightened. With unspeakable effort she had accustomed herself to feigning a calm demeanor while Erlend sat in prison, condemned to death. Now he would be taken far away to an uncertain fate. Much was said about the king, and among the circle of men who stood closest to him, her husband had no friends. Ivar Ogmundss?n, who was now the chieftain of the castle at Baagahus, had spoken the harshest words regarding Erlend’s treason. And he was supposedly further enraged at having heard once again some disrespectful remarks which Erlend had made about him.
But Erlend was in good spirits. Kristin could see that he didn’t take their imminent separation lightly, but the long imprisonment had now begun to wear him down; he eagerly seized upon the prospect of a long sea voyage and seemed almost indifferent to everything else.