She slipped deeper and deeper into the darkness and the warmth and the joy at his chest.
When she woke up, she was lying stretched out on the grass with her cheek against the brown silk of his lap. Erlend was still sitting with his back against the stone fence; his face was gray in the gray light, but his wide-open eyes were so strangely bright and beautiful. She saw that he had wrapped his cape all around her; her feet were wonderfully warm inside the fur lining.
“Now you have slept on my lap,” he said, smiling faintly. “May God reward you, Kristin. You slept as soundly as a child in her mother’s arms.”
“Haven’t you slept, Herr Erlend?” asked Kristin, and he smiled down into her newly awakened eyes.
“Perhaps someday the night will come when you and I dare to fall asleep together—I don’t know what you will think once you have considered that. I have kept vigil here in the night. There is still so much between us, more than if a naked sword had lain between you and me. Tell me, will you have affection for me after this night is over?”
“I will have affection for you, Herr Erlend,” said Kristin. “I will have affection for you as long as you wish—and after that I will love no one else.”
“Then may God forsake me,” said Erlend slowly, “if ever a woman or maiden should come into my arms before I dare to possess you with honor and in keeping with the law. Repeat what I have said,” he implored her.
Kristin said, “May God forsake me if I ever take any other man into my arms, for as long as I live on this earth.”
“We must go now,” said Erlend after a moment. “Before everyone wakes up.”
They walked along the outside of the stone fence, through the underbrush.
“Have you given any thought to what should happen next?” asked Erlend.
“You must decide that, Erlend,” replied Kristin.
“Your father,” he said after a pause. “Over in Gerdarud they say that he’s a kind and just man. Do you think he would be greatly opposed to breaking the agreement he has made with Andres Darre?”
“Father has so often said that he would never force any of his daughters,” said Kristin. “The main concern is that our lands would fit so well together. But I’m certain that Father would not want me to lose all joy in the world for that reason.” She had a sudden inkling that it might not be quite as simple as that, but she pushed it aside.
“Then maybe this will be easier than I thought last night,” said Erlend. “God help me, Kristin—I can’t bear to lose you. Now I will never be happy if I can’t have you.”
They parted among the trees, and in the dim light of dawn Kristin found the path to the guest house where everyone from Nonneseter was sleeping. All the beds were full, but she threw her cloak over some straw on the floor and lay down in her clothes.
When she woke up, it was quite late. Ingebj?rg Filippusdatter was sitting on a bench nearby, mending a fur border that had torn loose from her cloak. She was full of chatter, as always.
“Were you with Erlend Nikulauss?n all night long?” she asked. “You ought to be a little more careful about that young man, Kristin. Do you think Simon Andress?n would like it if you befriended him?”
Kristin found a basin and began to wash herself. “And what about your betrothed? Do you think he would like it that you danced with Munan the Stump last night? But we have to dance with anyone who invites us on such an evening; and Fru Groa gave us permission, after all.”
Ingebj?rg exclaimed, “Einar Einarss?n and Sir Munan are friends, and besides, he’s married and old. And he’s ugly too, but amiable and courteous. Look what he gave me as a souvenir of the night.” And she held out a gold buckle which Kristin had seen on Sir Munan’s hat the day before. “But that Erlend—well, the ban was lifted from him this past Easter, but they say that Eline Ormsdatter has been staying at his manor at Husaby ever since. Sir Munan says that he has fled to Sira Jon at Gerdarud because he’s afraid that he’ll fall back into sin if he sees her again.”
Kristin, her face white, went over to the other girl.
“Didn’t you know that?” asked Ingebj?rg. “That he lured a woman from her husband somewhere up north in Haalogaland? And that he kept her at his estate in spite of the king’s warning and the archbishop’s ban? They have two children together too. He had to flee to Sweden, and he has had to pay so many fines that Sir Munan says he’ll end up a pauper if he doesn’t mend his ways soon.”