AMIDST of all his other business Earl Geoffrey bethought him in awhile of the dead King's daughter, and he gave her in charge to agentlewoman, somewhat stricken in years, a widow of high lineage, butnot over wealthy. She dwelt in her own house in a fair valley sometwenty miles from Meadhamstead: thereabode Goldilind till a year and ahalf was worn, and had due observance, but little love, and not muchkindness from the said gentlewoman, who hight Dame Elinor Leashowe.Howbeit, time and again came knights and ladies and lords to see the littlelady, and kissed her hand and did obeisance to her; yet more came to herin the first three months of her sojourn at Leashowe than the second, andmore in the second than the third.
At last, on a day when the said year and a half was fully worn, thithercame Earl Geoffrey with a company of knights and men-at-arms, and hedid obeisance, as due was, to his master's daughter, and then spake awhileprivily with Dame Elinor; and thereafter they went into the hall, he, andshe, and Goldilind, and there before all men he spake aloud and said:
"My Lady Goldilind, meseemeth ye dwell here all too straitly; forneither is this house of Leashowe great enough for thy state, and theentertainment of the knights and lords who shall have will to seek to theehither; nor is the wealth of thy liege dame and governante as great as itshould be, and as thou, meseemeth, wouldst have it. Wherefore I havebeen considering thy desires herein, and if thou deem it meet to give a giftto Dame Elinor, and live queenlier thyself than now thou dost, then maystthou give unto her the Castle of Greenharbour, and the six manorsappertaining thereto, and withal the rights of wild-wood and fen and fellthat lie thereabout. Also, if thou wilt, thou mayst honour the said castlewith abiding there awhile at thy pleasure; and I shall see to it that thouhave due meney to go with thee thither. How sayest thou, my lady?"