Then one day when Wilf was away the ball struck the kitchen maid Gilda on the head, knocking her down.

Ragna happened to see it. She snatched up the ball to stop the game, then knelt beside Gilda.

Gilda’s eyes were open and after a moment she sat up, holding her head. “That hurt,” she said.

The boys were standing around, panting with effort. Garulf did not express regret about the accident or concern for Gilda, Ragna noticed. He just seemed irritated that his fun had been disrupted. That annoyed her.

“Sit still for a minute,” Ragna said to Gilda. “Catch your breath.”

But Gilda was impatient. “I feel foolish sitting here in the mud,” she said. She struggled to her knees.

Ragna helped her stand. “Come to my house,” she said. “I’ll give you a sip of wine to strengthen you.”

They walked to Ragna’s door.

Garulf followed them and said: “I want my ball.”

Ragna realized she was still holding it.

She ushered Gilda inside, then, holding the door, turned to Garulf and said: “What you want is a thrashing.” She went in and slammed the door.

She threw the ball into a corner.

She persuaded Gilda to lie on her bed, and Cat brought a little wine in a cup. Gilda soon felt better. Ragna established that she did not feel dizzy and could walk without assistance, then let her return to the kitchen.

A minute later Gytha came in, looking haughty. “I gave my grandson a ball as a gift,” she said.

Garulf was Gytha’s stepgrandson, but Ragna did not quibble. “So it came from you,” she said.

“He says you’ve taken it from him.”

“I have.”

Gytha looked around, spotted the ball in the corner, and quickly picked it up, then looked triumphant.

Ragna said: “Did he tell you why I took it?”

“Something about a minor accident.”

“A kitchen maid was knocked off her feet. The game has become dangerous.”

“Boys will be boys.”

“Then they must be boys outside the compound. I won’t allow the game to continue inside.”

“I will be responsible for my grandson’s behavior,” said Gytha, and she walked out, still holding the ball.

Not long afterward, the game began again.

Ragna summoned Bern, and the two of them stood outside watching. The boys saw them and tried to steer clear, but they could not keep the action within limits—that was the whole problem—and before long the ball came Ragna’s way again.

She picked it up.

Both Garulf and Stiggy approached her. Stiggy was a strong boy who threw his weight around to compensate for his stupidity.

Garulf said: “That’s my ball.”

Ragna said: “You can’t play ball inside the compound.”

Stiggy made a sudden move. He stepped forward and struck Ragna’s arm with his fist to make her let go of the ball. The blow hurt, and she lost her grip, but she caught the ball with her other hand and stepped back out of Stiggy’s reach.

Bern hit Stiggy a mighty punch on the side of his head, and Stiggy fell to the ground.