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Page 244
sheriff and as warden of Alinor's lands, often taking Sir Andre with him. It was a tacit admission that he would make Sir Andre his deputy as Alinor had requested. However, his attitude toward her did not change. His rare letters of business were as icily polite as his original thanks had been, and, even when the Queen's progresses brought Alinor within an easy day's ride, Simon did not come.
That, she admitted, might have been her own fault. Although she notified him of her movements and wrote him all the news from Court, Alinor did not urge Simon to join her. It seemed to her that if he spoke to her face the words he wrote, she could not endure it. Perhaps face to face, when he saw her unhappiness, he would warm to her; but perhaps he would not. Fearful of putting the matter to the test, Alinor chose to wait, hoping that, as the hurt was deeper, a longer time might be all that was needed to cure it.
Her one comfort had been to write to him, and there was much to write about that was of great importance to them both without touching any personal matter. Unfortunately the Earl of Essex died, and Richard had given his post as joint chief justiciar to William Longchamp, who was already Chancellor. The concentration of so much power in the hands of one who had only contempt for the English barons and their English traditions had raised so great an outcry that the Queen had tried to remonstrate. When she raised the matter, Richard flew into a passion. That passion had outlasted their private interview and overflowed into a public dinner. To the assembled Court, Richard had said openly that he was much of Longchamp's mind, and he pointed out how few and how reluctantly the English barons had taken the Cross.
"Not to wrap up a stinking thing in white linen," Alinor had written, "he impugned the courage of our people and said further that he gave his authority into Longchamp's hands because he could not trust the

 
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