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gentle birth entrusted to her upbringing. Thus, only she and the Queen were of sufficient quality to sit at the High Table. The problem with the men was similar. Only Sir Andre, Sir John, and Sir Simon, as knights, had the right to a place there. The squires were high-born enough, but their duty was to carve the meat and serve the noble diners, not to sit with them. |
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The Queen's high-backed and cushioned chairspecially carried down to replace the backless eating benches ordinarily usedwas set at the center of the table. Sir Andre, the senior in age and authority of Alinor's people, sat at her right hand, Sir John at her left. As there were no other suitable guests, the table to the left of Sir John remained empty. One place below Sir Andre, to the right, Alinor sat and, beyond her, Sir Simon. |
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Aside from the compliments the Queen bestowed upon her, very little conversation was addressed to Alinor. Sir Andre's attention was, naturally enough, all for the royal guest, who was in any case a lively and entertaining companion. Alinor had assayed some conversation with Sir Simon, but she found him heavy at hand. He was perfectly polite; there was no sign that he was silent out of contempt for her youth or her sex. It was plain that he intended no discourtesy, merely that he was deeply abstracted. In fact, Alinor had caught him twice staring at her when she turned to speak to him, but both times he had had to ask her to repeat herself. Thus, Alinor could not flatter herself that his attention had any personal cause. Certainly, she thought with some amusement, he is not hanging on my words. And if I have a smut upon my nose, I wish he would tell me instead of staring so. But she knew she was not disfigured in any way. Sir Andre would have been quick enough to mention any fault in her dress or person. |
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She wondered at first whether Sir Simon was shocked by her old-fashioned clothing. Alinor was well aware |
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