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Page 179
"Oh, well," de Bohun snickered. "It depends upon what he must rescue her from. Some attempts are so futile that this silly child would be sufficient protection."
Having seen the sneer and heard the tone of the first few words, Alinor was prepared. She blocked Ian's movement toward de Bohun with her own body and bore down with all her strength on the hand Ian was struggling to free so that he could strike at his tormentor. Because she had the idea that de Bohun had attempted the abduction, she saw the sneer as directed only at Ian. In fact, she should have been watching Bigod who, with a snarl of rage, launched himself at de Bohun.
"My lords, please!" Alinor shrieked, moving forward to come between them, and was promptly knocked off her feet by a chance blow.
"Lady Alinor!" Ian cried, going down upon his knees.
The crowd that was gathering suddenly parted as water forms a bow wave when a large vessel is swift driven by the wind. Two huge hands plucked Alinor and Ian from the floor. Two others, equally large and hard although covered with rings, grasped the combatants by their collars and shook them like rats.
"Peace, I say!" Richard bellowed.
"Alinor, what have you done?" Simon roared.
It had been a terrible day. Too much, all of it frightening or unpleasant, had happened all at once. Alinor burst into tears and buried her face in Simon's breast. Ian turned a pasty gray, which was as white as his swarthy skin could get. Simon's throat closed. He had never seen Alinor cry, except an occasional few tears of frustration when rage had made her incoherent.
Meanwhile, Milo de Bohun had straightened his garments and apologized gaily. It was his fault, he said, for he had made a silly jest that Sir Roger had not taken as funny. Bigod confirmed Milo's tale and

 
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