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Page 223
I feel that if I see the word 'well' again, I will be ill."
Laughter gurgled out of Alinor. "It is not all his fault, Your Grace. Indeed, he had little enough to say beyond that they were wet and hungry, and it was pointless to say that in a letter."
"And how do you know they were wet and hungry?" the Queen asked with a glint of mischief in her eyes.
"Your Grace, my grandfather was no great letter writer. When he was from home, my grandmother bound over a trusty man to remember where they went, what they did, and suchlike. Recalling this, I bade Beorn to send me news of what befell."
"You are very attentive to the well-doing of your men-at-arms," the Queen remarked drily.
"And to Sir Simon's well-doing also," Alinor said boldly, although her heart did flip-flops. "I have a deep interest in his well-doing, especially now."
"How now especially?"
"Because I see in Sir Simon the hope of safety and profit for me and mine."
That startled the Queen. Her eyes opened. "Safety, yes. But you see hope of profit? From Simon?"
"Well," Alinor temporized, "at least avoidance of loss." She looked steadily into the Queen's eyes and said, ''You know Isobel of Clare and I are good friends. Her husband trusts her and speaks much to herand Isobel trusts me. Further than me, Madam, what William Marshal tells his wife does not go. I hope it will do him no hurt to admit to you that Isobel spoke to me about William's offer of fifty marks to be made Sheriff of Gloucestershire."
"It is no special secret," the Queen said. "If he wishes to speak of it, it is his affair entirely." She looked puzzled, not seeing the connection between William's appointment as Sheriff and Simon.
"I desire that Sir Simon be Sheriff of Sussex," Alinor said quickly. "I will pay one hundred marks for the shire."

 
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