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Simon's lips, so tender a glance in his eyes that Alinor turned her own gaze to her fingers while she answered his questions. |
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In the midst of a question, his voice checked and he said, "Alinor?" gently, pleadingly. |
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She did not reply nor look up, frozen more by her impulse to yield before he asked than by any continued panic. The moment had passed, however, both for yielding and asking. Simon's question flowed on; he received his answer and took a polite leave. |
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Their second meeting was even more businesslike. A winter passage of the Channel was always dangerous, and the Queen's goods were to be divided so that if one ship foundered not all would be lost. In the largest and soundest vessel, the Queen, Alais of France, two of the Queen's ladies, and all of their servingwomen would travel together with a small portion of their possessions, horses, and about half of Simon's men-at-arms under his steady master-at-arms. The next best vessel would carry the remainder of the Queen's ladies, including Alinor, the remainder of the Queen's possessions, Alinor's men-at-arms, and Simon. Lesser ships carried the rest of the men-at-arms, servants, and horses. |
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This time there was no need for Alinor to look at her fingers. As Simon arranged when and where he would meet Alinor and her people after he had seen the Queen safely aboard her ship, there was nothing in his manner to indicate he had ever met Alinor before. For the two days remaining before departure, a leaden weight lay on Alinor's heart. Obviously Simon would neither force nor plead his cause. Nor, it seemed, was he willing to maintain a relationship of simple friendship. If Alinor wanted him, on his and the Queen's termsa lover outside the bond of marriageshe could have him. If not, he was willing to remain a courteous stranger. |
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Nothing could have been more suitable to Alinor's |
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