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Page 346
throat harshly. "Every man should be so sensible," he said. "To endanger a bride's safety for reasons of pleasure or desire isis" There was a brief silence. "No, I could not be so sensible. You know I could not."
"Thank God for it," Alinor sighed, and then had to hold him off. "No, Simon. I have news I must tell you, and it is nigh time for dinner. Longchamp is to be curbed."
Still staring at her, Simon asked, "How?" but he did not really sound much interested.
Alinor recited the gist of the letters she had written. She could see Simon making an effort to concentrate on what she said. That was odd enough. What was even odder was that he was not at all pleased with what he was hearing.
"The Bishop of Rouen? Not the Queen?" he asked sharply.
"Not the Queen?" Alinor echoed. "Yesterday you were troubled because you thought she sought to rule. Today you are displeased because she does not. She cannot be in two places at once. She will remain on her own lands, I believe."
"But the trouble is in England."
"Not if Philip returns as it is rumored he desires to do."
"There will be time before Philip can reach France. By then the Queen could have settled matters in England. Alinor, do you not see what will happen? Of himself the Bishop of Rouen cannot command the allegiance of the barons. The churchmen possibly, although I doubt it because Longchamp has legatine power from the Pope. This means he must draw Lord John into the quarrel. What the devil is the King about? Does he desire a war with his brother?"
"I think," Alinor said slowly, as she absorbed what Simon had pointed out, "that you were right when you said Lord Richard does not see Lord John's nature clearly. Richard is not greedy. Having been stuffed

 
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