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Page 227
It was his duty to forward the young man's interests as it was Ian's duty to serve and be obedient. Even worse would be to suggest that he wished to send Ian away to preserve him from danger. Simon's lips twitched. If he said that, he would have an open rebellion instead of tears on his hands.
"Your duty now," Simon continued severely, "is to bring Llewelyn to trust you and to bring him to an understanding of our ways. Also" Here Simon hesitated. It went against his grain to speak ill of any member of the royal family, but John's character was such that a pair of eyes and ears in his Court would be of great value to the King and Queen. "Lord John is not always so trustworthy as a man in his station should be."
Ian nodded calmly. Everyone had heard how Henry's favorite son had turned on his father when a great part of the trouble was caused by Henry's attempts to redivide his lands so that John would have a patrimony. Richard's quarrel with his father was different. Richard had been wronged and, if his reaction was somewhat overviolent, that was customary among the Angevins.
"What I do not understand," Ian said thoughtfully, distracted from his distress, "is why the King gave such power into Lord John's hands. He is near a king himself now, being palatine lord over all the countries of the southwest and a whole girdle across the midlands."
"I am not sure I understand either," Simon replied, "although I see two possible reasons. The Welsh Marcher lords are not exactly docile vassals. They are glad to obey the King now because he is doing what they desire, but they are not above threatening to make alliance with the Welsh and permit them to flood out upon England when they are thwarted in their desires. Perhaps the King expects John to stand as a buffer between the Welsh and the rich heart of England. Yet John is as like to ally himself with the Welshmore like if he could draw Richard into Wales

 
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