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Page 449
frowned again. "I am glad you know, but what about the King and Queen and all the others."
"Tush!" Simon began, then shrugged.
It was true there would be jests and comments, meaningless because, if he made no protest over his wife's seeming lack of virginity, no one else had any right to do so. But why should Alinor, or he either, need to be troubled by such nonsense? Simon walked to the table where such food had been set out as might tempt the appetite of those who were late awake and took a small eating knife.
"How clever you are," Alinor remarked, and held out her wrist.
"Fool!" Simon commented fondly. "All we need is for someone to see the mark of a knife on you."
He got back into bed, pushed his public hair aside, stabbed the knife shallowly into his groin, and flopped over on his face. After a couple of smearing movements, Simon turned on his back again. Blood showed red on his thigh. He held out a hand to Alinor.
"Come, mount astride me and bedabble your things. So? Now all will be well. On neither of us will any see a mark."
It was true that as soon as the bleeding stopped the thin cut was invisible under the thick public bush.
"And where did you learn that piece of chicanery?" Alinor teased.
"From a friend who did as much for his ladyfor a somewhat less pure reason, I am afraid. They had had some years to think it out."
Simon shut his eyes and pulled the bed curtain closed. Alinor did the same on her side and snuggled against him. He put an arm around her so that her head rested on his shoulder.
"You will not need to be troubled with me when I am too old for you," he said suddenly. "Many husbands and wives are more content to live apart than together. In a few years, I will move the castellan who

 
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