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have been furiously angry when Alinor disobeyed him. Nonetheless, he would have been glad of her care. Alinor was not sure Richard would feel the same, but, worse than that, she was sure Berengaria would not feel the same toward Richard once she wiped his sweat and held him while he vomited. She was afraid Berengaria's adoration was already somewhat tarnished by Richard's most modest carnal demands. More still, if the King's fever rose high and he babbled, as one did in a fever, might he not babble what would be a disaster for Berengaria to know? |
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"Alinor!" Joanna said sharply. |
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"I do not know," Alinor brought out reluctantly. "I would go to my knight. I know that he does not care if I see him disordered. But perhaps Lady Berengaria knows King Richard better than you or I. Perhaps it is true that he cannot bear that she should see him weak and helpless." |
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"Yes, yes. I am sure that is true," Berengaria agreed. |
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Joanna said nothing more just then, but she stared fixedly at Alinor in a way that boded no good before she sent word to dismiss the messenger and turned to comfort Berengaria, who was crying. Further comfort was provided by the suggestion that they should pray for Richard's health. After Berengaria had prayed her fill and was settled with a book of tales of miraculous cures, however, Joanna drew Alinor aside. |
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"I thought you loved the Queen and wished her well." |
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"I do," Alinor asserted with tears in her eyes. "I do." |
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"Then how could you offer such advice. How could you fail to support me? They must come to know each other. When a man screams and weeps and strikes out in pain is a good time for a wife to show her mettle." |
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"Yes," Alinor agreed, perfectly willing to expose part of her reasons, "If the wife has previously seen her husband as a man and not as an image in a book that never feels pain nor admits it if he does." |
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