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Simon was sitting in the solar of William Marshal's London house, fuming. ''Why does she want me here?" he growled. |
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William looked at his wife who did not speak but raised her brows expressively. Poor William had answered that question three times already. He had suggested that the Queen was seriously worried because nothing had been heard from Richard and she desired Simon's company for comfort. Simon was worried about Richard too. He knew the King had intended to set out only a few days after their ship. There had been news from other returned Crusaders that the King had, indeed, set sail ten days later, but after that, no one had seen King or ship. |
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Nonetheless Simon knew the Queen did not want his company. Instead she seemed markedly uneasy in his presence, uneasy and very unusually affectionate. William had suggested one or two other reasons why the Queen would not give Simon leave to return home, but they had all been pooh-poohed. Now Isobel tried another tack. |
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"Simon, instead of complaining to William, why do you not open Alinor's house and send for Alinor to come here?" Her face was grave, but her eyes twinkled. "Then the tedium of Court life would not be so very dreadful." |
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Simon could not help smiling. Isobel had changed immeasurably for the better since her marriage. She was no longer a slender slip of a girl; she had already borne William one child and was swelling with an- |
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