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Page 339
"Considering what she has already heard," the Queen pointed out, "it is a little late to be thinking of that. Nonetheless, I will point out that Alinor has nothing to gain from Longchamp. She is not in the Church and cannot be advanced or harmed by his legatine powers. I doubt that, even now, he has money enough to bribe her. Moreover, he has attacked both Sir Andre Fortesque, who has stood as father to her, and her warden, Sir Simon Lemagne, for whom I suspect she has a soft spot in her heart. What is more, I think Alinor loves me a little, and"
"I did not think she would send a message off to William, but she will gabble the whole out to all the women"
"No, she will not. She did not speak of the arrangements for the Lady Alais, and that would be far more interesting among my ladies than the affairs of William Longchamp."
"A most discreet young person," the Bishop of Rouen commented.
Richard continued to scowl directly at Alinor now, but slowly the scowl was replaced by a puzzled frown and then, suddenly, he began to laugh. "Sir Simon's ward, eh? Discreet, eh? You," he said pointing, "are the causer of brawls at our public welcomings. We remember you."
Alinor curtsied again. "Your memory is faultless, Your Grace, but, so please you, my lord, it is not anything I said that caused the trouble."
"It was your beauty, you would imply?" Richard remarked in a too-neutral voice.
"Oh, no, my lord, it was my broad acres," Alinor said quite seriously.
Richard uttered a guffaw, then said somewhat less petulantly, "Very well, if it must be done, let us do it."
The Queen gestured toward a table near the wall that Alinor had been too upset to notice. It was already set with writing materials, and Alinor seated herself after

 
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