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Page 128
The opportunity was golden, and Alinor did not waste it. ''I do not deserve any help," she exclaimed. "I am cross because I am a selfish, inconsiderate little beast, and knowing I am in the wrong only makes me crosser."
Isobel was not accustomed to quite so much frankness, but she was drawn to it. "You are very honest," she murmured. She did not, as Alinor feared, retreat but picked up a thread and filled Alinor's needle. "This is right," she urged.
"But I am not," Alinor said with a wry smile. "You are so skilled. Fill in that petal for me and I will tell you." And she tumbled out a confused tale of Simon's failure to keep a promise to attend to some want of herswhat want being thoroughly obscured because Alinor could not really think of anything. However the reason for the failure was clear enough. Simon had need to keep company with a friend who was not well.
"And how I can be so selfish as to wish to deny William Marshal Simon's help and company, I cannot imagine. There is no finer, kinder man than William. Is that not true, Isobel?" Alinor asked provocatively.
"Yes, butbut how not well?" Isobel asked breathlessly. "Surely I saw him this morning, as usual, speaking with the Queen."
Alinor clapped a hand across her mouth. "Oh, my wagging tongue. Isobel, you like William, do you not? You would not wish harm to come to him?"
"Harm? What harm?"
The big eyes filled with unshed tears, the slender body trembled, but there was surprising strength in the voice. Alinor began to think she had underestimated Isobel of Clare. Perhaps given adequate stimulus she could stand firm.
"All great men have enemies, and because he is incorruptible William Marshal has more than mostnot decent men, for all decent men respect him, but sly, sneaking creatures. If some of them knew heIsobel, you will not speak of this?"

 
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