< previous page page_27 next page >

Page 27
There was not much similarity in feature, actually. Alinor's eyes were shaped differently, set slightly aslant, and her nose was much shorter, tip-tilted instead of fine and classical; the mouth too was different, fuller and larger. Nonetheless, the shape of the face, the carriage and gestures, the very expression, were strongly reminiscent of the Queen. And it is from nature, the Queen mused. I have been pent up behind stone walls all the years of the girl's life. There is no chance of her aping to flatter. So the Queen's thoughts ran on as she obediently turned to her right to observe a separate chamber where the garments might be stored and the maids might sleep on their pallets. If Alinor is like me in so much by nature, she mused, it is not impossible that she is alike in other ways also. It might be no light thing to bend her will, and to force her will doubtless enrage her vassals. The Queen nodded and smiled, as much in answer to her own thoughts as to Alinor's invitation to come to the other wing of the apartment.
Lord Richard, soon to be King if all went well in England, had taken the Crossmuch against his mother's will. Queen Alinor knew that huge sums of money would be needed to support the Crusade. Because she had liked Alinor at first sight, she had toyed briefly with the idea of finding a husband for the girl before Richard came to England. Once the King examined the financial situation of the crown he would realize that if Alinor remained unmarried all the revenues of her huge estatesexcept for the modest sums necessary for her own usewould flow into his coffers. Now the conflict was settled. Since Alinor did not wish to be married, she might pay for the privilege of remaining single. Richard would be pleased. What was equally important was that Alinor would be available as a pawn in any new political situation that should arise.
They recrossed the deep window embrasure that served as an antechamber to both wall rooms. In it, where the light fell clearest, were two chairs. An em-

 
< previous page page_27 next page >