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ing her right hand up to touch the cross. "I, Alinor, Lady of the Honors of Roselynde, Kingsclere, Mersea, Iford, the Forstal, Great Kelk, Clyro Hill, and Ealand do so swear. Fiat!" |
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Alinor rose and the Queen gave her the kiss of peace. Then Sir Andre and Sir John took her place and swore. The Queen smiled on them all and raised a hand for further attention. |
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"I must praise you all for your loyalty to your lady in the troubled times that are now past. But Lady Alinor is of tender years and has no husband to hold together her many honors. In no despite of your honor and loyalty but to further the quiet state of the land, it is my further duty to take Lady Alinor into the King's protection and to set over you all a King's warden." |
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There was no break in the attentive silence, but its quality changed. Tension grew. The Queen's mouth hardened for a moment. It was well that she had a man strong enough and of a wide enough reputation right at hand to take on this task. These men had been molded for years to the duty of honoring their mistress. Lord Rannulf had never intended that his pearl of price should be at any man's mercy. Even to the last and least man-at-arms, the Queen suspected, Alinor's word would be of greater weight than any oath. It would be necessary to permit the men to become accustomed to obeying the warden and then remove Alinor from close contact with her vassalsfor a while, at least until the country was settled into its new leadership. |
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"Be assured," she said clearly, "that Lord Richard means only good to your lady and to you all. To give weight and substance to these words of good intent, he has chosen as Alinor's warden Sir Simon Lemagne, who stands at my left hand." |
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Alinor, who was slightly behind the Queen, could not see Sir Simon's face, but she could not miss the lift of the |
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