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sense of satisfaction, or he has betrayed her. He hoped she burned and ached as he had all these months. Then his eyes fell on the signature and seal, and laughter roared out of him. He should have known! He should have known! There was no lover. The only thing that could move Alinor into such a passion were her estates. In the scribe's careful hand beside a spluttery X was the name, Sir Andre Fortesque. |
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"You laugh!" Alinor screamed, beside herself. "You laugh?" |
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"No, no," Simon soothed, "not at the letter. I have not yet read it." |
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Nor was there anything to laugh about. Sir Andre had received notice from the Chancellor, William Longchamp, that, since the King's warden was called away upon the Queen's business, he would appoint another warden in Simon's place. Worse yet, Longchamp also planned to appoint a new sheriff in Sussex. |
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Simon's first reaction was to wonder whether Sir Andre could have misunderstood what Longchamp meant. Although Simon knew Sir Andre very well now and was completely convinced of his honor and good sense, it was easier to believe that Sir Andre had turned into an idiot than to believe what Longchamp intended to do. Such acts would tear apart the whole fabric of service to the royal family. |
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The King or Queen rewarded those who served them with appointments, such as Simon's appointment as Alinor's warden, from which a profit could be drawn. If the appointee was forced to remain in residence to attend to his appointment, he would be effectively removed from the King's service. Thus, it was understood that any appointee could choose a deputy who would perform his duties while he was away on the King's business. The absolute right to appoint a deputy was important because it made the deputy responsible to the appointee, not to the King, or the Chancellor, or anyone else. Since the appointee could |
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