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"Her Grace is resting. She will see no one now." |
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"Oh, no," Alinor said easily, much emboldened by the fact that the first word she said had come out neither as a squeak nor a gasp and because the maid obviously assumed she had come in from outside. "There is no need to trouble Her Grace. I came for a good pen." |
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Suiting the action to the word, she got her pen and promptly marched out. Alinor did not dare return to the chamber where she slept because one or another of the ladies-in-waiting was sure to be there. Instead she fled blindly down the privy stair and out into the small, walled garden where the Queen often sat. That, too, would be infested, but mostly with the gentle maidens, and they were so self-absorbed they would see little. |
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It was an unwise choice. Alinor had forgotten that she had been permitted to ride in the cortege as the heiress of Roselynde, whereas the maidens who were merely in training at Court had remained behind. She was seized upon at once. |
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"You saw the King! What is he like? What did he say? How did they greet each other?" Half a dozen were at her, braying questions. |
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"The King?" Alinor's breath caught. "Oh, he is" tears filled her eyes. "He isbeautiful!" |
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The girls stared at her, and she could not control her trembling. One snickered, "Proud is as proud does." Another sneered, "It is useless to set your eyes there." |
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"I know," Alinor sobbed, "I know." And tore herself free and fled away. |
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A long burst of weeping relieved Alinor's tension. She began to believe in her escape. There was always the small chance that the maidservant would mention her to the Queen, but it was more likely she would not, as it was common enough for Alinor to be in and out. Even if she did, the mention should not arouse |
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