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"Naturally not," the Queen agreed. Alinor thought she had seen a faint tremor in the old lady's hands when John seemed to be inciting his brother to go to war. However both hands and voice were perfectly steady when she spoke. "I think," she continued, "that Simon is right. The insult must be avenged, but the vengeance must be taken with contempt." |
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That obviously appealed to Richard. He looked inquiring. |
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Simon's eyes had met the Queen's briefly. Alinor felt that some message had passed between them, but she did not think anyone else had noticed. She recognized that she was most keenly aware of every look and gesture Simon made. |
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"The first thing," Simon suggested, "is that Your Grace must make it plain that you have more important things to do than be impressed by their tantrums." |
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Richard's face set in disapproval. "That is just a polite way of saying I should do nothing." |
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"In a way, yes. That is, I do not believe that you, in your own person, should dignify the punitive expedition that must be sent out." |
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"Not lead his own forces in war?" John laughed. "That will give a fine first impression to the barons." |
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"Pardon, my lord," Mortimer put in, "this is no war. And all of us are sufficiently acquainted with Lord Richard's courage and prowess not to need demonstrations of them. Indeed, Your Grace," he said turning to the King, "a moderate force, added to my own men and those William will provide, would be sufficient to run that rabble back into the hills. To send more would waste men and money and give significance to what is nothing." |
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"Moreover, it would mean setting back the date of your coronation," Queen Alinor reminded her son. "Think what the Welsh would make of that, and how they would boast that they stopped the coronation of the King." |
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