|
|
|
|
|
|
trusted Ianyes. If he told her to jump off a cliff or that he wished to open her veins with a knife and drink her blood, Alinor would jump at his word or docilely extend her arm to be cut. Her confidence that he would do nothing to hurt her personally was immeasurable and absolute. However, in the matter of the management of the estateshow much did Alinor trust Ian? She sat justice in all her own honors, and if she could not goas when she was too near her time of deliveryshe sent Joanna with Ian. She said it was so that the people would come to know her daughter, but was that all? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In war, Alinor was less self-assertive, but that depended upon circumstances. When Ian was leading the vassals in a private quarrel, Alinor paid no attention to what he did. She became alert only when Ian was part of a larger force, and she made no bones about saying to Ela that "his accursed lunatic honor would ruin them all some day." Ela sighed heavily. There could be no doubt that that was what Joanna meant. She was afraid that Geoffrey would be maneuvered by appeals to his honor into some situation that would hold more danger than was reasonable. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"But what can she do?" Ela asked herself pettishly. Then she sighed again. Only God knew what any of those Roselynde women would do when a stick or a stitch of theirs was threatened. Had not Alinor gathered an army to assault a castle when Ian was held prisoner in it some years ago? In the end she had not led the assault, but Ela did not doubt she would have done so if necessary. And Joanna, although no one would believe her when she warned them, was even worse. Joanna was much quieter, but much, much stubborner. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ela sighed yet again and languidly lifted a hand to summon a maid. She did not want to go to Whitechurch. She never could bear to be near where William was fighting. That turned her mind to Alinor and Joanna again. Ela remembered how Alinor had sat, apparently unmoved, through two days of a tourney in which her husband had nearly been killed. Doubtless Joanna would do the same. |
|
|
|
|
|