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body, just as he could use a chamber pot, but there was no pleasure in it. He desired only Rhiannon. |
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By June, Simon would have been on his way back to Wales, ready, like the courtly lovers in romances whom he had always ridiculed, to plead for a smile, a look, a single wordexcept that he knew Rhiannon would say he had not been away long enough. Pride, too, warred with love and might have lost if he had not been caught up in the political problems the king was creating. Still, Simon was not yet directly concerned with the actions of the English king. He would not be directly affected by Henry's lunacies until Ian died and Simon did homage for the northern lands. However, what happened in England always affected Wales. Besides, Simon knew it was useful to have firsthand knowledge of what was going on, rather than garbled rumors or the sometimes deliberately slanted news in his mother's letters. Alinor was a great one for bending the truth a little this way or that to forward her own purposes. |
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This, coupled with the fact that Simon knew he could not say to Rhiannon I have been constant without sounding ridiculous when he had been away for less than three months, kept him from returning to her. Now, however, Richard was offering him the perfect excuse to do what he ached to do. Even if he were not sent back to Wales at once, there would be high excitement in being with Richard Marshal andwhatever the earl said about not wanting to oppose the kingSimon was sure there would be fighting. That would at least serve to take his mind off Rhiannon. |
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"If you will give me leave, my lord," Simon said quickly, "I will bring back my men with me when I bring Geoffrey and my father. Then I can accompany you when you go." |
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"I will be happy to have you, having come with only four men, but do you think it wise to associate yourself with me so openly? Will Lord Ian be willing?" |
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