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Page 321
squires. By so slight a chance, the going on one road rather than another for only a few miles, was this enterprise saved.
I cannot believe it only chance," Gilliane breathed. "Surely God was our help in this matter."
"God helped those who helped themselves by sending Walter out in the first place," Adam said cynically.
The whole family laughed. That God helped those who helped themselves was Alinor's favorite maxim and had been driven deep into her family's heads by repeated usage.
"Most certainly," Ian agreed. "Listen to this. Walter says that Richard did not wish to believe him. So fixed was the earl's belief in the honor of those with whom he swore truce that had I not carried Lord Geoffrey's letter under his own seal, he would have clung to the conviction that I spoke wild rumor only and would have come to Oxford that very night to do courtesy by riding under the king's protection to Westminster. I wonder. . . ." Ian looked up. "I wonder if that might have been better? The king would have been touched by such faith."
Adam snorted. "Yes, until the snake hissed in his ear again."
Ian made no reply to that, returning to the letter to read how Richard persisted in clinging to the hope that at the last minute Henry would not be able to break his word. "He agreed so far as to return to Usk, the letter continues, and send a herald to the king, vowing he would not move until the king's own denial was delivered to him. There was a great anger held in check, however. I think when the truce is broken the earl will no longer hold himself back but will unleash his power and his fury."
"I think so, too," Adam said with grim satisfaction. "I am sorry his lands are so far from mine that I cannot offer the assistance of victualing or even of providing men, but I fear there will be many who

 
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