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their cattle in a certain rather large area or hunt over several hundred square miles of trackless forest was all they knew. In the southern and eastern parts of Waleswhere Norman influence had been strong for over a hundred years and where the terrain was not so difficultagriculture was advancing and property right was better known. Even there, however, there was much confusion, and inheritance did not always go by primogeniture. |
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It did not matter that Rhiannon did not understand the actual conditions, however. What she did understand was that Simon did not look at the wives and daughters of his subordinates as potential bedmates. Her father had never forced unwilling women nor meddled with women whose menfolk would object to his action, but many men had thrust their daughtersand sometimes even their wivesat the Lord of Gwynedd. And, when he was younger, Llewelyn had taken freely the ones he fancied. Those women he bedded were acknowledged in his court and accorded honor there. |
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As Rhiannon thought over what Simon had said, she relaxed more against him and laid her head on his shoulder. Perhaps if he still desired marriage, she would consider it. If what he said was true, at least she would never need to smile and be courteous to her husband's mistresses. The confiding movement touched Simon, and he put his arm around her. |
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"Are you cold, love?" he whispered. |
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"No, not cold, but I think we must dress in a few minutes anyway." |
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"Must we? You are so beautiful and so . . . I do not know exactly how to say what I mean, but you belong here, naked and free." He sighed. "I have never done this before. I think it is much better to lie here under the sky than to be closed inside. You have given me something no other woman could give." |
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Simon smiled. There was no challenge in the |
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