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Page 34
was a great relief to him to have a woman friend. He had mothers and lovers in abundance; Alinor and Joanna were forever giving him well-meant and acerbic advice, and, although Gilliane was never sharp, she, too, offered advice and gentle reproof rather than simple attention. All other women seemed to regard him as a sexual object. Simon had not the least objection to this, but, of course, he could not speak of other women to a woman who wanted him for herself. Sybelle alone never seemed to notice his appearance, except in an impersonal wayfor example, to say his face was dirty or his hair needed combingand she listened to his adventures with amusement and interest.
"But I did not mean you in particular," Sybelle said, not commenting on Simon's answer directly. There was nothing more she could say about Rhiannon. "Everyone looks as if we have suffered a death in the family."
"Oh, that." The frown returned to Simon's face. "It is this summons to the council sent out by the king. Council! Either he wishes to squeeze more money from us, or he wishes us to confirm his tyrannies by our attendance. Certainly he has no desire for advice."
"From what Walter said the last time he came to visit Papa"
"I do not think Walter de Clare comes to visit your father." Simon laughed.
Sybelle made a face at him but continued as if he had not interrupted her: "there will be little meekness in the attendance." Then she shrugged. "But I think you are all mad. Two years ago you were all reviling Hubert de Burgh, calling him a power-mad upstart and urging the king to curb him. Now, all of a sudden, he is a holy martyr."
"No, Sybelle, you exaggerate. Naturally it was necessary to curb de Burgh. Through Henry's indifference, the chancellor was growing more powerful than the

 
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