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Page 159
watch on her. Now that Llewelyn expected to send out raiding parties any day, he did not want his young men distracted by the possibility of a rich dower and a beautiful wife, particularly when it was clear to him that Simon would have her eventually.
Truly, Llewelyn was far more interested in what was in Richard's letter than in his daughter's future. He kissed her absently and waved her away into the care of one of the healing women, his eyes fixed on Simon, who was reading the letter at his insistence. Having perused it, Simon simply handed it over.
"It is mostly for you, my lord," he said. "Richard sent it in my name so that you would not be compromised if you did not wish to be connected with his doings."
Llewelyn's lips twitched. "I see that your delicacy is less than Pembroke's."
Simon grinned at him. "Much less." Then he shrugged. "My lord, if Henry wishes to believe you guilty, he will find fault no matter how careful you are. I am your vassal, and you have a perfect right to receive me, no matter who are my friends. However, Henry might well claim that you have offended him by giving me countenance. You also have a right to see a letter your vassal receives from a man who might be your enemy."
"But if I am to believe you, other men's rights have short shrift at King Henry's hands." Llewelyn nodded. "Then I need not worry. If my rights are respected, I am doing no wrong. Otherwise, I might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb."
Llewelyn turned his eyes to the letter he held, and the smile fixed on his face for a moment. Then his expression eased. "How sure would Pembroke be of this information?" he asked Simon. "Can I trust in it?"
Simon shook his head. "You see what he says. It comes from those who 'wish him well' in Henry's own camp. I think they are to be believed. There

 
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