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"Why not, Sir Gilbert?" Simon asked. "Prince Llewelyn is my overlord and my father is his clan brother. That is part of the reason we are moving so quietly rather than riding the roads, but what you should have remembered about me is that I was squire to William, Earl of Pembroke, and my family has been close-tied in love to the Marshals for many years." |
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For the first time Bassett relaxed completely. "Yes, I should have remembered. Are you in flight to Richard?" |
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"Not exactly in flight. I am not proscribed, but apparently it came into Winchester's mind that Lady Rhiannon would make a prime hostage for her father's behavior. It is not true, but Winchester does not understand the Welsh." |
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"He does not understand anything," Bassett snarled. |
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"I think you are right. Nonetheless, he has offended me, and it is in my mind that I can use his ignorance to increase his problems and to have my revenge. The Bishop of Winchester, for some reason, fears Hubert de Burgh, and I would like to see him free." |
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There was a long moment of silence. Then Bassett said, "Are you offering to join your troop to ours in an attempt to rescue him? I would be more than happy to accept and would be very grateful, but I must warn you that our hopes of success are small. The garrison of Devizes will be down on us before we can hope to take the Earl of Kent away." |
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Simon noted that Bassett, who was indebted to him, gave de Burgh his title as Earl of Kent, but he did not comment on that. All he said was, "Not if they do not know he is gone." |
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"The church is close-guarded day and night," Bassett remarked with a touch of contempt at the foolishness of a young man. I have friends who watch and send me word. Believe me, there is no way to reach him without raising an alarm." |
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"Perhaps not," Simon agreed, "but I think there may |
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