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ready. It was thought impolitic, almost insulting, to send for Geoffrey or Adam to accompany her. Ian had offered himself, but the sound of his breath rattling in his chest and the glances Alinor had cast at him made Rhiannon's decision very easy. By now she was sure that Henry had no intention of keeping her by forcewhich was absolutely true; the king had never thought of it at alland her head was much fuller of a mingled desire to spite Simon and worry over Ian than of the king's intentions. |
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Simon returned not long after Rhiannon had gone. He could not fly into a rage with his father, whom he found surrounded by another group of men fearful over a new batch of rumors. Ian was already gray with worry and fatigue, and Alinor, who had excluded all the servants from the solar lest they hear more than they should, was serving her guests herself with set teeth and lips tight with anxiety. It would have been better if Simon had followed his first impulse and gone to Geoffrey's house to explode, but his second thought was that he must get to court before his precious prize was stolen from him. |
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Obviously, Simon could not rush to court in the dirty, dusty, bloodstained clothes in which he had hunted. Thus, it took a little time to wash his face and hands and get into decent garments. By the time he arrived, Rhiannon was nearly finished with her song. She had chosen a shorter piece this time, being less positive than the king that ancient tales of magic and adventure would interest sophisticated Provençals and Savoyards. In fact, the reception was so enthusiastic that Simon, a very junior person and not even a vassal of the king, could get nowhere near her. |
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The guests' sincere requests for another song, to which Rhiannon acceded with quiet pleasure, gave Simon a chance to work his way nearer. At the end of this second song Rhiannon respectfully begged not to sing again because she was tired. Simon tensed, |
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