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Tower was in Walter's hands, it would be an advantage to Richard. It was only some thirty miles from Shrewsbury, or a little more. Then Walter felt ashamed. It was not right for him to permit personal considerations to influence him. As Pembroke's man, he should be thinking of his lord's advantage, not his own. And it was quiteplain that Richard was not at all happy with Llewelyn's suggestion. |
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"Why?" the earl had asked, after allowing the silence that followed Llewelyn's naming of Shrewsbury to last just a trifle too long. But Pembroke had met his match. |
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"Why not?" Llewelyn countered. "Do you desire that this war continue forever?" |
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The look of horror on Richard's face was sufficient answer for that question. |
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"It will continue as long as Henry's ministers can convince him that he has a chance of crushing you," Llewelyn stated flatly. "And they will be able to convince him of that as long as the fighting goes back and forth in the same place. Henry will not ask how many men are lost or what is the costas long a he does not see the men die or feel the pinch of the price. And, I assure you, both will be hidden from him as much as possible now. Moreover, Lord Pembroke, it is true enough that time is on the side of the king and his ministers. He has all of England to drain for men and gold, and he can summon more and more mercenaries from the Continent. You and I have no such resources." |
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"You mean that God will help us?" Llewelyn's lips twisted. "Lady Alinor attended you last night," he said. ''Do you know her favorite maxim? It is that God helps those who help themselves." |
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Walter saw the muscles in Richard's cheeks tighten and quiver as he strove not to laugh. The mention of Alinor's oft-quoted maxim had brought a wealth of memories flooding back on Richard, most of them happy. The tie between the Marshals and those of Roselynde had been very close all through Richard's youth. Although the families had never intermarriedperhaps because the bond was so close that no additional ties seemed necessaryRichard regarded Alinor as an aunt. Not only was he familiar with Alinor's maxim, but he recognized that some of that lady's devices for helping herself smacked more of the devil than of any heavenly |
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