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Page 174
Chapter 13
Sybelle was enjoying herself completely. For the first time in her life she was totally at ease with men other than those of her family. Previously, owing to her beauty and the presumption that her dowry would be munificent, the smallest sign of friendliness had encouraged advances she did not desire. Now she had only to say she was promised already, and she was free to talk, to jest, and laugh, and danceWalter having told her not to be a fool and take whom she would for partners. But the reason she was happy was that she found, even with this new freedom, she still enjoyed Walter's company most of all.
Their conversations were no more loverlike than those she had with other men. They ranged over much the same subjects, except for that which, to Sybelle, was the most absorbing: Which property should come with her as dowry. When the topic was first broached, Walter looked much taken aback.
''That is not for me to decide," he said. "I will take whatever Lady Alinor offers." Then he smiled. "My main object, after all, is to have you, Sybelle. And after that I desire union with your family."
Sybelle blushed faintly with pleasure, but now that Walter was hers, she found no difficulty in keeping to the point, which was to discover how he reacted to female interference in male affairs. She no longer felt reluctant to examine the subject, buoyantly sure that if one route were blocked, she would find another path. For the first pass, she chose the most direct.
"But you will not need to say anything," she assured Walter. "I will discuss the matter with Grandmama. Nor do you need to feel she will be offended. If she has decided already, she will tell me. But if she has not, she will be glad to listen to me, for you know best the disposition of your

 
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