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Page 252
for some reason of his own. If so, to set mistrust of him in Richard's mind could lose us a useful adherent."
"Then why did he not come forward on his own, when he knew you to be Pembroke's man?" Sybelle asked sharply. Then she could have bitten her tongue. It was her purpose to increase Walter's doubts so that he would stay safe in Clyro, not to agree with him.
"That thought has passed through my mind also," Walter said, "but there could be reasons. We did not talk together very long. I tend to agree with you that I should know him better."
While he spoke, Walter unconsciously stroked Sybelle's arm. There was infinite sweetness in this pillow talk, directed wholly to his interest and his welfare, and in the soft, satisfied languor of his body that had no bitter taint of guilt. It was true that he had missed the ultimate pleasure of penetration in their lovemaking, but that only lent a spice of anticipation to the complete fulfillment that would come in time. For now, despite his teasing denial to Sybelle, Walter was content. He knew she would come again to him this way at his lightest hint, and he did not allow himself to perceive how much that colored his determination to know Sir Heribert better.
By the time Sybelle left his bed to return to her own, they were agreed that Walter would write to Richard and wait at least a few days longer unless Richard asked him to come at once. But the few days passed, and then a few more. Richard did not summon him; indeed, he wrote that they were doing nothing aside from waiting to see what move John of Monmouth would make, that he himself intended to be away from the area for a week or two while he visited keeps and gathered men from the south coast, and that Walter should take his time with Sir Heribert.
But there was nothing at all to settle Walter's doubts one way or the other. In fact, Sir Heribert appeared to be a model vassal. On his own, he suggested that he should send his men back to Knight's Tower since Walter did not need the troop for war. He kept only ten men, enough to ensure his safety in traveling in unsettled times but surely not enough to be any threat to his new overlord.
Walter felt guilty and uncertainand more and more in love and reluctant to leave Sybelle, even for the few days it would take him to find Richard and report. But he was not the

 
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