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Page 89
and Marie, who had been completely overlooked in the general anxiety over Pembroke's condition, but his voice stuck in his throat. As Sybelle rose from the stool on which she had been sitting, desire, anxiety, embarrassment, and relief all boiled together in the stew of Walter's exhausted and aching body, and he reeled. Lord Geoffrey, who was closest, jumped up to support him, and Lord Ian and Simon also rose, temporarily blocking Walter's sight of Sybelle.
"I am only tired," he said, "and here are Gervase, Lady Pembroke, and her sister, Lady Marie de les Maures."
Every head turned toward the ladies. Walter had a brief glimpse of Lady Alinor's face, her eyes flashing and lips thinned with fury as she realized that Richard's wife had been with him and had not attended to his very apparent needs. But it was only a single glance. Then Lady Alinor turned and drew Richard swiftly away. Lord Geoffrey and Lord Ian looked surprised, as if trying to fit together the presence of Lady Pembroke and her husband's untended condition. However, Prince Llewelyn got up from his chair and came smoothly forward.
"My ladies," he said, his voice warm and resonant, "let me make you welcome, very welcome. Will you not sit down here by the fire and rest until Lord Pembroke is made comfortable and we can take you to your chamber?"
Walter heard no more, although he was aware that Llewelyn was still speaking, because Sybelle had come near and said softly, "Can you walk, Sir Walter?"
He nodded mutely, disengaged himself from Geoffrey's supporting hand, then found his voice and said, "Yes, of course," completely unaware that Geoffrey and Ian were both smiling with kindly amusement.
Having passed tactfully behind her father and grandfather so that her movement would not attract attention, Sybelle took a few steps more and came to Walter's left side. "If you will come this way," she urged.
But for the moment Walter could not move. He had remembered Sybelle as beautiful and desirable, of course, but the perfection of her face struck him like a physical blow. He had not seen her since the very beginning of October, and over that time he had forgotten the way her bronze brows arched over her golden eyes, the mat perfection of her creamy skin, the exquisite bow of her rosy lips with the very full,

 
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