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Page 397
Since by now every bruise Walter had received had stiffened and he ached all over, he did not argue but rose slowly from his chair and straightened carefully so that he would not pull the fresh stitching of the cut on his left side. He said thank you again to his father-by-marriage, who had, of course, been offered the principal bed and bedchamber and had refused. Walter was grateful, knowing in his sore condition he would be more comfortable in a large bed.
Sybelle had gone ahead, and by the time he had climbed the stairs, she had candles alight and maids warming the bed. At first Walter did not think about anything, only glad that he did not need to bend and twist to take off his shoes, untie his crossgarters, and pull off his clothes. It was such a relief and pleasure that he was hardly aware who served him. However, when Sybelle had shepherded him into the warm bed, she bade him turn on his belly so she could again anoint the huge bruise across his back where Heribert's sword had come down.
The sound of her voice reminded Walter that Sybelle had not spoken a word to him when they had been alone since they had returned from Hay. He turned his head, but could not see her face. It occurred to him also that, although she had sat beside him and been as pert as usual in her father's presence, she had not leaned back against him confidingly as she had in Roselynde.
"Do you still think it wrong for me to have gone to speak to Marie?" he asked suddenly.
Sybelle started. "I thought you asleep already. Am I hurting you?"
"No, you are giving me pleasurebut you would give me more by answering a question when I ask it."
"Does a silly question need answering? Wrong? No, of course you were not wrong. Being a man, and she having been your mistress"
"She was never my mistress," Walter interrupted. "I am not so much a fool as you think. If I had had any long association with her, I would have known her too well to be drawn by her bait. I had her once onlyand I deeply regretted it. She had all the warmth of a fish dead a week."
Needing to see Sybelle's face clearly, Walter turned over and hissed with pain as he pulled the stitches and his bruised muscles twinged. Sybelle, who had been about to say several

 
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