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Page 305
Walter closed his eyes for a moment. "That afternoon in Builth before I went with Simon to Abergavenny to meet with the men watching Monmouth. Curse me, I needed a woman and Marie . . . perhaps she was teasing, but I . . ."
"Or perhaps she was with child already and needed some honorable fool to acknowledge it," Richard growled. "How likely is it that one coupling will set seed in a woman?"
"No!" Marie cried.
Richard looked at her coldly, his face set like flint. "It is easy enough to discover the truth of that. We need only ask your maid the time of your last flux."
"No," Marie gasped, backing away, "no."
"Please," Walter pleaded, "do not torment her by questioning her maid and adding to her shame. I do not believe Marie had any other lover."
That statement was based on Walter's memory of how little pleasure Marie had taken in their coupling, but his voice faltered as he realized the same effect could have been based on her desire for another man rather than her limited enjoyment of sex. Would he be raising the bastard of some man-at-arms or groom from Pembroke?
Walter had dropped his eyes as the doubt crossed his mind, but Richard had been staring all the while at Marie. Richard did not know much or care much about women, and he had never tried to understand them, but the blazing hate in Marie's face told him a great deal. That Marie should hate him was reasonable, but her gaze, to his surprise, had been fixed on Walter. There was no need to understand women to fathom that. Man or woman, one does not hate a person who is a willing dupe.
"You nasty bitch!" Richard exploded. "You are not with child at all. You desired to make trouble between Walter and Sybelle."
"No, not to make trouble," Marie cried, seeing a way out of her predicament. "I wanted him, and I thought he wanted me and took Sybelle only for the greater dowry. There was no written contract. Why should I not try to gain him?" And she lifted her hands to her face and wept.
"Oh, God," Walter breathed. "I am sorry. I am so sorry. I did not know. I thought you understood and only wished to play. Richard knew I had exchanged kisses of peace with

 
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