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Page 271
probably never have another chance to save his marriage if he did not yield.
He did not feel there really was much danger in his wife and sister-by-marriage staying. It was conceivable that his ambush would not result in the complete victory for which he hoped, but he was certain that John of Monmouth's force would be badly enough hurt that any attack on Abergavenny would be impossible, at least until John of Monmouth could reorganize his army, and that would be time enough to send Gervase and Marie west.
Marie had also been eager to stay in Abergavenny. Although she had been near bursting with rage when Walter left Builth so suddenly and without a single word to her, she had had much to distract her while Richard and all his men remained in the keep. It was, in a way, as if she were the only woman there. Obviously, no man would flirt with Gervase under her husband's eyes, and Rhiannon's husband was also present. Besides, Marie noticed that many of the men seemed to be afraid of the Welsh woman. When Rhiannon sang and her bell-toned voice filled the hall, all watched and listened in silence. But when the songs were over, the men shook themselves, as if they had been freed from a spell, and few went to speak to her.
Thus, Marie was the focus of attention for every man who enjoyed the company of women. She was too busy and too flattered to dwell on the rage she had felt when Walter left Builth or the hatred she bore Sybelle, who seemed to have snatched out of her hands the prize she desired. However, when the keep was emptied of all except a few men too old to fight or to have any interest in entertaining her, it was rage and hatred that filled her empty hours. In fantasy, she tortured and murdered both Sybelle and Walter; but such fantasies were too empty to bring any satisfaction.
She could not, however, release the notion of making trouble for those who, in her opinion, had insulted and robbed her. Marie now acknowledged that Walter was more powerfully drawn by money and power than by her, and realized seduction would not induce him to forgo his heiress. She had also hoped to infuriate and disgust Sybelle so much that she would beg her father to repudiate the verbal contract or that her jealousy would be poured out over Walter in a stream so bitter that he would back out of the casual commitment.

 
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