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Page 42
"An escort, I assure you, Lady Pembroke. My purpose is to see to your safety and comfort."
"And if I do not choose to go?"
Gervase's challenge was clear, but Walter would not respond with pleas or explanations of why it was necessary to her husband's purpose, nor did he offer threats. He recognized the pettish challenge as worthless, an attempt to make him fearful or uncomfortable or ease Gervase's own helpless frustrations. It was clear enough to Walter that Gervase would have attended a dung-throwing contest so long as it would take her out of Pembroke keep
"I have neither instructions nor authority to enforce your coming to Brecon and Builth," Walter said calmly. "If you do not choose to go, you need not. I will be sorry for it because you will miss an interesting spectacle. Any celebrations conducted under Prince Llewelyn's auspices is bound to be most entertaining."
"Prince!" Gervase exclaimed contemptuously. "Prince of what? Five scabby sheep, barren mountains, and a few naked savages?"
Walter dropped his eyes to conceal their expression. His branch of the de Clare family had lived with and fought against the Welsh of the Marches for nearly two hundred years. Other Englishmen might think the same as Gervase did, but Walter knew better. The Welsh were a poor people, that was true, and many lived in the old way by hunting and gathering, their wealth concentrated in the herds of cattle and sheep that grazed nomadically over certain area; however, the upper classes were no more savages than those of England or France. Still, Walter's expression did not change, despite his growing irritation.
"You will find some of the guests have different manners and customs, I daresay," Walter remarked, "but other will be English. It is possible that King Henry's cousin Lord Geoffrey FitzWilliam will come, since the groom is his brother-by-marriage."
The bait was just what should draw such a woman as Gervase, Walter knew, but he felt a warm stirring within him that had nothing to do with the interest she could not hide. Sybelle, he realized, would come with her family. And then he felt vaguely guilty about how attractive he was finding Marie. Distracted by this thought, it took Walter a moment to

 
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