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''No!" Sybelle cried. "Do not leave us." |
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For just a moment Walter looked startled. It was not possible that Sybelle could feel she needed his protection for the short distance to Abergavenny in the company of Rhiannon and double the number of men. She had understood the danger of meeting a patrol and had followed every order he gave quickly, but she had shown no sign of fear. Then he realized that she was afraid for him. It was sweet to know, a warm comfort to carry into the coming battle. He smiled and shook his head at her. |
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"I must go, and quickly," he said. |
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"You will break your collarbone again and be useless in ten minutes," Sybelle countered. |
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"I will take care," Walter assured her, smiling fondly, but his eyes and voice were inflexible. |
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Knowing the outcome of such an exchange, Rhiannon had not listened to it but had explained in Welsh to her men that one of them must guide Sir Walter to Simon or, if he were gone on some scouting mission, to Lord Pembroke. Efan, who had a word or two of French, said he would go, and Rhiannon turned back to Walter and Sybelle just in time to hear her say, "Then God go with you, my lord." |
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Sybelle's voice was calm and her eyelids lowered. She had been well schooled. She knew when argument was useless, and she knew how to part with a man. She had seen her mother and her grandmother part with their husbands often enough. She had not known, however, how much it hurt, how hard it was to force quiet words through a throat constricted with terror. It would not always be so bad, she told herself, barely aware that Walter was already riding back up the road, as she prodded Damas into a trot beside Cyflym. She was only frightened because Walter's bone was still weak, and if it broke, he would not be able to hold his shield properly. But Richard would know that; surely Richard would know and either would order Walter not to fight or would protect him. |
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"I am afraid also," Rhiannon said, her voice high-pitched and trembling. "Sybelle, should we go back? We could stay in the camp with the boys and the servants." |
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Fear called to fear. Sybelle turned her head and saw how staring-wide Rhiannon's eyes were. "You know we cannot do that," she said. "You know how great a danger we would |
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