< previous page page_257 next page >

Page 257
that it is not only I who cannot swallow Sir Heribert's perfection. I wish I had not accepted his fealty, but I did not feel it fair to reject him when I knew no ill of him except that he had served my brother. Even a good man might be forced to do that for a livelihood. In any case, it is too late to go back. I now must have a reasonable cause to remove Knight's Tower from his care. At least we know he has no wife nor close kin. Sir Roland can ask him to bide here for the merrymaking."
"Yes, and I will leave my maid Edwina here with permission to crawl into his bed if he will take her," Sybelle suggested. "That might keep him fixed. But if he feels our suspicions and will not stay, what then?"
"I will ask Sir Roland to send us word if Heribert leaves, but it does not matter. He cannot cry to the king that I have urged any treasonous proposals on him. In fact, in telling him that I cannot take him into Simon's company, I have done just the opposite. Thus, he cannot harm me. Beyond that, what I do will depend upon Richard."

 
< previous page page_257 next page >