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Page 102
then shuddered after he mentioned the slaughter of the garrison of Monmouth keep. Those men were father's allies, possibly there were even friends of his among them. Lord Geoffrey was the king's cousin, and Sybelle herself was related to Henry. Naturally, she would be appalled to hear of the king's losses.
What could he do? Walter asked himself. He could not abandon Richard, even though Richard would certainly give him leave. Still, he could not do it. The question was not only one of personal loyalty but of right and wrong. The king and his ministers were breaking the law and flouting established custom. If they were not checked, every man in the realm would be a slave to Henry's will. That was wrong. Every free man had his rights. Even the serf had his small rights. Moreover, Richard was not a rebel for his own profit. He was the upholder of right and good custom. No matter what the personal sacrifice, Walter knew he could not abandon Pembroke's cause.
Then he would have to refuse to make contract. Walter had been walking slowly back toward Lord Geoffrey's chamber while he reasoned out his attachment to Pembroke. Now he stopped again and drew breath sharply. Perhaps there could be some compromise. Walter started forward again. Lord Geoffrey was an honorable man. Surely he would not have held out hope that Walter would be acceptable as Sybelle's husband only to trap him into abandoning the rebel cause.
At an accelerated pace, Walter went directly to the entrance to the bedchamber and called, "My lord?"
"Come in," Geoffrey replied promptly, and when Walter did so, Geoffrey gestured to a chair opposite his beside the newly made up fire.
"Lord Geoffrey," Walter said, still standing "you must know that I am very eager to take your daughter, Sybelle, to wife, but"
"I was aware," Geoffrey interrupted, unable to control a slight twitching of the lips. "I will set your mind to rest and tell you at once that I have no objections. However, the situation is not so simple. Do sit down. This will be a long conversation, and your knee will be the better for a chair and a footstool."
"I understand that your loyalty to the king and mine to the

 
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