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the direction of Almondbury, and Seagrave sprang up and ranted and raved about the lawlessness in the land and how it must be corrected. Henry did not speak, but he did look very black. Then Adam said, most innocently, that if it were his lands under attack, he would be there already to lesson those who dared offend him." |
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Sir Roland and Sir John, both knowing Adam, laughed aloud, and Sybelle said, "If he were not there ahead of time, having incited the raid just so he could have the sport of defending the property." |
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"He is not so irresponsible as that," Geoffrey protested, but he was smiling also. "In any case," he went on, "it was the exact right thing to say." |
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"A miracle, in Adam's case," Sybelle teased. |
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"We will never hear the end of this story if you do not hold your tongue," Walter remarked dryly, "and I have the feeling the end of the tale is worth hearing." |
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"Indeed it is," Geoffrey agreed, "for the king picked up Adam's remark and offered Seagrave the use of the men-at-arms in Huntington. I do not think Seagrave was too well pleased with Henry's generosity, but he accepted with due thanks. I never saw a man take longer to make ready. I suppose he hoped you would be gone by the time he came." |
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Walter explained how easy the taking of Almondbury had been and the odd sense of incompleteness they felt, which had caused them to linger somewhat longer than they ordinarily would have done. |
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Geoffrey lifted a brow. "God's hand was in this, then. When a herd of cows and a few minutes' time come together to bring about such a great good, I must believe it was a thing ordained and not a result of chance alone. In no long time after he leftas you must knowSeagrave came pelting back. He told Henry there was a whole army under Bassett and Siward ravaging the entire district and urged Henry to flee. Ian and I were a little worried, fearing you had not been able to control Bassett, but then I thought the attack would have come directly at Huntington. Adam, of course, wanted to stay and fight, but Simon had the best sense of all for once in his life and had sent out some of his men to follow Seagrave." |
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"Army!" Walter exclaimed. "I do not think there were a hundred of us. That was all the horses Bassett could gather |
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