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be to our men if . . . if the battle should go ill." Her voice began to waver, and she stopped and steadied it and went on firmly, "You promised Simon you would bide safe if he kept you close until the eve of battleyou told me that. No harm will come to either of them. Think how often they have fought and come safe away. And . . . and if one of them should be hurt and both of us taken by Monmouth, who would tend the hurts?" |
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Rhiannon sighed, and the fixed staring of her eyes misted over with tears. "I do not like to be afraid," she whispered. |
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Sybelle did not like it, either; however, the fear saved her from an even more futile agony. When she heard Sybelle had ridden into the keep, Marie was nearly beside herself with joy. She sat by the fire and polished the words with which she would destroy Sybelle's betrothal, and she stabbed her needle in and out of her embroidery as if it were Sybelle's heart instead of cloth in the frame. But anxiety made it impossible for either Rhiannon or Sybelle to sit quietly, so Marie had no chance to say her piece. |
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She did try, however; as soon as Rhiannon and Sybelle came in and made polite curtsies to Gervase, Marie said she had something of great importance to impart to Sybelle. Thinking she knew the range of Marie's newssome new scandalSybelle said as politely as she could that she would come anon to hear it but that her men had been wounded on the journey and she must see to their hurts. For once Gervase did not cry out against a fine lady soiling her hands on the common men-at-arms. Had they been less disordered by fear, both Rhiannon and Sybelle would have noted this as unusual and understood that Gervase wanted them gone. As it was, they would hardly have noted it if Gervase had been dancing naked on a table. |
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Desiring only something to do, something on which to fix their minds, they went to collect what simples Rhiannon had carried in her baskets and then to examine what stores the castle leech kept. From there, they progressed to the area in the men-at-arm's quarters set aside for the sick, where they consulted so anxiously over each cut and bruise that they frightened the poor men, who earlier had thought nothing of their hurts, none of which was serious. |
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As soon as they were gone, Gervase said, "Sister, I beg |
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