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work on his shirt, she asked how he came to be so battered. Walter obliged with the narrative he had prepared for Gervase and Marie, but he got no further than the attack by Monmouth garrison on their small force when Sybelle interrupted. |
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"Heavens! Are you all idiots? One hundred men against thousands! I can just hear Lord Pembroke pronouncing with high chivalry, 'I have never yet turned my back upon an enemy in battle, and I do not propose to do so now. Let all those who wish to flee' " |
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"He did not say anything of the kind," Walter snapped. "What he said was that if we fled in disorder, we would be taken from behind and destroyed, whereas if we turned our faces toward the enemy and fought bravely, the army, which was no great distance from us, would have time to come to our rescue. And that is what happened." |
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Sybelle's busy hands had stopped during Walter's reply, and now she looked up at him. "I am very sorry. I should have known better than to make a stupid criticism when I did not know the full circumstances. Do not be angry." Her eyes were large and very serious. |
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Before he thought what he was doing, Walter's hand touched her cheek. "I am not angry," he murmured. "I do not think I am capable of being angry with you." |
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He started to lean forward. Sybelle's face lifted toward his, and then she uttered a small gasp and turned sharply away. Walter straightened. |
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"You had better finish with me and let me go before I do something inexcusable," he muttered. |
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"Please go on. Tell me the rest," Sybelle urged, as if he had not spoken. |
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"There is nothing more, really, to tell, unless you want a blow-by-blow description of the fightingand I do not imagine that would interest you. Richard has a cool head. He remembered to tell his senior squire and the two knights he sent off to warn Gilbert Bassett that we were trapped and to tell Bassett also to break down the bridge between the army and the keep. I understand that it was a great slaughter." |
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There was a slight pause. A few hours earlier, Sybelle would have commented with enthusiasm on the blow delivered against the king's cause. Her father would not break his oath of allegiance to Henry, but Sybelle had given none and could see no reason why she should not speak her mindin |
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