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Actually, Walter did not get to speak to Lord Geoffrey until the following day. Confronted by a flat statement of the situation, Sybelle had fled to obtain authoritative assistance, and had found her mother already coming to join her. Since Rhiannon and Alinor were attending to the Earl of Pembroke, Joanna felt free to see what her daughter was doing. Moreover, she felt that Sybelle and Walter had been alone long enough. Joanna was somewhat annoyed by her mother's mischievously thrusting them together, because she felt that Walter's condition might induce too much tenderness in Sybelle. |
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Thus, Joanna sent Sybelle to see that a more private place was found for Walter to sleep than the great hall and that at least a cot would be provided for him. This was no easy task in the crowded condition at Builth. In the end, Sybelle was reduced to ousting her brother William from his cot, demoting him to a pallet beside young Ian's, and giving his place in the antechamber of her parent's apartment to Walter. This made the small chamber almost too crowded to walk in, unless one minded one's steps very carefully. |
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Walter was delighted. The placement seemed to make him already part of the family he wished very much to join and was another tacit confirmation that his offer for Sybelle was expected and welcome. The peace of mind this gave him permitted him to acquiesce with little argument when Joanna said firmly that he was to go to bed at once, after he was bathed, salved, and the broken bone set. |
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What Joanna did not expect was that Walter's eagerness would follow him into his dreams. True, no dreams troubled the first part of his night; he slept too deeply for that. However, Walter was young and very strong. Images of Sybelleof her bosom pressed against his cheek, of her sweet breath gently tickling his ear, of her beautiful facecame to make his sleep |
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