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It was true that Walter had not seen quite the same haughtiness in Marie as in Gervase, but he was taking no chances on Sybelle's being offended. He had glanced at Sybelle when he answered, but his eyes went back to Marie, wondering whether she had noticed that he had presented her to Sybellethereby indicating Sybelle was the lady of higher rank. However, he had been careful to phrase the introduction backward, so that unless one listened closely it sounded as if he were presenting Sybelle to Marie. In this way he hoped to avoid hurting Marie, while indicating that Sybelle was more important. |
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Concern brought a slight rigidity to Walter's expression, a downturn to one corner of his mouth. Marie was aware only that his eyes had returned to her even while he spoke to his almost-betrothed. Perhaps, Marie thought, Walter did not like Sybelle's type of beauty. Marie knew she was equally attractive, although in a different way. Walter's attention soothed her anger. It would be better, she decided, not to irritate him by overt interference in his plansyet. For now, if Sybelle did not accept as a dancing partner one of the several men converging on them, it would be enough to show her up for the dull English clod she must be. |
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Sybelle, in the meantime, saw more than the fact that Walter's eyes had moved quickly from her to Marie. She was, in fact, startled by her awareness of his thoughts, by her ability to read them from the small muscular reactions of his face and body. She had never, except in the one or two instances when she had faced real physical danger, been as perceptive of the intentions of any other creature. To Sybelle it was apparent that Walter was not pleased by Marie's intrusion, that the formal introduction, the presentation of Marie to herselfan unmarried and younger womanwere meant as a subtle curb for Marie's tongue or manner. |
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From this and from a few exasperated remarks her mother had made about Lady Pembroke and her sister, Sybelle concluded that Walter found Marie haughty and boring and did not like her. On the other hand, it was clear to Sybelle that Marie liked Walter. Mistakenly, Sybelle decided she had better act as a buffer between them. Thus, when the men Marie had noticed approaching began to request both ladies to dance and offered various inducements, Sybelle refused with a series of lighthearted excuses, among which was that none |
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