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.But she did none of these things.Instead, Alais walked to the outer door.I thought she might leave me in silence, without a curtsy, without being dismissed.But she turned back and looked at me, and I saw once more how truly young she was.“I will not live in that world,” she said.And then she was gone, my door left standing open behind her.I did not move, but let my ladies come to me, surrounding me as an incoming tide.They brought chatter and fresh fruit.Amaria took my arm and led me back to my chair.Only when I saw her face did I know that my wound showed on mine.I smiled then, and laughed, and called for more wine.Bertrand came in and played for us without being asked, and Angeline and Mathilde got up to dance.I saw that my women meant to distract me; they knew something had passed between me and my favorite.As I watched, I saw that they did not know what.We had remembered ourselves that far, at least.We had kept our voices down, knowing always that the walls of every castle have ears.Chapter 17ALAIS: LOSSWindsor CastleJuly 1172Marie Helene helped me dress for dinner in the hall.I did not speak, but she saw my face, and the pain there.She was kind enough to say nothing, but laced my gown in silence.The door was always open, but this day Bijou did not try to flee as she had always done before.Her desire to explore the smells of Henry’s castle was overwhelmed by the need to stay by me.She sat on her cushion and stared up at me as I dressed.She seemed to sense my sorrow, as dogs and children can.Bijou came to me, and licked my hand, not for her comfort, but for mine.I wore cloth of gold, heavily embroidered, the most elaborate dress I had been given since being brought out of the nunnery.The gown had been very fine fresh from the seamstress’ hand, but Marie Helene had a talent with a needle.She had added to the sleeves in gold thread an embroidered crest, twining my father’s fleur-de-lys with the lion of Richard’s house.I looked down at those sleeves that had given me so much pleasure.I thought to wear a different dress, but I remembered Eleanor’s eyes, and how she challenged me to be the woman she had raised me to be.I swallowed my pride, and left the gown on.I remembered how proud I had been of that gown when Marie Helene first showed it to me, and how I had looked forward to wearing it.Now that joy was ashes in my mouth.Marie Helene placed the filet Eleanor had given me over my hair.Tonight my veil was a light gold.The fleurs-de-lys of my childhood blessed my temple where they lay on my brow, and gleamed on my finger where Eleanor’s ring winked at me in the firelight.I raised my hand and crossed myself, though I had not been at prayer.Marie Helene repeated my gesture before she followed me from the room, down into Eleanor’s hall.I did not see Richard when I came into the great hall, though I looked for him.Eleanor caught my eye and smiled, gesturing that I was to join her at the high table.If she saw the embroidery on my sleeve, she did not speak of it.“Alais, what a pretty gown.You will outshine us all.��She met my eyes as if our earlier conversation had never happened, as if I had not stormed out of her rooms without her leave less than two hours before.Instead of stoking the fire of my anger, her calm regard gave me strength.As always, the presence of Eleanor reminded me of who I was.My courtier’s tongue loosened as it rarely did, and I spoke without thinking.“That would be impossible, Your Majesty, as long as you are in the room.”I coupled those words with a pretty curtsy.Eleanor laughed and clapped, admiration in her eyes.No doubt she thought I had given in to her point of view, that I would lie back and let Richard take any lover he pleased.I, of course, knew otherwise.“Well said, Princess, well said.Come and sit by me, and tell me more of my beauty.”I sat beside her at once, and Marie Helene took a chair farther down the table, her worried gaze never leaving my face.I turned from her to the queen, wondering what I might say.I had never before spoken lies to Eleanor.In the end, I found that I could not.Between us, there had always been truth.“My father loved you.” I met the queen’s eyes to show her I was no coward.She faced my gaze, all traces of her smile gone.Eleanor watched me as I had once seen a man eye another over a shield at a tournament, gauging his opponent’s strengths, and where he might strike first.It was the first time she looked at me that way, her calculation naked and open before me.I did not flinch from her, as a lesser woman might have done.However foolhardy my words had been, I meant what I said.“Your father spoke of me to you, did he? Did he tell you of my fine eyes?”“No, Your Grace
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Tematy
IndexChristine Amsden [Cassie Scot Cassie Scot ParaNormal Detecti
Christie Craig [Divorced, Des Divorced, Desperate
Moore Christopher Ssij, mała, ssij (II)
Stasheff, Christopher Wizard in Rhyme 6 Haunted Wizard
Christine Feehan Mroczna Seri Mroczny Demon
Cidney Swanson [Saving Mars Saving Mars (epub)
Stasheff, Christopher Rogue Wizard 04 A Wizard in Peace
Feehan Christine Mroczna Seria 01 Mroczny Ksišże
Stasheff, Christopher Warlock 01 The Warlock in Spite of Himself
Christine Feehan Mroczna Seria 13 Mroczne Przeznaczenie