a by-your-leave. With Rod absent, it
was impossible for her to spend the night with Edward, so it
was pointless for her to remain at Kenilworth under Eleanor
de Montfort's contemptuous gaze.
******************
Alyce scribbled a note for her lover and gave it to his squire,
Owen, since he was the only one she dared to trust.
Mon Amour,
I shal persuade Richard to return to Gloucester, but shal
proceed to London and stay at Westminster in my fathers
apartments. I wish you would return to Windsor before
Christmas, so we could spend it together, but if not, I wil come
to you whenever you send word.
It was an arrangement they had used before. As wel as
access to Westminster, Alyce often enjoyed carte blanche at
the numerous de Clare castles close to London, without the
presence of her odious young husband.
64
She and Gilbert hated the sight of each other and were
happiest when they were separated by a goodly distance.
Alyce was alarmed that Edward was al ying himself with
Simon de Montfort, though she was far too wise to voice her
objection to her lover. Instead, she would voice it to her father-
in-law, Richard de Clare, when the opportunity presented
itself.
The fol owing day, Edward hid his amusement when Richard
de Clare bade him farewel . "I've absented myself from
Gloucester for far too long. Gilbert has decided to stay on
awhile—he hero-worships Simon, you know—but duty cal s
me. You must come and stay with us at Gloucester and
sample our hospitality."
"Thank you for your generous offer, Richard; I have every
intention of sampling it one day soon."
******************
At Pershore, Rosamond tasted each of the dishes set before
her. The food was good, and she was able to enjoy it because
she had inspected the kitchen and found it clean and tidy.
Rosamond and Nan sat alone at the head table, while the
household servants sat much farther down the hal . "I give
credit where it is due, they have earned their dinner today."
Nan replied, "The change in attitude is amazing. It is difficult to believe it was only yesterday we were treated like dirt beneath
their feet. We owe it al to Sir Rodger."
"Yes, a royal steward has a great deal of power and authority."
"My lady, even if he had no such office, the result would be the
same, I warrant. It is the man they are obeying, not the office."
"Yes, it is a man's world—I wil never doubt that again. Al the
power is in their hands."
"If a woman is fortunate enough to marry a powerful man, and
clever enough to hold that man in the palm of her hand, she
gains al his power for herself," Nan pointed out.
"That is certainly what Lady Eleanor de Montfort has done,
and I know what you are trying to tel me, Nan; I'm not oblivious
to the fact that I am betrothed to Sir Rodger de Leyburn."
Nan smiled knowingly. "He reminds you of it every time he
looks at you with those devilish green eyes. Surely he sets
your pulses racing and heats your blood, my lamb?"
65
"He does not!" Rosamond declared, yet an inner voice cal ed
her a liar.
"Have you ever noticed the marked resemblance between Sir
Rodger and Sir Rickard de Burgh?" Nan asked innocently.
"Yes ... no ... I don't know what you're talking about."
"I'm talking about their bodies—shoulders so wide and
powerful, they make a female feel faint, hair blacker than
midnight, eyes like green pools of temptation a woman would
wil ingly drown in, and the same rich, dark laugh that makes
your very spine tingle. Both are wickedly handsome warriors
who could lure any lady to wantonness."
Rosamond tried to picture Rickard de Burgh, but it was
Rodger de Leyburn who rose up vividly in her mind,
completely obliterating her ability to conjure the older knight,
who until recently had fil ed al of her daydreams and
fantasies. She shivered, for Rod de Leyburn was real flesh
and blood, not some ephemeral fancy.
Just as she drained her wine goblet, Griffin, accompanied by
Ned, came into the hal
was impossible for her to spend the night with Edward, so it
was pointless for her to remain at Kenilworth under Eleanor
de Montfort's contemptuous gaze.
******************
Alyce scribbled a note for her lover and gave it to his squire,
Owen, since he was the only one she dared to trust.
Mon Amour,
I shal persuade Richard to return to Gloucester, but shal
proceed to London and stay at Westminster in my fathers
apartments. I wish you would return to Windsor before
Christmas, so we could spend it together, but if not, I wil come
to you whenever you send word.
It was an arrangement they had used before. As wel as
access to Westminster, Alyce often enjoyed carte blanche at
the numerous de Clare castles close to London, without the
presence of her odious young husband.
64
She and Gilbert hated the sight of each other and were
happiest when they were separated by a goodly distance.
Alyce was alarmed that Edward was al ying himself with
Simon de Montfort, though she was far too wise to voice her
objection to her lover. Instead, she would voice it to her father-
in-law, Richard de Clare, when the opportunity presented
itself.
The fol owing day, Edward hid his amusement when Richard
de Clare bade him farewel . "I've absented myself from
Gloucester for far too long. Gilbert has decided to stay on
awhile—he hero-worships Simon, you know—but duty cal s
me. You must come and stay with us at Gloucester and
sample our hospitality."
"Thank you for your generous offer, Richard; I have every
intention of sampling it one day soon."
******************
At Pershore, Rosamond tasted each of the dishes set before
her. The food was good, and she was able to enjoy it because
she had inspected the kitchen and found it clean and tidy.
Rosamond and Nan sat alone at the head table, while the
household servants sat much farther down the hal . "I give
credit where it is due, they have earned their dinner today."
Nan replied, "The change in attitude is amazing. It is difficult to believe it was only yesterday we were treated like dirt beneath
their feet. We owe it al to Sir Rodger."
"Yes, a royal steward has a great deal of power and authority."
"My lady, even if he had no such office, the result would be the
same, I warrant. It is the man they are obeying, not the office."
"Yes, it is a man's world—I wil never doubt that again. Al the
power is in their hands."
"If a woman is fortunate enough to marry a powerful man, and
clever enough to hold that man in the palm of her hand, she
gains al his power for herself," Nan pointed out.
"That is certainly what Lady Eleanor de Montfort has done,
and I know what you are trying to tel me, Nan; I'm not oblivious
to the fact that I am betrothed to Sir Rodger de Leyburn."
Nan smiled knowingly. "He reminds you of it every time he
looks at you with those devilish green eyes. Surely he sets
your pulses racing and heats your blood, my lamb?"
65
"He does not!" Rosamond declared, yet an inner voice cal ed
her a liar.
"Have you ever noticed the marked resemblance between Sir
Rodger and Sir Rickard de Burgh?" Nan asked innocently.
"Yes ... no ... I don't know what you're talking about."
"I'm talking about their bodies—shoulders so wide and
powerful, they make a female feel faint, hair blacker than
midnight, eyes like green pools of temptation a woman would
wil ingly drown in, and the same rich, dark laugh that makes
your very spine tingle. Both are wickedly handsome warriors
who could lure any lady to wantonness."
Rosamond tried to picture Rickard de Burgh, but it was
Rodger de Leyburn who rose up vividly in her mind,
completely obliterating her ability to conjure the older knight,
who until recently had fil ed al of her daydreams and
fantasies. She shivered, for Rod de Leyburn was real flesh
and blood, not some ephemeral fancy.
Just as she drained her wine goblet, Griffin, accompanied by
Ned, came into the hal
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