Rhiannon Read Online Free PDF

the political
subject to teasing her about Walter de Clare’s interest and the possibility
that he would offer for her.
    Agreeably, Simon returned to the original subject. “You mean
why the king wishes to affront Richard Marshal? I am not sure. There is a rumor
that Richard stood against him when the king wanted Margaret of Scotland, but I
cannot really believe Richard would interfere in such a matter. Then there was
the crazy rumor that de Burgh had poisoned William Marshal so that Richard could
inherit. The idea was that William had too much influence with the king.
Supposedly, de Burgh would be able to control Richard. But I know that was not
true. William was my lord, and I was with him when he died.” Simon’s eyes
clouded with remembered pain. He had loved the man he had served as page and
squire almost as dearly as he loved his father, and he had grieved bitterly for
him.
    Sybelle patted his hand. “I know, Simon,” she said softly.
“But it is mad! Why should Henry dislike the younger brother if he liked the
eldest? You loved William, but you do not hate Richard.”
    “I told you I did not know. Perhaps it is the association
with the French. Richard took over his father’s French lands and had not been
much in England until he inherited. Henry is not the most reasonable of men.
But the business of changing de Burgh’s guards may be another case of the king
wishing to prove he is the master of us all.”
    “Well, but—but he is,” Sybelle said uncertainly.
    “In a way, yes. His vassals are sworn to uphold him and
their vassals to uphold him through their overlords. But—and this is a most
important but—the king is bound by certain oaths and laws and customs. The king
may not break these any more than a vassal may break his oath. One of the oaths
he has sworn is to uphold Magna Carta, which his father signed, and one
provision of that charter—to call a council with his barons and consider their
wills—he has broken most often.”
    “I say again you are all mad.” Sybelle sighed. “If you wish
the king to take counsel, why such long faces when he has called a council?”
    “Because Henry has no intention of asking for or listening
to advice,” Simon replied angrily. “He has called a council so that his barons
should approve what he has already done.”
    “Then I must suppose he is mad also,” Sybelle remarked in an
exasperated voice. “Surely the king must know that Richard Marshal is not
tamely going to swallow the dismissal of William de Rodune. After all, he was
Richard’s own deputy to the court. The king had no right to dismiss him. If he
wanted him gone, he should have told Richard. Only Richard could take his
office from him.”
    Simon grinned at her. “How do you know that? Since when have
you become an expert on feudal rights?”
    “Since I have been considering marriage. All men these days
seem to become incoherent when they speak of the king. I have no desire to say
the wrong thing. It is because I must often stand in Mama’s place at Hemel or
in London.”
    Her voice faltered a little and her eyes moved to Ian, who
was laughing heartily at something Gilliane had said. He looked well now, but
he had been very ill twice during the winter, and Joanna had taken over her
mother’s duties while Alinor nursed her husband. This had left Sybelle to act
as her father’s hostess and sometimes even as chatelaine all alone. Simon’s
glance followed hers. It was clear he understood her concern, but neither of
them spoke of it.
    “Everyone is so touchy these days,” Sybelle went on. “I do
not wish to add a woodenheaded remark as fuel to the flames.”
    “No, you are quite right. Sometimes I feel that I will burst
myself—and I am not even deeply involved, since my lands are in Wales. It is
Winchester, all Winchester, I think.”
    “My father thinks so too, although he does not say too much
because there was an old friendship between Grandpapa and the bishop.”
    Simon nodded. He