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ladies' jowls. In deference to him, Alinor had kept the simple
headdress of a light veil. The one she wore this day was a misty rose held by a
jeweled chaplet. Also, she was not unaware that the old style, which left her
round white throat, flat little ears, and smooth skin bare, was more flattering
than the wimple, which showed only the front of the face.
    Her dress, too, although of the newest, most handsomely brocaded
cloth, was cut in a style now largely abandoned except by older women. She wore
a silk tunic of a color like old gold, worked-in gold embroidery at the neck
and up the bottoms of the sleeves. These were of the new style—Alinor knew a
flattering thing when she saw it—tightly buttoned from the wrist almost to the
elbow. Over this was her bliaut, of deep rose shot with thread-of-gold. The
bliaut was cut deeply open at the neck and was sleeveless to show the richly
embroidered tunic. Unlike the new style cotte, which was loose and bloused over
a low belt, the bliaut was laced tight to the figure from the breast to where
the hips began to swell and fell in full, graceful folds from the hips to the
floor.
    It was not impossible that surprise at seeing a young woman,
mistress of a keep commanding a busy port to France, dressed so unstylishly
might make a courtier stare, might even account for the faint expression of
wonder in his eyes. Such a surprise might make him stare once, but not more
than that. Even in his bemused state, Sir Simon's manners were polished. It
could not be otherwise in any man closely associated for many years with the
Queen. Alinor was aware that his eyes were drawn to her more often than the two
times she had actually caught him. So, in spite of the dearth of conversation,
she was not bored. Indeed, she had a very interesting puzzle to muse upon.
    When the savory had been served and all had eaten their fill,
Alinor asked permission to have the tables cleared away. This was readily
given, but it was followed by a command to assemble the castle men-at-arms.
Alinor bit her lip, but could not do otherwise than obey. Soon the Great Hall
was packed with men, all gazing attentively at the slender old woman with
brilliant dark eyes who sat on the dais. At her right hand stood their lady
with their familiar, trusted commanders behind her. At her left stood a man
they did not know. He was larger and of more commanding presence than their own
leaders, a typical Norman, with red-gray hair, gray-blue eyes, and a hawk's
beak of a nose.
    The old woman raised a thin, veined hand. As if a decree from
heaven had made men mute, a sudden silence fell upon the Hall. "For those
of you who do not know me, I am Alinor, called of Aquitaine, wife of your late
King Henry, of blessed memory, and mother of the King to be, Lord Richard, God
save and bless him. Do you acknowledge me so? Are there doubts?"
    "I do not doubt. I acknowledge." The reply from hundreds
of throats was a dull roar in the huge room.
    "Then in this time of change of lordship, it is my duty to
take fealty of you all." She rose to her feet and drew a large cross from
some recess in her gown, which she elevated. "Upon this Sign and the Holy
Relics within it, every man must swear that he will bear fealty to the Lord
Richard, lord of England, the son of the Lord King Henry and the Lady Alinor,
in life and limb and earthly honor, as his liege lord, against all men and
women who might live and die, and that every man of you will be answerable to
the said Lord Richard and help him to keep his peace and justice in all
things."
    "I swear! Fiat!" the crowd of men responded.
    "Lady Alinor."
    To this Alinor had no objection. Most willingly she stepped
forward and knelt before the Queen, stretching her right hand up to touch the
cross. "I, Alinor, Lady of the Honors of Roselynde, Kingsclere, Mersea,
Iford, the Forstal, Great Kelk, Clyro Hill, and Ealand do so swear. Fiat!"
    Alinor rose and the Queen gave her the kiss of peace. Then Sir
Andre and Sir John took