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'Sister Alice is not a nun'

'Oh' Margery looked surprised 'I'd been told she was in holy orders'

'No, Mother Alice has not taken any vows'

A look of satisfaction appeared on his mother's face and Harald felt foolish He'd fallen for one of her old tricks She'd say so she knew to be untrue You'd correct her and, before you kneas happening, you'd divulged everything she wanted to know

Margery walked back towards the house and Harald followed

'The Laone so there can be no question ofher In any case, your father has found a wife for you in France'

'I thought we'd agreed that a FrenchWe're winning now that the Duke of York has taken control They say we'll be back in Paris by Easter'

'Mother, the talk is about the appalling cost of the war'

'I thought it was paying for itself Your father isn't co very nicely'

'Father is doing very nicely because the Duke of York put up thethat he'd be paid back and that hasn't happened'

'I know nothing about that'

'No, Mother But it's no less true'

They detoured to avoid a puddle

'The duke's commission ends in April,' Harald continued 'There's little chance he'll take a second term and that will place Suffolk in co more than to make peace'

'Harald, you do speak such nonsense You should read your father's letters He's there … he knohat's going on'

They reached the external stairs that led up the side of the old house to the apart Harald followed and entered the porch at the top He regarded the outside stairs as an anachronisot his way, they'd be removed and the doorway converted into an oriel

His uessed the wouestroo to the s

His mother went to a chest and removed some papers

'Here are the latest of your father's letters He has found a wife for you She is the daughter of his loyal friend and companion-in-arms, Henri de Maupassant'