A Place Beyond Courage
“She was clad in a crimson gown, the panels and gores embossed with twists of spiral silk thread in the same shade of red. As usual, a gem-set coronet adorned her brow - the least she would consider to wear when holding an audience.
With everyone else, John flourished a bow, knowing how much store she set by obeisance and protocol. Partly it was a result of her training at the German court, but it was her personality too. She saw her dignity upheld in the deference of others. With his years of e...xperience as a courtier, the flourishes and rituals were second nature to John; but even so, he found it wearisome at times. Matilda seldom dropped her guard or smiled. Perhaps only with Brian FitzCount was she her true self and the rest of the court was never allowed a glimpse into that relationship.
John made his report to her. A baron had sent her two palfreys complete with saddle and harness as a measure of his goodwill. A merchant wanted to present her with a bolt of silk cloth in person. Matilda was gracious about the horses but less keen on accepting the cloth from the hands of the merchant, particularly when she learned he was from London.MoreLess
With everyone else, John flourished a bow, knowing how much store she set by obeisance and protocol. Partly it was a result of her training at the German court, but it was her personality too. She saw her dignity upheld in the deference of others. With his years of e...xperience as a courtier, the flourishes and rituals were second nature to John; but even so, he found it wearisome at times. Matilda seldom dropped her guard or smiled. Perhaps only with Brian FitzCount was she her true self and the rest of the court was never allowed a glimpse into that relationship.
John made his report to her. A baron had sent her two palfreys complete with saddle and harness as a measure of his goodwill. A merchant wanted to present her with a bolt of silk cloth in person. Matilda was gracious about the horses but less keen on accepting the cloth from the hands of the merchant, particularly when she learned he was from London.MoreLess
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