Truly
I wonder how it would suit Adelais de Clary to know that her son’s grooms speak
of her as “the old dame”. Doubtless to
that raw boy she seemed ancient as the hills, but resolutely she cherished and
conserved what has once been great beauty, and from that excellence nothing and
no one must be allowed to detract. Not
for nothing did she choose for her intimate maid someone plain and pockmarked,
surrounding herself with dull and ordinary faces that caused her own luster to
glow more brightly. (I worked with someone who hired people for
her department based on these same criteria)
(from The Confession
of Brother Haluin by Ellis Peters)
8*/10. The
complete review is here.
.
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