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Page 230
unable to speak, she cast herself into Geoffrey's arms. He nearly thrust her away in his fury, desiring, like the dog, to follow the escaper. The fighter's sense of timing, recognizing that his prey was beyond reach saved him from that idiocy. With only one regretful glance at the spot where what he wanted to tear apart had disappeared, Geoffrey turned his attention to Joanna.
"Hush," he soothed, "hush. It is all over now, all over. I am here. No one can hurt you."
The boat heaved anew as Joanna's men poured aboard. Geoffrey cursed under his breath. Those idiots would sink the craft. Fortunately before they had quite accomplished that, Geoffrey heard Beorn shouting instructions that the living men should be taken off at once and held prisoner. In the same breath, the old man called, "Lady, lady, where are you?"
"I have her safe, Geoffrey shouted, just as Beorn burst in the door.
"Lord Geoffrey," he gasped.
"The banks," Geoffrey snarled. "Search the banks. Whoever did this went out through the side."
Beorn charged out again and there was a new eruption of shouting. Geoffrey drew a deep, steadying breath and moved a step or two sideways so that he could drop his sword onto the narrow bed affixed to one side of the ship. Then he put both arms around Joanna and lowered his head so he could kiss her hair from which the wimple had been torn. She was silent now, not sobbing, but shaking so hard that her body beat against his like a fluttering bird. Geoffrey swallowed, trying to loosen the knot rage had tied in his throat. It was inconceivable to him that his placid, fearless Joanna could be so terrified.
"Hush, beloved," he murmured. "Beorn will find him and you will be avenged. If you desire, we will have him apart finger by finger, muscle by muscle, and bone by bone." The tear in Geoffrey's chest began to hurt as his own shock and rage diminished, and he started to feel a little light-headed. Beorn burst through the curtains again and

 
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