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often misled into great cruelty through lack of resolution to administer one sharp wound. They never thought that a lifetime of constant pain was far worse than a few months of agony. |
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"What is it, Alinor?" Ian asked as he watched her expression change. |
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"I must speak to Joanna," Alinor said urgently, and told him why. "I hope it is not so," she concluded, "but it is one answer, the least pleasant, to all the odd things. Geoffrey might believe that if he married her at once and publicly he will wean her from this other love. Isabella, like the fool she is, may believe that my daughter would hop into any bed that tempted her and thus is happy to pay for the wedding to blazon out Geoffrey's shame. John's motives and Salisbury's are what they said. It all fits, Ian." |
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Her husband closed his eyes. "God help us all if you are right," he sighed, "it is a disaster." Then he shrugged his hard-muscled shoulders. "It does not matter. Joanna cannot be sold into slavery for a political cause." Actually, Ian did not really believe what he said. Had it been any other woman in the world, he would have applauded the forced marriage, but JoannaJoanna was different. ''I will think of something," he went on. "Shall I" |
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"Do nothing." Now Alinor was reconsidering. "We are building a castle of dry sand. Tomorrow I will go to fetch Joanna. I will leave Simon here with you. Even John can have no suspicion of my actions while you and the babe are hostage for me. Isabella will put the worst interpretation on my going, I do not doubt. Do not be surprised if you begin to hear rumors of how old whores are turned into fresh virgins with bladders of chickens' blood." |
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Less than a week later, a tired, mud-spattered Alinor confronted her daughter in the privacy of her bedchamber. "Open your mouth and speak the truth only," Alinor ordered. "This is too important a matter to allow kindness or duty or politics to cloud honesty. Do you love any man other than Geoffrey Fitz William?" |
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To Alinor's consternation, Joanna's face flamed and her |
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