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name. At the moment he could have cheerfully murdered Joanna for placing him in this position, yet he knew she had done nothing to deserve anger; it was not her fault she had been born beautiful. He licked his lips, trying to ease the stiffness of clenched teeth and set jaw. |
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"You had better, I suppose, but why do you come now to ask? |
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"Because I intend to leave very soon. Ela is not here, and you are well occupied. I have excuse enough in that my house is not yet in order and Lady Ela is not well. As soon as the queen comes and I have spoken to her, I will go." |
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Mollified by Joanna's obvious disinterest in the attention she had been receiving, Geoffrey tipped his head very slightly in Braybrook's direction. "And what about that half-baked preening cock?" |
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Joanna curled her lip. "I do not know whether he is an idiot or a craven. If it were not that there could be no worse time to start a feud between his father and yours, I would bid you crack him like a louse. Short of that, I do not know what to do. To spit in his face, which I would like to do my-self, would only draw attention." |
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The contempt in her voice could not be feigned. Further mollified, Geoffrey smiled at her. "Let us go together and bid him good day. I am not known for a patient nature. If it is seen that I scorn him, some tongues may be stilled." |
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Generally speaking that would have been an excellent idea; however, Joanna wished Geoffrey had not been so near the truth when he said he had not a patient nature. Usually he was very sweet tempered, but in anything that touched his pride he was even too quick to react. Also, between political pressures and jealousy he was, as he admitted himself, rubbed raw and oversensitive. Nonetheless, it would be far worse to seem reluctant to face Braybrook in his presence. Besides, for all that Ian said and Geoffrey said, for all that her mind accepted the political necessity, Joanna did not really care if Geoffrey offended Braybrook and thereby made more trouble for the king. |
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"Good day to you, Sir Henry," Geoffrey said, having |
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