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There seemed to be little need for unpleasant thoughts on any subject on the day after the tourney. The event went off exactly as expected. A good time was had by all and no permanent harm was done to anyone. Geoffrey won no prizes. He was far too slight to be a dangerous jouster, but long practice against Ian had taught him to hold his own defensively so that, although he could not unseat any of his three opponents, they could not unseat him either. He was no more successful in the melee. The wild ferocity of Geoffrey's attack, which made him so dangerous an opponent in war and had already defeated four opponents in trial by combat, was obviously out of place in so good-natured an event. Besides, everyone was holding back a little. It was agreed without spoken words that Alexander must take the prize. |
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That agreement, Joanna thought, covered what might have been obvious otherwise. Suddenly, it seemed to her that few men wished to combat seriously against Eustace de Vesci and Robert FitzWalter. This was less obvious than it should have been because Vesci had married Alexander's bastard half sister Margaret. It was thus natural for him to fight in Alexander's party, and resistance against that party was not very strong. The increase of status that came with Vesci's marriage also served to obscure how many men sought his attention. |
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"And why," Ela hissed in Joanna's ear, "does that dolt John think William of Scotland gave his daughter to Vesci? Does not William hope that this son-by-marriage will root out the incubus that oppresses him?" |
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However, in spite of Ela's dire predictions and Joanna's |
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