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Page 138
Unconsciously, Joanna nodded in approval. Angry as he was, Geoffrey was still thinking.
"The men were so enraged that they near came to blows among themselves, but by God's help we held them back and escaped that trouble. It may be that was what Llewelyn hoped for. If so, he hoped in vain, but in another way his hopes were well fulfilled. We are now near to starving. I would have had enough for my own people, at least enough to stave off real hunger, if not what would either fill their bellies or please their taste, but I was constrainednot by any man but by good senseto share out what we had."
Joanna knew the sharing had been necessary, but she resented it. It was plainly impossible considering the strained tempers of the men that Geoffrey had just described to let some go hungry while others fed full. But if all were near starvingwere they returning? Joanna bent her eyes eagerly to the letter again.
"One good thing alone has come from this. My father looks and speaks to me as a man to a man. He knows I can be sore mistakenI was as eager as any other on the trail that led us into entrapmentbut he also knows that I do not speak to put myself forward but only when something must be said. I, too, have learned something. Whatever the king is, he is no longer a fool in matters of war. He was as quick as my father to see the worth of what I offered once he was convinced of the folly of his past decision. More, even, he has added to the plan several most excellent parts. For what he is, I cannot love him, but I am coming to see for myself the truth of what Ian has always told me. A great part of our trouble is that no man truly knows what is his right. But this letter grows so long it will fatigue the messenger to carry it. Of this matter I will speak more when I see you."
The words seemed to go from the parchment directly to Joanna's heart so that it fluttered as the letters rose and fell on the page. It may be long in the future, she reminded herself, and then mingled warnings quieted the stirring in her breast. The most direct fact was that obviously the campaign was not over if Geoffrey was writing of plans for war.

 
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