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Page 209
frey had explained about the estuary of the Thames and that boats could go both ways, although with effort, in slack water, Joanna wanted to go on the river in a boat. She had never done so because Lady Ela would not travel by boat, claiming it made her sick. Geoffrey promised that his father's waterman would take her very soon and extracted a promise in return that she would go with no one else. It was quite dangerous, he pointed out, and a number of people had been drowned.
Then, since they were already dismounted, Joanna wanted to visit the shops. Geoffrey agreed indulgently, but he noted that the light of the short day was already fading. A compromise was readily reached. Beorn and Joanna's troop were sent to escort the servants and baggage to the house while Geoffrey attended his betrothed in a tour. Actually, Joanna found little that was better or more exotic than the wares that came into Roselynde harbor, but Geoffrey did purchase a short cloak of long, silvery fur, light and very warm, that came from some barbaric land east of the Norse countries and, from the same source, a large clear yellow bead that held a beautiful winged insect imprisoned in its depths.
They were both in the best of good humors by the time Geoffrey lifted Joanna down from her horse in front of her house. "I will not come in," he said. "I will ride up to my father's house and tell him and Ela you are come."
Joanna nodded equably. "And tell Lady Ela that I will wait upon her tomorrow. Will you return here to sleep, Geoffrey?"
"Do you desire it?" he asked softly.
Instead of answering his question directly, Joanna said, "When will it be safe for Ian to return to England?"
There was no chance that Geoffrey would misunderstand her. The date of their wedding depended upon Ian's return. Geoffrey's expression clouded and he shrugged. "The news is so good from Ireland that my fatherthings are not easy between us, Joanna. Although he does not accuse me he suspects me of wishing to retain Ian's power and discourag-

 
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