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Page 330
then began to sputter. "I can think of something which, from the same cause but for different reasons, would make both urge a hasty marriage.
"What cause?"
"If Joanna is with child and Isabella came to know of it, she would enjoy the shame that came upon Geoffrey when Joanna proved no maid."
"Joanna would never" Ian began, but his wife's hearty laughter interrupted him and his common sense told him such a remark was nonsense. However much his heart said that Joanna was a sweet little girl, he really knew she was a woman ripe, even overripe, for marriage. His frown did not clear, though. "But Geoffrey," Ian protested, "he has made no argument about this court wedding. Surely he would be no party to shaming his own wife.''
"Either he is far less innocent about such matters than he should be," Alinor said with twinkling eyes. "or else he underestimates the effect of lack of proof of maidenhead. After all, he may feel that if he does not repudiate Joanna there can be no other effect. But it seems odd to me that Geoffrey, who has suffered so much from court gossip, would underestimate it."
"It is more likely that Joanna is still a virgin," Ian insisted.
Suddenly Alinor's eyes widened. Could Joanna, awakened by the thought of being a wife, have fallen in love with someone other than Geoffrey while Geoffrey was away at the war or on other business? But if she had, why not say so? The answer to that was obvious enough. Joanna knew the political situation as well as anyone else. She was far too dutiful a girl to bring on a state crisis because of a personal preference. In addition, Joanna might know Geoffrey was in love with her. She must know it. Geoffrey made no attempt to hide it.
Out of kindness, Joanna might well force herself to marry Geoffrey when she loved another to spare Geoffrey hurt. How she could be stupid enough to think such an act a kindness, Alinor could not understand, but tender hearts were

 
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