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that if harm came to Adam not only would Joanna never forgive him but he would never forgive himself, he turned on her. "What do you desire that I do?" he roared, and then, more quietly, "I must go to Mersea to see to Sir John's defenses. Do not forget that if Dammartin cannot part Ferrand from Philip, the men of the Low Countries who know well how to deal with Mersea's marshes will be part of Philip's force. In that case, Mersea might bear the brunt of a heavy attack. So might Roselynde, which has a good harbor. Kemp is the least likely of all our lands to be struck in force." |
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"I see," Joanna breathed, but there was no change in the set, white misery of her expression. |
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"I will talk to him," Geoffrey assured her. I will explain what ruin he will bring upon us if he engages with inadequate forces and fails. Adam is wild, but not stupid and, whether from Mersea or from Roselynde, I am sure I will be able to come to his help before any harm befalls him." |
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"I see," Joanna repeated, and walked away without further argument. |
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Geoffrey felt uneasily that he had failed her. She counted upon him to protect her and hers from harm and, instead, he was drawing her brother out of safety into the conflict. It was, Geoffrey acknowledged, his duty to protect his wife and her relatives from harm if he could, but he could not repress a flicker of resentment at the fact that Joanna seemed to fear hurt and danger to any one of them more than for him. Geoffrey no longer worried about being distasteful to his wife. It was obvious he was not. She was openly fond of him, but he could see little difference between her fondness for him and her fondness for Brian. She played with them boththrowing sticks for Brain and tumbling in bed with himwith equal good humor and pleasure. |
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It seemed to Geoffrey that this uncomfortable notion was rather confirmed when, in spite of the depression that held her pale and silent most of the day and evening, Joanna came to him with even more passion than usual that night. Evidently, she accepted his reasoning and was making her |
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