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Page 160
the chill night air," he said absently, his mind obviously on his son's complaint. After a few minutes he shook his head. "I believe you are oversensitive my son. The Welsh princes, some of whom are tied to him in blood, made no objection."
"Oh, you do not understand!" Geoffrey cried. "It is different for them. They are changeable as the wind. This day they say they have a grudge against Llewelyn and would stamp on his head. Tomorrow they will run to him, crying that they are oppressed by others, and they will humble themselves and beg pardon and both will weep and, for a little while, all will be mended between them. Do you think Lord Llewelyn is a fool? He knows them and their ways. He knows Ian and me and our ways. Was not Owain there? Could I took my foster brother in the face at such a time? How could the king summon me for such a purpose? Rather he should have sent me to gather faggots for"
"Geoffrey!"
The sharp, angry tone of authority cut off Geoffrey's voice. He clamped his teeth over the remainder of his furious words, but his eyes still smoldered. Salisbury sighed. Over the past few weeks he had forgotten how young Geoffrey was. To the boy it seemed as if a blow to the pride killed more surely than a blow to the body. Geoffrey had yet to learn that pride was like the fabled Hydra. If its head was cut off, two more heads grew in that place. Meanwhile, there was no use trying to force him to do something that would hurt him and embarrass him more than anyone else. John would simply have to get along without Geoffrey's advice.
"You have mistaken the king's intention," Salisbury went on, speaking more gently now. "You did not stop to think that John has many, many vassals. Do you believe he remembers the upbringing and friends of each of them? What was in his mind was that you had contributed much to this victory, and he wished to share it with you. If he ever knew you were beholden to Llewelynwhich I doubthe had forgotten. He has very many things to think of and

 
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