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of the men-at-arms cried, "Halt!" and then, when he recognized Geoffrey, "Oh, my lord, pardon. I did not see who it was at first." Prodded awake by both voices, Geoffrey stared dazedly at Joanna's man. The face was vaguely familiar. His eyes slid down and fixed on the well-known colors of Roselynde. |
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"Good God, what do you here?" Geoffrey cried, adding anxiously, "Did the fire leap the river to the west?" |
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"No, my lord. There was no fire. We came first to your father's house, then here, where we were told to hold these people." |
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"Why" Geoffrey began, and then swallowed the remainder of the question. It was useless to ask these men why anything was done. That was none of their business. They were required only to follow orders. "Who led you here?" he asked instead. |
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"The lady and Knud, my lord." |
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"Lady Jo" Geoffrey began, and choked as a blast of hot air filled with burning ash enveloped them. |
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Then, instantly, he was wide awake, awake to the fact that the wind came from the east, to the fact that some of the smuts that were flying about were still glowing red, to the fact that the crowd, now several hundred strong, was moaning and screaming in terror and would soon become too much for the men-at-arms to control. Joanna's man knew it, too. He cast a frightened glance at the milling men and women. One more fire-hot blast and they would break loose, their terror of being caught by the flames outweighing the lesser fear of the punishment the guards would inflict. |
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"Where are Knud and the lady?" Geoffrey demanded. |
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"I saw them there," the man replied, pointing, "but" |
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There was a shrill, mindless shriek from the crowd, then a man's voice, high with hysteria, shouting, "Fire! Fire!" Tostig cried, "God! No!" and Geoffrey's head snapped around. Paler than at night, but no less evil-looking, there |
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