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Sir Léon at his heels, she said only, ''Will you show us the way to his chamber or tell a servant to show us?" |
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They crossed the small bailey; it was a very small keep and had no moat, drawbridge, or portcullis, only a gate and simple wall. Automatically, Gilliane turned down the steps to the cells. There was no longer any reason to keep Geoffrey there, and she could have gone to a wall chamber. Gilliane was so used to thinking of Geoffrey down there that she led Joanna in that direction without considering the impression it would make. In truth, at the time it made no impression on Joanna who was in no condition to consider whether she was going up or down a flight of stairs. |
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There was a bed; she flung off the coverlets, ran her hand over the sheet, winced at its roughness, thinking how that would feel on a fevered body. Then Sir Guy was there. It was too late now to change the sheets for her own. He knelt so that he could place his burden on the bed with the least jostling although Geoffrey was obviously beyond feeling anything just then. Joanna reached for the tie of the tunic; another hand followed hers. |
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"I will care for him now," Joanna said quietly, but if a look could kill, Gilliane would have fallen to the floor, stone dead. "Do not waste your time on my husband. Go to greet your own." |
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Gilliane withdrew her hand and went to the door, but no farther. It seemed to her that Joanna was too young and too highbred to do what was necessary. She expected her to offer Geoffrey a drink or, if she went so far as undressing him, to turn away shuddering from his torn body. Almost smiling, Gilliane waited to be recalled. Instead, she saw a masterly operation, the end result of many years of Lady Alinor's careful instruction. |
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Geoffrey was stripped naked in two minutes. Joanna did shudder when she saw his wounds, but it did not impair her efficiency. She muttered imprecations when she saw how ill they were sewn, pulled together any which way. A small sharp knife opened the stitches and Joanna blasphemed a little more when she saw there were pus pockets. No wonder the wounds were still suppurating after all these weeks. She |
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