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men I will have little time for my own. I wish to look in at my keeps." |
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"Now that is a most excellent thought," Salisbury said approvingly. "Ian has chosen wellbetter than even he or I guessed, I believe. Go, by all means, but do not be late in coming to Roselynde." |
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Geoffrey started to turn away. His father added, "Wait. Do you have enough money?" |
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"Sufficient to take me to Hemel, and there I have more than enough." |
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Salisbury opened his mouth to say something more, but his voice was drowned in Ela's shriek. "Roselynde? In a fortnight? I can never be ready! Never!" |
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Geoffrey bit his lip. Salisbury raised his eyes to heaven and nodded and waved dismissal at his son, who bowed farewell to Lady Ela and moved away. The shrill, complaining tones followed him across the great hall, detailing all that must be done before she could be ready to travel, and her feebleness and inability to accomplish so much in so short a time. |
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Geoffrey, however, was already oblivious to Ela's complaints by the time he reached the stairs. Like any young man, he was taken up completely with his own affairs. This was the greatest, most important, most fearful thing that had ever happened to him. Ian's vassals, Alinor's and Adam's, that would makeGeoffrey's eyes widened. God help me, he thought, I will have near as many under my command as my father who leads the royal armies. |
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How did one manage such a force of men? How did one know where each vassal and castellan was camped, whether supplies were sufficient, whether assigned duties were being performed? The questions were merely a panic reaction. Geoffrey knew quite well how it was done; he had seen Ian at the work often enough. While others drank, gambled, whored, and slept, Ian rode through the camp, stopping to speak to each vassal and castellan, somehow finding time to look at the situation even of the least important, speaking also, whenever he could, to the common men-at-arms. Not |
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