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there was no sense in answering it other than on a purely practical level. "Since John is guiltless, then dressing the men in his livery could only be a deliberate attempt to blacken him, possibly if Joanna cried aloud ofof what had befallen her, to make you bitter against him. What I do not know is whether it is better to spread the story of the fruitless attack and Brian's part in checking itwhich will soon make the guilty man known to all. How many men in the court will have dog bites on back and buttock? Or whether we should act as if it never happened." |
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"Can it be kept secret?" Salisbury asked uneasily. |
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"Why not? Whoever did it will never talk, even if it was not that lily-livered cur Braybrook. The men are deadall except the one who fell into the river. If he is not drowned, he will still hold his tongue." |
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"Joanna," Salisbury said gently, "do you agree to this? It is you who have been offended." |
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"For the little hurt done me, I have been well avenged between Brian's work and Geoffrey's. And I do not like to see any man unjustly usedeven the king. I will agree to whatever you and Geoffrey think is best." |
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"Then secrecy is best," Salisbury sighed. "I do not like it, but to speak the truth, if a whisper of these garments comes to the court, nothing anyone said could keep the king's name clean." |
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"No, for good reason," Ela remarked bitterly. "William, do you not see what this means? If Braybrook's son was party to this scheme" |
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"The boy is a fool," Salisbury growled. "I swear the father knows nothing of this. And there is no proof it was Henry. Why do you think it?" |
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"Whom else have Joanna and I both offended?" Geoffrey asked. He shrugged, then winced. "It will be put to the proof soon enough. If he is missing from the court tomorrowWhich reminds me that if this matter is to be kept secret, I must fight in the tourney. I cannot confess to being hurt, and I have no other reason to avoid it." |
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Salisbury nodded without concern. "We will see how you |
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