< previous page page_103 next page >

Page 103
appearance of good behavior. That was ordinary enough, but Geoffrey had had a mischievous, amused, and very experienced mentor in Lord Ian, who had preached to such an effect that Geoffrey was unusually discreet. This skill at concealment had made Salisbury worry a bit about the boy becoming a virtuous prig. It was plain, however, that there was no danger of that. What worried Salisbury at the moment was the frown that was growing between Geoffrey's brows.
''Your head aches, boy?" he remarked at last.
Geoffrey did not answer so obvious an invitation to say what was bothering him directly. Instead, he said, "You did say that Joanna was come, did you not?"
"Yes. I thought it unwise that you should not ride in to say a word of greeting when the distance is so short. Women take to weeping over very foolish things."
Again Geoffrey did not reply directly to what his father said. The frown grew deeper. "There were no pages in the court to carry this message? What of Peter or Gervase or Philip?"
The latter three were Salisbury's squires. When Geoffrey named them, Salisbury looked surprised. He could have sent one of themGervase or Philip who were older anyway; he simply had not thought of it. What was more important to him, however, was the trend of Geoffrey's thoughts. Some way, Geoffrey was accounting Salisbury's coming to poor John's discredit. Hastily, Salisbury told the story of the page who dared not interrupt the party. The frown smoothed out somewhat and Geoffrey smiled, but the curl of his lips showed contempt also. No one liked to be interrupted by business in the midst of pleasurewho should know better than himself at this momentbut the man or woman who would punish the message bringer for such an interruption was a churl. And the man or woman who would allow the delay in imparting information to become the custom of his servants was a fool as well.
That thought was nothing new in Geoffrey's mind. By habit, he pushed away the bitter knowledge that England

 
< previous page page_103 next page >