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fifty men, the best fighters and most loyal and send them out of the keep as quietly as may be. Let Knud the huntsman's son lead them." |
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"What are they to do, lady? Should I not go also?" |
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"You cannot go because Sir Henry has seen you and I do not wish him to know that the men left after he arrived. They must seem to have been away, on patrol of the beacon towers, from dawn. As to what they are to do, I do not care, so long as they do not eat dinner in the keep. They must not eat here. They must return before dusk, however, and it may be necessary for them to fight, although I do not think it. Half the castle folk and all Sir Henry's men will be raving mad." |
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"Is this a jest?" Beorn asked uncertainly. Lady Joanna was a devil for buttering a path to see a man slide down it with his arms full of eggs. |
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"I told you worse would befall Braybrook's men than a drubbing. Do not eat of any potage or greens at this dinner. Cheese and roast meat must suffice youor you can absent yourself from table on some pretense if that likes you better." |
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"Lady Joanna" Beorn began. |
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"I do not do it for a jestalthough how I will keep from laughing I do not know. Sir Henry's men will not be fit to ridenot tomorrow, nor the next day, nor the next. The only men fit will be my fifty who did not eat the badwhatever it wasthat struck down the castle folk. Sir Henry may do as he pleasesgo or stay. Sir Giles will be here by tomorrow night to see that he does not make mischief. I will leave tomorrow with you and the fifty you have chosen, greatly fearingas he warned meto offend the queen." |
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"It will not be safe, lady." Beorn was still worried. "You are letting madness loose in the keep. Madmen are not as others. They are stronger, and fear is gone out of them." |
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"It will be safe enough," Joanna said with a nasty grin. "However mad they may become, they will be too weak and too racked with pain to do anything. Not only their |
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