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A slight flush rose into Geoffrey's cheeks. Sir Peter cleared his throat and shifted his feet uneasily. He was not too clever, but one thing he had learned from long association with the lady of Roselynde was to get out from under when she showed temper. He did not know Joanna as well as he knew Alinor, of course, but he greatly feared it was like mother like daughter. |
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"If you will give me leave," he said hastily, "I will go to my wife and tell her you are ready to bathe now, my lord." |
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"Yes, certainly," Geoffrey agreed, "and will you do me the favor of seeing that my men are disposed as is most convenient?" |
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Sir Peter nodded and moved away. Before he was quite out of earshot, however, he heard the young lord's voice change. |
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"That is no way to speak to me, Joanna. I am sorry to have alarmed Sir Peter, but that, as you saw, could be set right with a few words. There is much worse that I cannot set right at all." |
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All thought of unjust jealousy flew from Joanna's mind. It was clear enough that what Geoffrey said had no personal application to her. She dropped her hand to Brian's head, as if to steady herself and then said quietly. "How bad? How soon?" |
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"I do not know, and it is my own fault I do not know," Geoffrey replied bitterly. |
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That did not need to be explained to Joanna. Geoffrey had spoken out again when he should have been silent. "Only tell me, my lord," she said softly, "will I need to call up the vassals to our defense?" |
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Geoffrey had been looking at Joanna's hand on the dog's head. Now he looked up and smiled. "Our defense? Would you?" he asked, reaching out to draw Joanna closer. |
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"You are mine!" she exclaimed. |
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Torn between shock and laughter, Geoffrey dropped his hand. He did not confuse Joanna's flat statement with tenderness for him. He had heard her say the same thing often enough through the years concerning one thing or another, |
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