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Braybrook stared at the order, appalled. He had no intention of presenting himself to Joanna again as a suitor. The queen might be silly, but Braybrook was not. He had heard enough, even while struggling with the rose bushes, to understand that Joanna had been making fun of him all alongfrom the very first words about why she had come into the garden to read her letter. She was not at all ashamed of her skill; she had showed that letter to the queen as bold as brass. The little bitch had been toying with him, but he could see a way to turn that jest against her. Braybrook was now in complete sympathy with the queen's ultimate intention. He was now firmly determined to broach Joanna, cuckold Geoffrey, and thereby have his revenge on both. He, realized, however, if Isabella did not, that her order would not forward the purpose in any way. |
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It was useless, Braybrook knew, to try to reason with Isabella, and he was her gentleman, constrained to obey her orders. Reluctantly, he set out to find Joanna only to discover that she had left with her entire troop some hours earlier. At first Braybrook was relieved, but on second thought he realized that, far from being a lucky chance, Joanna's efficiency had landed him in real trouble. It would make no difference to Isabella that it was her order that came too late. She would blame him for not carrying out the order. |
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Suddenly, Braybrook stopped pacing the floor and snapped his fingers. Well, why not? If he stole away quietly, who would know he was not with Joanna? An unpleasant smile grew on his lips. If she denied his presence, he would shrug and smile and say he had the queen's order to attend her butif the lady said he had not, then, since a gentleman did not contest a lady's word in such matters, he had not, of course. Meanwhile, he could have at least a week and probably two of the uninterrupted company of his present mistress. She would not betray himwell, she could not, since her husband was with the king in Wales. |
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