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Page 127
Chapter Eight
Joanna paid attention to Geoffrey's kisses with such effect that Geoffrey found himself reluctant to raise the question of her departure. In fact, he did not have the chance because he did not see his father again until they were a week's march into Wales. Joanna was still at court, but Geoffrey had something more important on his mind. He did his best to follow Joanna's advice and convince Salisbury to wage a new kind of war. Salisbury listened politely, but he did not give much thought to what Geoffrey had said, putting down what seemed to him an exaggerated respect for a rather barbaric people to the influence of Owain apLlewelyn, who had been the senior squire when Geoffrey served under Ian. A few days later, however, the conversations he had had with his son were brought forcibly back to Salisbury's mind. A sneak raid in the night cost them some men and a large number of horses and oxen. During the next few days men were lost on the march also. In any heavily wooded area, a fusillade of arrows might suddenly fly outor might not. To pursue was useless and dangerous, the leaders of the army found. The number of men hurt was actually insignificant. The damage done to their nerves and spirits was far more important.
By the end of the second week, Salisbury was recalling his talk with his son with a sinking heart. The guides sent by the prince of Powys were pointing out the area where they believed Lord Llewelyn and his army lay hidden. Salisbury had argued that no army could get up a trackless mountainand the guides had laughed. They agreed that no army with carts of supplies and tents with furniture for its nobles and oxen to drag all could accomplish it. But an

 
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