< previous page page_518 next page >

Page 518
goes could not have brought an equal profit and the goodwill he gained would increase his future profit through favors and reduced excises for many years.
It was as if the place itself, the great stone walls, the murmur of the sea, the smell of spice and roses in the sheets, was curative for Geoffrey. Within hours of being bathed and laid in his own bed, his fever began to drop. For Joanna, the weight of mountains seemed to fall from her when her mother's arms closed around her. For a little while, as long as she needed it, Joanna could be a child again, all responsibility shifted to other shoulders, with no need to think and plan through a maze of fatigue and fear.
The one thing she would not yield was her watch over Geoffrey, and Alinor did not try to draw her away. She offered instead a comforting assurance that everything Joanna had done for him was right, and in every case where a decision had to be made Alinor made it so that her daughter's tired mind was relieved of all fear of mistake or blame.
They did not come away completely scatheless. By the end of October, Geoffrey was free of fever and gaining strength again, but too much sloughing of torn, dead tissue on his hip had taken place. The wide scarred area would never be as flexible as whole flesh. Geoffrey would be lame. Joanna told him as soon as she was sure herself. He said nothing much about it while he was very weak, but one day when he was stronger and alive enough to be thinking about fighting again, he asked if Ian would come and look at the hurt. For Geoffrey, Ian was the fount of all wisdom where fighting was concerned.
"How will it hamper me?" he asked, when Ian was finished with his examination.
"You will be less eagerly sought as a dancing partner," Ian replied.
Geoffrey looked blank and then began to laugh. "Is that true, my lord?"
"Of course it is true. Do you think I hate you so much that I would lie about what might cost your life, not telling you of a weakness of which you must beware? That is a

 
< previous page page_518 next page >