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Page 16
men and money and his own labor to carry hods of stone on his back and set them in the mortar with his own hands. Geoffrey thought less of his soul and God at such times than he thought of pure beauty, but he felt God would forgive him.
In all the years, despite all the rages and petty spites that were characteristic of him. Henry had never done anything to hurt the cousin who shared his love of beauty. The fact that Henry had been cruel to his and father had shocked Geoffrey and had shaken his faith in his friend and cousin. Thus, Geoffrey had reacted too strongly to the summoning of his father when he himself, who had acted as Salisbury's deputy for years, had refused to be part of the second unjust attack on the Earl of Pembroke.
Joanna had divined all of this. Geoffrey did not speak of it, but she knew him well. In fact, Joanna did not particularly believe what she had said about Winchester being at fault in the summoning of Geoffrey's father to war. She was not herself really fond of Henry. Had he been her child, he would have been taught to curb himself and apply himself to the business of kingship instead of designing cathedrals and admiring statues and pretty songs.
Nonetheless, she was well content with the suggestion that blamed Winchester, for it had lifted part of the burden of her husband's unhappiness. Joanna hoped that the country, or at least the government, would soon be rid of Winchester. The lack of success of Winchester's plans might easily make Henry turn on him. On the other hand, Henry might well be king for a very long time. If Geoffrey were going to bear a grudge, it had better be against Winchester than the king.
Her eyes dwelt on her husband fondly. At the moment Joanna felt only tenderness, but she was well aware that a turn of his head or a particular glance from his eyes could in a flash transform fondness into passion. Then, because she had thought of it, the warmth of desire flicked her, together with a sense of joy and gratitude that passion had lasted between them, As if she could not want him without his knowing it, Geoffrey looked at her. Immediately, Joanna's color rose; her skin was normally so white that even the most delicate flush was obvious. Knowing that her complexion had changed made it worse, of course; Joanna blushed harder and lowered her eyes.
Worry pricked Geoffrey when he first saw that Joanna was

 
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