Joanna (49 page)

“A slight misunderstanding, my lord,” Geoffrey said, lowering his eyes.

Much as he detested his brother’s son, John had to give Geoffrey credit for good behavior. It was fortunate that he was such a dutiful idiot. Isabella was such a fool that Was she only a fool? Could she have taken some contagion from FitzWalter? Until that moment John could have sworn that FitzWalter was too clever to do more than flatter Isabella so that she would run to him in case of trouble, butIsabella would have to be watched, closely watched. Meanwhile, it would be necessary to be very careful with regard to Geoffrey. He must not be teased or twitted. From his face, and the expressions of the other women, he had come very near to forgetting his duty this time.

“I hope the misunderstanding is amended?” John asked smoothly.

Geoffrey said nothing, the muscles in his jaws bunching.

“Oh yes,” Joanna cried eagerly. “It was only a mistake. We understand.”

So she is a slut, John thought. Does my nephew know and protects her to save himself shame, or is it only a vague   suspicion that makes him all the hotter in her defense and will drive him mad? The thought amused John and put him into an excellent humor. He stepped aside from the doorway, allowing the remaining witnesses to pour into the room. In the hurly-burly of jest and counterjest, of exclamations both sympathetic and envious, over the condition of Geoffrey’s skin, Lady Alinor found a moment to tell Joanna urgently to be quiet and look sad. The morning then ran its normal course until they breakfasted and prepared to ride out to hunt.

Joanna had scarce said a word and had kept her eyes fixed upon her food. Geoffrey was not surprised. He was still furious himself and thought Joanna shared that emotion. It was thus with considerable relief that he rose to join the hunt, knowing that the exercise would permit him to calm himself. He saw Joanna begin to rise also and walked out toward the door. Joanna’s movement, however, was never completed. Passing behind her, Alinor held her daughter firmly in her place.

“You are no doubt too sore to ride, Joanna,” Alinor said kindly. Color flooded Joanna’s face. Alinor patted her consolingly on the shoulder. “You are a good girl to try to put a brave face on, but there is no need. I will stay also. I will comfort you and explain to you that marriage is a good thing despite this trial that women must bear.”

Joanna uttered a muffled sound that could have been a sob and her body was seen to heave once convulsively. Then she raised a crimson face and tear-filled eyes to her mother. “Oh, thank you,” she murmured softly.

By the door Geoffrey realized he had lost his wife. He stopped but was shoved forward by his father-by-marriage. “Joanna does not ride with us,” Ian said. “She has been used too hardily to sit on a saddle today.” Geoffrey opened his mouth on an indignant protest, but Ian gave him no time to voice it. ‘‘Lady Alinor will explain to her again that such things are necessary and lead to great pleasures,” Ian went on pointedly. “And I think I should explain to you how to be more gentle.”   “I do not need such advice before all men,” Geoffrey said angrily, and when he came to the stables mounted quickly and rode away, keeping well apart from Ian.

An hour later when the chase had spread the huntsmen well over the forest, Ian’s gray destrier shied a little as Geoffrey’s Orage breasted a thicket just ahead and stopped, blocking his path. “What is wrong?” Geoffrey asked anxiously, and then when Ian did not answer immediately, he frowned. “Did I read you amiss? As soon as my head cooled, I was sure you meant us to talk in private. Surely you cannot really think I used Joanna harshly.”

Ian gestured sharply for him to be still, listened a moment, then shrugged and indicated that they should ride back through the thicket and out into a little clearing where no one could come upon them by surprise or overhear if they talked softly. Then he smiled.

“I did want private speech with you. Joanna would have clawed you elsewhere for defense rather than pleasure.” Ian laughed, but blushed darkly. It was still very hard for him to accept the idea of his little Joanna writhing with pleasure under the servicing of a man. It was best not to think of that at all. “There is nothing wrong,” he went on, “but I have interesting news from a source John would not approve. I have been in treasonous communication with Llewelyn.”

Geoffrey smiled at that. However much Ian loved his clan brother, he was not the man to commit treasonexcept in John’s warped imagination. Then he looked puzzled. “It must be very interesting news for Llewelyn to risk your neck to send it. Good God, surely he does not intend to come against England!”

“No, no. Llewelyn is most content with what he has. In fact, he is rather well disposed toward John just now. After all, it was John’s mismanagement that dropped all of Wales into Llewelyn’s hand with little effort or loss on his part. No, the news concerns Philip.”

For a moment, the memory of twenty-eight bodies, some of them very small, on gibbets darkened Geoffrey’s eyes. Did the Welsh forget so easily? Or was their pain less because ten or a hundred English had died for each of those who hung? He shook the memory off.

“Philip? What the devil does Llewelyn know of Philip?”

“More than you would suppose. Each time Llewelyn comes at odds with John, he flirts with Philip, and Philip knows even less about the Welsh than we do. He believes, I think, that with the proper cozening the ‘stupid’ barbarians will give him free port of entry to this island. So Philip welcomes Llewelyn’s emissaries into France and shows them often how powerful he is, believing they will wish to ally themselves with the strong.”

“Llewelyn may not love John, but he would not be such a fool as to open his land to a strong army over which he could have no control,” Geoffrey said with a gentle hoot of laughter.

“There are those who think that if a man wears simple clothing and speaks a foreign tongue simply that his brains must also be simple. In truth, I think Llewelyn may have been offended by Philip’s assumption that, because he would fight to free his own lands from his father-by-marriage, that he would also stab John in the back. When all is said, Llewelyn is married to John’s daughter. However they may fight between themselves, Llewelyn, at least, would not welcome an outsider into a family quarrel. I think the news he sends is true. He says that Count Ferrand is no longer so enamored of his overlord as he once was. Ferrand has learned that Philip encouraged Louis to attempt seizure of two of Ferrand’s townsSt. Omer and Aire. Now, the towns are most like to fall to Louis because the people have little love for Ferrand and thus little heart to defend themselves. If the towns fall, Llewelyn thinks that Ferrand will be ripe for Renaud of Dammartin’s handling and that John should bid Renaud to make haste to Flanders and promise Ferrand John’s help.”

As Ian spoke, the slight suspicion that had appeared on Geoffrey’s face faded. Ian was as prone to see good in his “brother” as. Salisbury was to see good in the king. However, Geoffrey also believed the news Llewelyn sent was   true, not out of fondness for Llewelyn or out of believing in Llewelyn’s fondness for John. Simply, it would be greatly to Llewelyn’s advantage if John’s attention was fixed upon Europe until he was firm in the saddle of Wales.

“This is good news,” Geoffrey said. “Why must we sit here and speak of it in secrecy?”

Ian laughed briefly. “Llewelyn may be in good humor with John, but I doubt that the reverse is true. Do you suggest I tell John my news and where I had it? Besides, I wish to bear myself as lowly as possible. It is needful for me to ride north again. If I seem anxious to direct John’s attention to Flanders, will he wonder whether I ride to join the rebels? Geoffrey, even among those who came to this wedding, there is a carelessness in their manner toward the king that bodes ill. If anything oversets John so that he breaks out into anger or any other ill behavior, that will be the end. Men will run to arms.”

Geoffrey nodded. “I understand. How do you desire that I”

There was a crashing in the brush. Without another word, both lifted their reins and touched spurred heels to their horses’ sides, moving off in opposite directions. Later, when they came together at the killing of a stag, they greeted each other somewhat stiffly. It could be seen, however, that Lord Ian was making an effort to be conciliatory and, eventually, they rode off side by side, talking as easily as usual.

Within the keep, Alinor and Joanna were also sitting amicably together and discussing what might be done to ease the merchants if, as they expected, their ships were to be confiscated for war service against France. The discussion had not begun quite so amicably. Soon after the hunters had left the hall, Alinor had led her daughter away to a quiet window seat.

“You did not have to make me laugh and then pinch me so hard,” Joanna protested in an undervoice. “I understood what you desired.”

Alinor uttered a mischievous chuckle. “I wished you to   look thoroughly distressed, and so you didblushing and weeping. Never mind, it will never show amid the other bruises.”

“I have no other bruises, Joanna said indignantly. “Geoffrey is not a wild beast.”

The smile grew broader on Alinor’s lips. She had indeed guessed right about her daughter’s capacity for passion. If Joanna had not felt what made the marks on her body, she had been deep in ecstasy. “I am glad you were enjoying yourself so thoroughly,” she said softly, “but I did not draw you here to talk of Geoffreyat least, I have one question to ask about him. What do you think, Joanna, can you draw him away from the king’s cause?”

Joanna looked down as if her mother was explaining something she understood but did not wish to accept. “You know the king is nothing to Geoffrey,” she muttered. “It is Salisbury he clings to. Are you asking me to tear Geoffrey free of his father?” She paused, thinking, then said, “Perhaps I could” Joanna no longer underestimated her power over her husband, “but what would remain would not be a man. Is our state so dire?” she asked anxiously, but before Alinor could answer, she lifted her eyes. “No! I do not care. I will not destroy Geoffrey for any reason.’’

“No,” Alinor agreed, patting her daughter’s hand. “I chose him because of what he is. I would not desire him other than loyal and honorable. Ela is making me nervous. She foresees doom, and II am not easy either. It would be better for us if we had a foot in each camp, but I know it cannot be doneI just thought. Oh, well, we must sink or swim with John, so he had better be supported so that he does swim.”

“Ela always foresees doom,” Joanna offered.

“It is true. She is growing more and more fearful. Ian thinks we may still scrape through without war and he wishes to do all he can. That is what I drew you apart to tell you. You must find some excuse not to go to Hemel with Geoffrey.”

“Oh mother” Joanna whispered, appalled.   Alinor laughed. “No, I said that wrong. I meant you and Geoffrey between you must find some reason for Geoffrey to accompany you south to my lands rather than, as would be natural, to go to his. Ian must go north again to sit on the hotheads there and I do not wish to leave the coastlands without a leader who can rally the men. There is a real danger Philip will invade”

“In midwinter?” Joanna protested.

“Word is spread that Philip is expending much gold to buy cardinals who will urge Innocent to declare John deposed and name Philip God’s instrument for this purpose. If what he desires happens, Philip will not dare wait because the order could be countermanded and Philip knows as well as anyone else that John has envoys in Rome. If they can convince the pope that John is in earnest, Innocent will be only too willing to change his mind about deposition. It is a bad precedent.”

“John must know all this. Why is it necessary to whisper in secret that Geoffrey and I will go to Roselynde?”

“That need not be secret, only the reason for itthat Ian rides north. He goes to save the king, but will John believe that? So far his behavior is perfect, but who knows what little thing will overset him?”

Anger thinned Joanna’s generous mouth. “We will do it, of course,” she said, “but I tell you plain I think it hard that Geoffrey and I must first be put on show like wares at a fair, and insulted by the queen, all for the sake of And poor Geoffrey must be set to hard labor so soon. Even a serf is granted holiday after his wedding.”

“As your state is higher than that of a serf, so must your burdens be greater,” Alinor reminded her.

“And if Philip should come,” Joanna murmured, more to herself than to her mother, “instead of being at Hemel and coming to battle as one of a great army, Geoffrey must bear the first brunt of the attack.”  
p.

It was a quiet, anxious Christmas at Roselynde. The news Geoffrey had from his father at court was very bad. Most of the barons John invited to join him did not come nor even bother to send excuses. It began to be a real question which way the nobles would jump when Philip invaded, and there was little doubt there would be an invasion. Ships, men, and supplies were ready in France. Philip seemed to be waiting only for the pope’s blessing on his project, and that might come at any time. Geoffrey, charged not only with the defense of Alinor’s lands but with Adam’s property in Sussex, was deeply concerned because it seemed as if he would need to be in three places at once when the attack came.

Ian could be of no help at all. In an effort to give a sharp lesson to rebel agitators and also to occupy the minds and bodies of his own warlike vassals, he had initiated a series of small actions against the strongholds of those most bitterly opposed to the king. He was neck-deep in war, made more dangerous and difficult by the winter weather. Geoffrey wrote for advice late in January and after considerable discussion with Alinor and serious thought about the various chances involved, Ian suggested that Adam leave Leicester temporarily and go to Kemp with Sir Guy as a stabilizing influence. Adam was young, but Leicester had trained him very well. In any case, Adam’s purpose would not be to wage war but to ensure that his castellans would not yield to Philip without resistance if invasion should come while Geoffrey was elsewhere.