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In any case it is done. Langton has been consecrated. I will say that the pope tried to smooth matters over. He sent rich gifts at first and many sweet words. Even when John answered with contumacy, the pope wrote conciliatory letters admonishing the king most gently.”
    “Someone should have told him that was not the way to   go about things with King John,” Joanna commented caustically.
    “I suppose someone did, or perhaps Pope Innocent’s temper is not quite so peaceable as a Holy Father’s should be. When he saw John was stubborn in spite of his kindness, he threatened, but by then the king was in a fine Angevin rage. He sent de Cantelu and Cornhill to Canterbury and they drove out the monks and seized the Church property.”
    “I see. Then came the interdict.”
    “Naturally. By then John’s rage was past and, I think, he would have come to an agreement readily. In fact, he tried. Langton’s brother had a safe-conduct to come to England and discuss matters. I am not sure whether it was Langton or the pope who was at fault in that no agreement was reached. John professed himself willing to accept Langton but made a just condition that the king’s authority be preserved. That was refused.”
    “It is always thus,” Joanna agreed, shaking her head. “If you offer the Church a finger, you are like to find your whole hand has been eaten.”
    “Is that the way for a modest maiden to speak?” Geoffrey teased.
    Large eyes filled with an entirely spurious innocence were raised to his. “Did I use some word that was not proper, my lord?”
    Geoffrey reddened again very slightly. It was the first time Joanna had ever called him “my lord,” and though it was said in jest it sounded very sweet to him.
    “Each word by itself,” he responded, “was innocent enough. Added together” He shook his head at her and laughed. Then he grew more serious. “But I do not see an end to it. At first, while the king hoped for a reconciliation, he held his hand. When he saw the pope adamant, he began to rob the churchesnot only the revenues of the sees from which the bishops had fled, although that was bad enoughhe confiscated the plate and chalices and sometimes even the crucifixes and melted them down for their gold and silver.”   ‘‘There are advantages to that,” Joanna remarked callously. “At least it has saved us from paying the cost of the Scots and Irish wars. Even this Welsh campaignyou know, Geoffrey, that the king has not called a full levy. He is hiring mercenaries. In fact, his demands have been so light in the past two years that many of the vassals and castellans who were in debt to us are clearing their accounts.”
    “Do not be so pleased. Do you think we will come out of this scot-free? You know the Church. Sooner or later, the king will be driven to make peaceand there will be no peace until John agrees to repay what he has taken. Where do you think that repayment will come from?”
    Coincidentally, Geoffrey was not the only one voicing doubts about the king’s seizure of Church property. Peter des Roches, bishop of Winchester, was saying almost the same thingexcept that he did not bother to comment on where the money for repayment would come from. The king, to whom he was speaking most earnestly, removed his eyes from the
tableau vivant
he was contemplating and looked toward Winchester. The two men were an almost laughable contrast, partly because they were much alike in coloring and wore their hair and beards cut in the same fashion. However, King John had become very heavy in the past few years, looking remarkably like a wine tun with a protruding head and limbs. Winchester, on the other hand, was thin as a whip and as supple.
    “Perhaps,” John agreed in his beautiful voice, “but by then I will have achieved my purpose. Ireland and Scotland already lie quiet under my yoke. When I have tamed the Welsh it will be time enough to make my peace. Then I will deal with the English barons.” He