Joan continued her story, and her voice was sad.
“Charles was intent on retreating towards the Loire even though we had the upper hand at that stage. He intended to cross the River Seine by a bridge at Bray and head south away from Paris. When his advance guard arrived at the bridge, they found it had been captured by the English the previous night and the route was closed. To my relief, Charles was forced back towards Paris and stopped at Château Thierry. It was then that the Duke of Bedford wrote to Charles, a very rude letter calling doubt on his legitimacy as King even though he had been crowned.”
“That letter also was even ruder about you, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, he called me a ‘woman disordered and defamed, being in man’s clothes and of dissolute conduct.’” He also challenged Charles to
