I hated the man as much as I hated his son. Their frank and racy conversation brought images to my mind. I was a virgin, but I knew something of the relationships of the sexes. Once I had come upon two of the servants copulating in a field. I had listened to talk. So the images came and went … myself and that man, with his lustful, mocking eyes. And when I was in his presence these images were always ready to intrude and disturb.
I scarcely listened to the conversation. It was about the wedding and first of all the betrothal celebration. Honey was bewildered and I was not surprised because it was such a short time ago that I had expressed my dislike of the man. Edward never betrayed his feelings; as far as he was concerned no one would have guessed that there was anything unusual about this betrothal.
It was to take place the following week; and the wedding should be four weeks later. “That will give Jake time to do his courting.” The old man’s chuckle was horrible. He meant of course forestall our marriage vows. “And as soon as we get them into legal bed the better. Jake will be sailing just two months after the day. But it’ll not be a long voyage this time. Jake wouldn’t have that when he’d a wife keeping his bed warm for him.”
I felt sickened. I wanted to shout out: I will never agree. I am pretending. I have no intention of marrying this man.
But I kept silent because whenever I was about to speak I thought of Honey and Edward taken off to some miserable cell and my mother’s heartbroken eyes. She had suffered too much already.
In any case, I was deceiving them. I was letting this arrogant man think he had subdued me. Nothing would induce me to share his bed as his father was fond of putting it, to bear his child, which seemed to be the main idea in the minds of both of them.
It seemed a long time before they left. I was embraced by both father and son. I hated the way they thrust their bodies close to mine.
We stood in the courtyard while they rode away.
When they had gone Honey turned to me.
“What happened to make you change your mind so suddenly?”
“We can’t talk here,” I said.
We went into the punch room. I said: “Not here.” The punch room was approached from the dining room and there was no door to it, only a curtain over the archway.
I said: “Let us go into the chapel. Let us lock the chapel door and that which leads into the leper’s squint.”
The chapel was as normal. There was no sign that Mass had been recently celebrated.
I went to the leper’s squint and peered through into the little room beyond.
“The doors are locked,” I said. “What a pity you didn’t lock them both before Thomas Elders officiated.”
“What do you mean?” demanded Honey.
“Jake Pennlyon was in there.” I pointed to the squint. “I met him coming out. He told me that unless I agreed to marry him he would make it known that Thomas Elders was here and for what purpose.”
“My God!” said Edward suddenly.
Honey laid her hand on his arm. “What would happen to us, Edward?”
His fingers closed over hers protectively. How different he was from Jake Pennlyon! Must I compare every man with that one! He was gentle, protective, loving, tender.
“I don’t know,” said Edward. “It could be most unsafe.”
“So you promised, to save us.”
“I suppose so.”
“Catharine!”
“Don’t imagine I am going to marry him. I’ll fight him.” Again that wild exhilaration. I enjoyed fighting him. I wanted to defeat him, to laugh at him, to mock him. I had never dreamed it was possible to feel so strongly about one person. I had about Carey, of course, but that was the intensity of love—this was hatred. “I had to pretend then or he would have betrayed you. He is a wicked man. I loathe him and his father.”
“But, Catharine, there is to be this betrothal.”
“I shall make no vows. I shall fight them.”
Honey was looking at me strangely. Then she turned to Edward and clung to him.
He said: “Don’t fear, my love. They can prove nothing. We must be careful in future. I must warn Thomas. If young Pennlyon knows he may well set traps for him.”
I thought of my father then, who had brought so much unhappiness to our household because of what he had done to help a friend. Edward would be like that. He was such another as my father … born for martyrdom, which was a terrible thing to be born for in our times.
I went to my room and it was not long before Honey was there.
“Oh, Catharine, what have we all brought upon ourselves?”
She looked frail and frightened; her hand lay gently on her stomach as though she were protecting the child which was growing there.
I felt protective toward her and I said: “Don’t fret. I’ll outwit this arrogant Pennlyon.”
Her mood changed suddenly.
“Why, Catharine,” she said, “I have not seen you so animated since…”
She did not finish; and I knew she meant since I had learned that Carey was lost to me.
She was right. I had not felt so alive since then.
The next day the Pennlyons went away for a few days in connection with stores for the coming voyages. Jake Pennlyon rode over to Trewynd before they left. I saw him coming and went to Honey and made her promise not to leave me alone with him.
We received him in the hall. He embraced me in that manner which made me want to throw him from me and which made him laugh as he sensed my resistance. I think he liked it; my submission, of which he was absolutely sure, would be the more rewarding if he had to force it. He was a hunter and women to him were prey.
Honey sent for wine and we went to the punch room—the three of us together.
“I have bad news for you,” said Jake Pennlyon. “I have to leave you.”
I smiled and he went on: “Don’t despair. ’Tis but for a few days and I’ll be back. Then we’ll make up for our separation.”
“I would not wish you to cut short your business,” I said.
“I never waste time. Rest assured I’ll complete with all speed what has to be done and come back to you. I should like to walk in the gardens with you. There are matters we must discuss.”
“I will accompany you,” said Honey demurely.
“Madam, we would not disturb you.”
“’T would be a pleasure,” said Honey.
His eyes glinted. “We ask no chaperone.”
“Nevertheless, propriety does.”
“We don’t have such ceremonies here,” said Jake Pennlyon. “We’re plain country folk.”
“My sister must behave in the manner expected by her family,” said Honey.
I smiled at her. Dear Honey, she was so grateful to me for protecting her and Edward from the malice of these Pennlyons.
I said: “We will walk in the gardens and keep in sight of the windows.”
I was surprised at myself. But I did want to do battle with him—though from a safe place it was true. Nevertheless, I couldn’t resist the desire to tell him how much I disliked him.