In the kitchen they had started to prepare for the feast we should have. Jennet had never had so much made of her before.
The days slipped away. I said to Honey: “As soon as Jennet is safely wed I will begin to make preparation for my journey home.”
“The scene is set,” said Honey. “Jake Pennlyon is on the high seas; his father is laid low; there is great excitement about the wedding. It would not be noticed for some days if you decided to leave. Heaven knows I shall hate your going. It will be so dull here without you, Catharine. But if he cut short his voyage and returned then it would be too late and we could not hope to fool him again.”
“If he ever knew how he had been fooled he would never forgive us.”
“His vengeance is something I would not wish to encounter.”
I shivered. “Yes, as soon as the wedding is over I will leave. Do you think Richard will be a good husband to Jennet?”
“He is a quiet, good-mannered boy.”
“He is strange. It is difficult to imagine his seducing Jennet.”
“I’d wager most of the seducing came from her.”
“Well, he is good and truly caught. I think she will be a good wife, though. She was overpersuaded by Jake Pennlyon to betray me, but I have forgiven her that, for I am sure she deeply regrets it.”
“For a girl like Jennet, Jake Pennlyon would be irresistible,” Honey said.
I changed the subject. I did not wish to think of Jake Pennlyon persuading Jennet. I had given too much thought to that matter already.
There came the night when for the third time I saw the Spanish galleon.
Such an ordinary day it had been—warm and sunny for the time of year, “unseasonable” they called it—a quiet, peaceful day. How was it that we could have lived through such a day unaware of the tremendous events which were awaiting us?
I was pleasantly tired when I went to bed and was asleep almost immediately.
I was awakened as I had been on other nights by unusual sounds below. I lay still listening. Shuffling footsteps, a scuffle. Some serving wench creeping out to meet a lover? I rose from my bed and went to the window.
There she was in all her glory. Closer than I had ever seen her—the mighty and magnificent Spanish galleon.
I must go down. I was not going to allow anyone to say that I had imagined my galleon this time. I would awaken Honey and Edward and insist that they look. I picked up a robe and wrapped it around me, but as I crossed to the door it was opened suddenly. John Gregory stood there.
I said: “What is wrong?”
He did not answer. He was wearing a long cloak with a hood; his face was pale, his eyes brilliant. He spoke then in a tongue I did not know and then I saw that there was a stranger with him.
“Who is this?” I demanded. “What do you here?”
They did not answer me.
The stranger had stepped into my room. John Gregory nodded toward me and spoke again.
The stranger seized me. I tried to throw him off, but he held me firmly. I struggled. Then I screamed and immediately John Gregory’s hand was over my lips. In a few seconds he had taken a kerchief and bound it around my mouth. I was powerless to make a sound. I was put onto my bed. The thought flashed into my mind: Have I saved myself from Jake Pennlyon for this?
But there was no lust about these men, only a determination to complete a task. My arms were pinioned. They had ropes for the purpose. Likewise were my ankles strapped together so that I was trussed and helpless.
Then they carried me from my room.
Down the spiral stairs we went … out into the courtyard.
I saw a figure lying there. There was blood everywhere. I wanted to cry out, but I could not make a sound. I was limp with horror and fear.
As they carried me past that wounded figure I saw that it was Edward.
Honey! I wanted to call out. Honey, where are you?
Edward’s carriage was waiting there. Richard Rackell was holding the horses—three of Edward’s best and most fleet.
Richard Rackell! Traitor! I wanted to shout, but there was nothing I could do.
I was placed in the carriage. Lying there were two other figures. My heart leaped with an emotion of relief, yet horror, for they were Honey and Jennet.
They stared at me as I did at them. We could only communicate by looks. They were as bewildered as I. I wondered if Honey knew that Edward was lying in his own blood in the courtyard.
There were voices—foreign voices. Instinctively I knew that they were speaking the Spanish tongue.
The carriage had begun to move. We were going toward the sea.
We had been abducted as women sometimes were by marauding pirates. There had been traitors in our midst and the result was that Edward was lying in his own blood in the courtyard and Honey, Jennet and I were being taken out to the Spanish galleon.
Journey to an Unknown Destination
THEY CARRIED US INTO the boat which was lying ready. I saw Richard Rackell’s face clearly in the light of the lantern which he held. Traitor! I wanted to cry and felt a physical pain in my throat which was frustrated fury.
I was lifted into the boat and lay there helpless. They put Honey beside me, then Jennet. We could not see each other’s faces clearly because it was a dark night. There was no moon, only the faint light of the stars that were visible where there was no cloud.
I tried to think of a means of escape. I guessed what was happening to us. We had been abducted as women had been throughout the years. Pirates descended on the land; they plundered; they stole; they burned down villages and townships and they took the women for their pleasure.
If only I could talk to Honey! If only I could think of some means of escape! But I was helpless, trussed and on a boat which was being rapidly rowed out to sea by strangers, and two men who had posed as a groom and a false priest were watching over us.
A wild fantasy came to me. The Rampant Lion would appear suddenly—returned unexpectedly from the voyage; the galleon would be discovered. Jake Pennlyon would board her; I could see his eyes flashing, see him standing there, legs apart, a bloodstained cutlass in his hands; I could hear his laugh as he uncut my bonds.
But these were but dreams.
Relentlessly the little boat pushed its way through the water to the Spanish galleon.
The men had shipped oars. We had arrived and there was no Rampant Lion to sight us, no Jake Pennlyon to cut our bonds.
John Gregory was bending over me. He cut the rope about my ankles and removed the gag from my mouth. He pulled me to my feet, for my arms were still bound behind me.
I stood unsteadily; the galleon loomed over us.
Honey and Jennet were beside me, pinioned as I was.
“Honey,” I said, “we have been betrayed.”
She nodded. I wondered again if she had seen Edward’s body. Poor Edward, so gentle and kind.
I was aware of Jennet, who would have no wedding now.
A rope ladder was dangling from the side of the ship.
John Gregory said: “You will climb it.”
“Without use of our hands, traitor?” I asked.
“I shall untie you now, but do not attempt to do anything but climb the ladder.”
“For what reason?”
“You will discover.”
“You rogue!” I cried. “You came to our house… You deceived us. …”
He said gently: “This is not the time for talk, Mistress. You must obey.”
“Board that ship? For what reason? It’s a Spaniard.”
“Please do not force me to hurt you.”
“Hurt me! Have you not brought me here by force … and you talk about hurting me!”
Honey said: “Don’t lose your temper, Catharine. It won’t help.”
There was hopelessness in her voice and I believed then that she had seen Edward in the courtyard.