Free The Lion Triumphant by Philippa Carr

Pennlyon laughed, low and mocking.
    “Row me ashore at once,” I said.
    I was trembling as we descended the ladder. I did not look back.
    As we were rowed back Jennet sat with her head lowered, her hands visibly trembling. As soon as I was helped ashore I walked ahead of her back to Trewynd.
    When I was in my room I was so angry that I had to vent my wrath on someone. I sent for Jennet.
    She came trembling.
    I had always before been rather mild with servants; Honey was far more haughty with them than I ever was; but I could not get out of my mind the thought of that man’s mocking eyes and I wanted to hurt somebody; and this girl who was supposed to be my faithful maid had betrayed me.
    I turned on her and cried, “Now then, girl. You had better give an account of yourself.”
    Jennet began to cry.
    I took her by the shoulders and shook her. Then she stammered: “I meant no harm, Mistress. The gentleman he asked me … he talked to me like…”
    “Like,” I mimicked. “Like what?”
    “Well, he talked kind like and said I looked a good maiden…”
    “And he kissed you and fondled you as no man should a virgin girl.”
    I saw by the quick color which flooded her face that this was so; and I slapped her. It was not poor Jennet’s face I was slapping: it was his. I hated him so much, because he had tricked me, because he had tried to treat me in the same way as he had Jennet.
    “You lied to me. You told me Mistress Ennis was on the Rampant Lion. You are supposed to be my servant and you forget that because this libertine kissed you.”
    Jennet sank to the floor, covered her face with her hand and burst into loud blubbering sobs. A voice from the door said: “Catharine, what has happened to you?”
    Honey was standing there, serene and beautiful.
    I said nothing and she came into the room and looked down at the weeping Jennet.
    “Why, Catharine, you used to be so good to the servants.”
    Those words spoken in that manner reminded me so much of my mother that the madness of my fury passed away suddenly and I felt very ashamed of myself, of the ease with which I had been tricked and my uncontrollable anger against poor silly little Jennet.
    I said to Jennet: “You can go now.”
    She hastily got up and fled.
    “What was all that about?” asked Honey in a bewildered voice.
    “It’s that man. The Pennlyon man.” I told her what had happened.
    Honey laughed. “You should have known I wouldn’t have gone to the ship alone. How could you have been so stupid as to think I would?”
    “I was surprised.”
    “Yet you believed it! Do you think he has such a fatal fascination for all women?”
    “Jennet found him irresistible.”
    “Jennet is a lusting virgin. She’ll be the victim of the first philanderer who crosses her path.”
    “You think she has already been his victim?”
    “That would not surprise me. But you have a high opinion of his irresistibility if you think I would have gone visiting him alone.”
    “I’m sorry. It was foolish of me. I’ve no one but myself to blame.”
    “Well, at least you escaped unscathed. It will teach you to be wary of him in future.”
    “I shall never see him again if I can help it. As for Jennet she sickens me. I shall have one of the others for my maid. Perhaps she could go into the kitchen.”
    “As you will. Take Luce. She is a girl who will cause you no anxieties and offer little provocation to any man.”
    “I have not told you,” I said, “how I escaped.”
    “Well?”
    “He said either I gave him my promise to marry him or he would take me there and then.”
    “What company you get into,” mocked Honey.
    “In your house,” I reminded her.
    “Ah, but he was already an acquaintance of yours before he came here.” She must have noticed how perturbed I was because she went on soothingly: “Whatever has happened to you! He can’t force you to marry him and he wouldn’t dare harm you—a neighbor’s daughter and a member of our family. Why, the