Free The Rogue's Princess by Eve Edwards

want to go to a play?’
    Mercy fumbled with her cloak. ‘Not if it is wrong to wish to do so.’
    Some would say it was, but they were the kind of men who had been most cruel to Rose after her disgrace so she had little time for their opinions. Her brother-in-law, Mercy’s father, would frown, but he was not a rash man, suspending judgement until he saw proof that his fears were founded.
    ‘I do not think it wrong,’ Rose replied honestly. ‘I enjoy a good play.’
    Mercy smiled at her. ‘Then I do not either. Indeed, I havebeen told that the stage has the power to sway men to correct their faults when they see vice punished and virtue rewarded.’
    ‘Indeed.’ And since when had her niece started arguing like a university man?
    ‘And I thought that it was best to judge for myself. I have been taught to be responsible for my own salvation, weighing each sin I commit and confessing it to God alone. I think I should therefore decide if the stage is good or bad in the same way.’
    ‘Or you could just go and enjoy it, you goose,’ Rose teased, tweaking her niece’s sweetly serious nose.
    Mercy struggled with this unlikely idea. ‘I suppose I could. But is it right to do so?’
    ‘Oh, Mercy, when are you going to realize that God rejoices in our happiness and shares our sorrows? A little laughter at a play is not going to send you to the Devil, no matter what some say.’
    ‘But should I tell Father?’
    ‘I can’t see why you should keep it from him for that would make something innocent suspect. I will choose the play with care, make sure it is one he will approve. You should ask him when you get home at dinner.’
    ‘Yes, yes, I’ll do that.’ Mercy bit her lip. ‘And should I tell him about my playing the lute yester eve?’
    Rose laughed. ‘Of course, Mistress Goose, he will be proud of you. An accomplished daughter who can offer music in a man’s house is something to cherish and set in plain sight, not stuff under a pillow.’
    Mercy skipped with excitement. Rose had to pull her backbefore she scattered a flock of sheep being driven across the bridge by a sour-faced shepherd.
    ‘Good.’ Mercy laughed, spinning on the spot, forcing even the herder to smile. ‘That’s settled then. I’m going to a play!’
    After greeting Faith and Gran, Mercy took herself off to the bedchamber she shared with her sister to read her daily portion of the scriptures as set out for her by her father. It was a particularly enjoyable sequence about Daniel in the lions’ den so it was no hardship. She then took out her journal to make note of her spiritual thoughts – the problem was she didn’t have any. She chewed the end of the quill.
    Almighty God, thank you for granting me a splendid evening at Ann’s. I pray I did not fall into the sin of the proud by taking too much pleasure in the applause for my playing.
    She let her pen rest too long, making a blot. Did she have to record the kiss? She still wasn’t sure if that had been right or wrong. At the time it had felt so very, very right, but now she wondered.
    Pray keep my heart from evil thoughts.
    There that ought to do it – a general catch-all for any sins that might creep up on her when she thought about Kit. It was difficult to confess all in a journal that she knew her father might read one day when he asked to see the progress of her journey in faith. She realized people, Kit included, thought her naive – and perhaps she was – but she tried not to be so gullible, she really did. Men often stole kisses from maidens, making promises they meant not to keep, but her heart told her that Kit was different. Love of man for woman was a godly thing when blessed by the church. The kiss could be but aprelude to so much more and she couldn’t wait to find out what that might be.
    Unable to pursue such heated thoughts without straying into sin, she flicked back to her previous jottings to see how she was doing then added on this day’s tally:
    Scripture verses