Mistress Penwick | Page 5

last they stood upon English soil, and so bewildered was Katherine
she could only cling to Janet's dress like a frightened child; there was
such a clamour, 'twas like pandemonium. The poor frightened thing
was inclined to believe that the people were mad and raving, and was
hardly called to concentration of thought when Lord Cedric's Chaplain

stood before them dumbfounded by her beauty.
He was a pale, little man, who managed with difficulty to collect his
senses and lead them to an equipage of imposing richness that stood not
far away. And immediately after chests and sundry articles of travel
were placed upon the coach, the rolling wheels carried them through
the town and on beyond, over plains and hills and lonely moors,
through forests of oak and beech, coloured in the grey of winter. Nor
did the ponderous vehicle stop save for a hurried refreshment or a short
night's rest at some wayside inn.
Lord Cedric's orders were not being strictly carried out. The Chaplain
was to bring back to the castle Janet Wadham and baby. Here was the
first-named, but where was the child? The little man was fearful he had
made some mistake, and grew exceedingly nervous when they at last
spied the battlements of Crandlemar Castle, and the child for whom he
had gone must be accounted for.
Night was falling as the equipage bearing Mistress Katherine and her
attendants passed between the massive stone pillars of the gate into the
long avenues bordered by leafless trees; and when yet some distance
from the castle, the occupants could catch glimpses of many lighted
windows. Katherine lay back on the cushions tired, timid, half-fearful,
wondering. Not so Janet; she craned body and neck fearful lest some
small detail of the visible grandeur might escape her. In a moment
more they had stopped at the great entrance, and immediately the
ponderous doors were thrown wide by two ugly little dwarfs in
magnificent livery. Out trooped other menials of perhaps less age and
greater dignity, quickly gathering from the equipage the chests and
bags and other articles of less cumbrousness. Mistress Katherine, with
Janet by her side, was so blinded by the glare of lights and furbished
gildings, she saw naught, but followed on up winding stairs, stepping
twice upon each broad step; through corridors and alcoves and winding
halls, and in her ears was the sound of men's and women's soft laughter,
and she breathed the perfume of flowers, and inhaled as they passed
some half-open door, the odour of paudre de rose and jasmine.
A woman older, less comely than Janet, and having the smirk of a

perfunctory greeting upon her flabby face, stood within the room
assigned to Mistress Katherine. As her eyes fell upon the maid, she
stepped back surprised, and with a confusion she essayed to hide in her
coarse voiced acknowledgment of their presence.
"The child, madam, where's the child? 'is Ludship sent me to take
charge of the hinfant and 'er nurse."
Janet's voice rang like steel as she said,--"Thou canst fondle me to thy
heart's content, but the 'hinfant his' a maiden grown and well able to
look after her own swathings; 'twould better serve thee and us to get
thee below and prepare thine 'hinfant' grown some meat and wine with
etceteras, and plenty of them, for she hath a lusty and ever-present
appetite. But stay, where wilt thou cradle thy babe's nurse, in this room
beyond the closet?" With a superhuman effort, as it were,--the woman,
confident of the importance of her position, and the forbearance such
an one should have in dealing with the less consequential,--suppressed
her choler and raised her eyebrows, and spoke with the coldness of her
betters.
"Thou wilt sleep there for a time, at least until 'is Ludship's guests 'ave
gone; the nurseries 'ave been turned into guests' rooms,--'is Ludship 'as
Royalty beneath 'is roof and bade me take the--the child to the furth'rest
room and keep hits squawking 'ushed!" With a deprecating gesture, she
shuffled from the room.
'Twas a great square apartment, with low ceiling, a small hearthstone
and an immense bedstead with tester and outer coverings of flowered
chintz. The light from the two small candles upon the high mantel-shelf
were dimmed by the greater light from the hearth.
With a long, heavy sigh, which ended in a quiet half-hearted laugh,
Katherine flung herself back in a huge chair and said,--
"Art not afraid to lash tongues with a trusted servant of my Lord Cedric?
She may give thee an ill name."
"Nay, rather, if I had boxed' er hears' 'twould have been better. Indeed,

if thou hadst been absent I should have brawled it with her.
'Ludship'--'tis the cant of a pot house wench,--'is Ludship' to me, who
has been consorting with