Part 38 (1/2)
”Oh yes, they know this and they care not for his threats. They are planning action. One thing they will never do is give up their religion.”
I could see she was excited by her adventure and that this was in some measure due to the fact that the puritans were in danger.
I was very disturbed indeed when I discovered that she had known d.i.c.kon was at Leyden Hall. One of the servants had found out that he was there and told her. She had staged her little adventure for Hallowe'en-what a fearless reckless girl she was!-and had pretended to be lost that she might see d.i.c.kon and talk with him.
From then on she talked of him a good deal and often called at Leyden Hall. She began to learn a great deal about the puritans and their beliefs and aims, which was strange considering she was Senara.
THE TURRET LIGHTS.
IT WAS CHRISTMAS DAY, my eighteenth birthday and Senara's sixteenth. My stepmother had invited people to the castle. She seemed eager to find husbands for us both, and particularly for me perhaps because I was two years older.
During the last weeks Senara liked to go off alone. I believed that she was riding to Leyden Hall. She was becoming more and more interested in the new sect who were called the puritans. It amused me because there could be no one less like a puritan than Senara.
She had taken the feather out of her riding hat and wore it plain. She would put on a demure expression which ill-matched her brilliant long eyes with the mischief in them. Of course I had never been absolutely sure of Senara.
She talked to me about the puritans and often she would become quite earnest.
”They want to make it all as simple as possible, Tamsyn,” she said. ”And religion should be simple, shouldn't it? Do you think G.o.d wants all that ceremony? Of course He doesn't. One should wors.h.i.+p Him in the simplest possible way. The church is always ready to persecute those who don't conform.”
”You are really interested, Senara,” I said. ”You've changed since you arranged to get lost near Leyden Hall.”
”I arranged it, as you know,” she said. ”I couldn't believe d.i.c.kon had become a puritan. I had to go and see.”
”Surely he is not making one of you?”
”Can you imagine me ... a puritan!”
”That is something beyond my powers of imagination.”
”No, I should never be a puritan at heart, but I admire them in a way. Think of d.i.c.kon.”
”It seems to me you think of him a good deal.”
”He is so beautiful ... even now in his plain clothes and his curls pressed out he is still more handsome than any other man ... even your Fenn-who has gone away without declaring his feelings-even he looks quite ugly compared with d.i.c.kon.”
”You are bewitched by him.”
”You forget I am the one who does the bewitching.”
”So it is he who is bewitched by you.”
”I think that in spite of his new puritan ideas, he is a little. For I am a very bewitching person, Tamsyn.”
”In your own opinion, certainly.”
”It is so interesting,” she said, ”and so dangerous. It has been since the Hampton Court Conference.”
”Keep away from religion that is dangerous.”
”What a thing to say! Surely that is quite cynical. How can people help what they believe, and if you believe, shouldn't you defend that belief with your life if need be?”
”Our country and my family have been torn by religious beliefs. One of my ancestors lost his head in the reign of Henry VIII, another was burned at the stake in the reign of Mary. We don't want any more religious conflict in the family.”
”You're a coward, Tamsyn.”
”That may be but that is how I want it.”
”They are talking of going away.”
”Who, d.i.c.kon and the Deemsters?”
”Yes, to Holland. They can wors.h.i.+p there as they wish. Perhaps one day they will go far away and make a land of their own. They talk about it a good deal.”
I laughed.
”What amuses you?”
”That you, Senara, of all people, should be caught up with puritans. Of course it is not the puritans, I know. Can it really be d.i.c.kon?”
”How could it be? I would never be allowed to marry a man who was our music master and now grows vegetables and works for a family like the Deemsters.”
”I cannot see you in the humble role of wife to a man in such a lowly position.”
”Nay, nor could I. For I came from such n.o.bility that is far beyond anything I have had here.”
”Oh, how do you know this?”
”My mother has told me. In Spain she moved in very n.o.ble circles-royal, in fact. So you are right when you say I could not marry d.i.c.kon.”
”Don't look sad. It's the first day of Christmas. We shall make merry this night. You will dance and sing for the company and no one will be merrier than you.”
”It will be a very different Christmas at Leyden Hall,” she said.
”I can picture it. They will make of it a purely religious occasion. There will be no feasting, dancing and making merry, as we do, no King for the Night, no blessing on the hall, no mummers, no carol singers. This is more to your taste, Senara.”
”It is!” she cried; and that night she was beautiful in a blue velvet gown, her dark hair caught back in a gold band, I was not the only one who thought her the loveliest of all present. There were several young men who did and would doubtless in due course ask for her hand, which was what her mother wanted.
There was Thomas Gren.o.ble for one, who came from London and was connected with the Court. He was young, rich and good-looking. I knew he was one my stepmother had chosen for Senara. He could do the latest dances which she quickly mastered and I wondered whether as she danced with Thomas Gren.o.ble she thought of d.i.c.kon. If she did she gave no sign of it.
Melanie had been brought up by her mother to be a good housewife and I don't think our household matters ever went so smoothly as they did that Christmas. Melanie was quite un.o.btrusive and gentle; Connell was inclined to ignore her and flirt with some of the young women guests, but Melanie remained unruffled. She reminded me very much of Fenn and how I wished that he were with us!
I mentioned him to her and asked if she had heard from her mother when he was expected back.
”It was not to be a long voyage,” she answered. ”My mother thinks he will be back by the spring.”
That gave me new hope. I was just waiting for the spring.