MISTRESS PENWICK BY DUTTON PAYNE Contents CHAPTER I THE URSULINE LOSES A PUPIL CHAPTER II THE LORD OF CRANDLEMAR CHAPTER III THE BALL CHAPTER IV HIS LORDSHIP'S PROPOSAL CHAPTER V BACCHUS AND BACCHANTES CHAPTER VI JANET'S PHILOSOPHY CHAPTER VII THE BRANTLE CHAPTER VIII THE ANCIENT MONASTERY CHAPTER IX SIR JULIAN POMPHREY CHAPTER X WHAT HAPPENED IN THE BUTLERY CHAPTER XI JACQUES DEMPSY CHAPTER XII CASTLE AND MONASTERY CHAPTER XIII AS NINE TOLLED FROM THE CHAPEL BELFRY CHAPTER XIV SERMONS NEW AND OLD CHAPTER XV THE EDICT OF BUCKINGHAM CHAPTER XVI BUCKINGHAM'S ADVENTURE CHAPTER XVII TELLS OF THE DOINGS OF ALL CONCERNED CHAPTER XVIII AT MONMOUTH'S VILLA CHAPTER XIX WHAT HAPPENED IN THE COACH CHAPTER XX UNPROCLAIMED BANNS CHAPTER XXI THE ESPOUSAL CHAPTER XXII CEDRIC IN THE TOILS CHAPTER XXIII THE COCOANUTS OF THE KING'S CELLAR CHAPTER XXIV WHAT HAPPENED IN THE TOWER CHAPTER XXV THE GARDEN OF YOUTH CHAPTER I THE URSULINE LOSES A PUPIL "If the ship sails at dawn, then I must hasten to tell my mistress of the departure, and--of her father's letter." "I am loath to let yonder tide take her away so soon, Janet." "But my master's words are a positive command to leave Quebec at once," and Janet's eyes fell to the imperative line at the close of her letter which read: "In God's name, good nurse, take my baby to England in all haste." "Aye, our noble patron's desire must be carried out!" and the Mother Superior without further lament went from the small cell. When the last echo of her footsteps had died away, Janet Wadham cautiously opened the inner door and passed to the cell adjoining, and to the low couch upon which lay her mistress in sound slumber. Fondly she noted the beauty of her charge; the heavy waving hair gleaming in the fading light a bronze-like amber, the white forehead, the arched brow, the glow of health upon lip and cheek, the slender neck, the slope of shoulders, and the outline of a perfect form. Then the maid stirred and opened her eyes. Her whole body thrilled with the awakening. "Ah, 'twas like the bursting of a bud! How dost feel now, Mistress?" "I am not ill at all. I am a martyr to thy imagination. Dost remember the time, Janet, I drowsed in the chapel and thou didst make me drink bitterwort for a fortnight?" and the girl's voice rung out in soft laughter. "Aye, I have not forgotten, nor why thou wert drowsy either, Mistress Penwick." "Nay, thou didst not know." "I did so. Thou hadst a book of tales and read nights with the candle shaded by thy mother's landskip fan, and I gave thee aloes for thy folly." "Thou dost always find me out, Janet; I shall be glad when I become a woman as big as thou." "Thou art a woman to-day, and thou wilt never be as big as I; so, having age and not a hulking servant's body, be content. I have a letter from my master, and in it is much that concerns thee--" "Isn't there always much that concerns me?"