Courtesan of the Saints

by Marina Oliver

  Chapter 14

  To Cherry's secret relief she was lodged in a room in the governor's house instead of in the cells. She was told it had been paid for, and she would be receiving a visitor tomorrow, but the Governor refused to say who that would be. She tried to compose herself to sleep, but could do little other than think of Miles, and wonder how this turn of events might affect them. She had little fear for herself, since she was confident Dick or John would intervene to save her, if only in consideration of their own possible involvement. She was prepared to send to Elizabeth, Cromwell's daughter, if necessary, and ask her to intercede with her father, and she was certain he would be able to refuse this beloved daughter nothing.

  It was late the following morning when Cherry's visitor was announced. She looked up, curious to see who this was, for she had been unable to determine who could know of her plight and be paying to provide her with superior accommodation. When Faithful Denham sidled into the room, she narrowed her eyes in sudden comprehension.

  She had noticed his gloom on the two occasions he had been at her house the previous week, and since she was skilled at estimating people's moods, she had realized something more than his usual misery was affecting him. She had endeavored to brighten him on the first evening, but had failed so signally she had not even attempted more than casual conversation on his second visit.

  Now, as she waited for him to cross the room towards her, she wondered just how much he knew. She had realized on first seeing him she had him to thank for her arrest, but could not discern his motive.

  'Mr Denham!' she said in assumed surprise. 'What do you here?'

  He came and looked at her in silence. She stared back, determined not to speak again until she could see what he intended.

  'Do you not repent of your sinfulness?' he demanded suddenly, and she raised her eyebrows.

  'Why, my friend, of what do you accuse me? Sinfulness? I beg of you, explain!'

  'Do not attempt to fool me, as you have so many others! You are a whore, and a wanton hussy, and godly people should not be contaminated by you.'

  Cherry stood up haughtily. 'Mr Denham, if all you can do is abuse me in that fashion, I beg you to leave!'

  He laughed harshly. 'You will not fool me! I know what you have been about, and who you sport with!'

  'I am at a loss to understand you. What do you think you know of me?'

  'I know, I have had you watched these many months, and have seen the evil men who have come to you in the dark of night! You are a harlot, yet you strive to appear virtuous. But you cannot fool me!'

  'You are mad, imagining these things. Are you responsible for having me locked up here? I had thought better of you, Mr Denham, and I do not think you repay me well for all the hospitality I have given you, welcoming you to my house so many times. What will people think when they hear what you have done to me?'

  'You deserve all you get! I have watched you, many a night, flaunting yourself before those men, tantalizing them with your looks, your beauty, and your immodest dress!'

  'Mr Denham, I have never dressed so! Come, sir, you shame me to so accuse me, and do yourself harm to think so!'

  'You wear bright colours and lace, and pull your gowns so tight so that your body is shown.'

  'I do not consider bright colors and lace sinful, sir, for even the Protector wears such. As for the other, would you have me wear a sack? I am not ashamed of my body, for God gave it to me!' she retorted angrily.

  'But not to use it to torment me!' he cried, and threw himself onto a settle, where he rocked to and fro in agony.

  Cherry looked on, growing understanding in her eyes. She had no false modesty about her effect on men, and had many times had to repulse too ardent approaches. She was aware most of the men she knew would have needed little encouragement to become her lovers, had she been so inclined. But she had misjudged Faithful Denham, assuming that though he admired her, he was so puritanical in his behaviour he would not even think of her in such terms. Now she knew he was eaten up with desire for her, and this was at war with his creed.

  She did not understand why this should have led him to treat her in such a way, unless it was futile revenge, or crazy jealousy, but she began rapidly to consider how she might use her knowledge to escape the trap. She sat down on a chair a little way from Faithful and considered him.

  'Faithful,' she said gently, and he looked up, startled. 'May I call you so, for I think of you so, and you have been a faithful friend to me ever since my husband died.'

  He stared at her, unsure of this new tone.

  'Have you been thinking me so evil? Oh, my friend, I have been so remiss, so thoughtless!'

  Still he did not speak.

  'Is it true I torment men by dressing so? Forgive me, I am a simple woman, and but young - my husband died so early, and I had no guidance from my family. Does it create disturbance in men? I love the bright flowers, and their colors, for they remind me of the country where I was so happy as a child. I dress in colors to remind me. Am I wrong? Please tell me, guide me, for you are an experienced man, and I know I can trust you.'

  'Yes, you are but a child,' he said slowly.

  She kept her eyes lowered to hide the laughter in them.

  'What have you accused me of? They were terrible words you used.'

  'What was I to think?' he cried, holding his head in anguish.

  'What of? I do not understand!' she protested.

  'I had men posted, watching your house,' he said, each word dragging slowly out of him. 'They saw men leaving you late at night.'

  'Who did they see?' she asked, a slight quiver in her voice.

  'Dick Ashford, and John Taunton, and another I did not know until last week, Miles Talbot.'

  'But they stayed to give me advice,' she protested. 'I am a woman on my own, I have great wealth to administer, and I needed help.'

  'I could be better qualified to give that than they! I am a merchant, but what are they? Pampered soldiers and friends of Cromwell! He does not value the right men!'

  'You would have helped me? Oh, if I had but known! But many times I have wished to ask your advice and thought you too busy with your own business, for that is vast.'

  'Yes indeed, but I would have been delighted to help you. But what of Talbot? What is he? How does he help you?'

  'Why, he is seeking for an estate, and because he travels round the country, he has brought me messages from my mother, and my brother, and also been looking for suitable properties I might buy. There are, as you know, many that belonged to the rebels for sale, and as he was looking for himself, he looked for me too. We have spent hours looking at plans he has drawn up, until my head reels!'

  'He is planning to wed,' he said, looking at her suddenly.

  'Why yes,' she managed to answer without a pause. 'He has told me of her, and she sounds delightful, just the right girl for him!'

  'Then he does not mean to wed you?' he asked in a tight voice.

  'Faithful! What gave you that idea?'

  'I thought, when I heard he was to wed, and had heard also he left your house so late, that it was you!'

  'Oh, how can you think I deal with men in this sinful way? How long have you suspected me?'

  He put his head in his hands and wept.

  'I know not what to believe! We are told to beware of Eve, for she is false and leads men astray!'

  'What have you accused me of? Faithful, I am frightened!'

  He looked up at her, a cunning look in his face.

  'Do you swear to me that I am wrong? Can I trust you?'

  'I am not what you think me!' she answered indignantly. 'If, that is, the soldiers spoke truth when they came to arrest me. Have you truly accused me of adultery and of - oh, Faithful I blush to even think of it!'

  'I could think nought else! I was so angry and you tormented me so!'

  'I did not mean to hurt you. But I am afraid of what they will do to me. Can you not tell them you were mistaken?'

  'Are you a
ttempting to use me?' he demanded, suddenly suspicious.

  'You put me here,' she whispered. 'You must get me out. I have no one else to depend on. I shall die if I am forced to stay here in fear for much longer!'

  'I will cancel the charges,' he said slowly, looking firmly at her, 'if you will agree to wed me.'

  She looked at him in surprise. 'Why, I did not know, I - oh, Faithful!'

  'Why are you surprised?'

  'I had not thought of you a married man,' she said simply. 'I thought you despised such weaknesses of the flesh.'

  'I do, but they are not forbidden, and better we control them in lawful union than lead others into sin. You need to be controlled and guided, and I have decided to take you as my wife. I will withdraw the charges if you agree.'

  'I had not thought to marry again,' she said to give herself time to think.

  'I have not thought of it at all until these last few months. You will be safe from temptation under my roof.'

  'But Faithful, if you are willing to wed me, you cannot believe those charges you made. To save my suffering, withdraw them. I beg of you!'

  'Not until you agree. I have wrestled with my thoughts and come to see it is my duty to save you, and I am determined to give you no loophole to go back to your dangerous ways. When you have agreed, and not before, I will withdraw the charges. If you fail to agree, then I shall know you are guiltier than you would have me believe, and you will be punished. I will have no more to do with you. I will have to admit I have been a failure in my attempt to save you.'

  'I cannot decide so important a thing so suddenly, for as I told you, I did not think to wed again. Please, will you give me time to become accustomed to the idea before I commit myself?'

  He hesitated, but she stretched out her hand and laid it appealingly on his arm, and he shuddered, clasping it with his own.

  'Very well. I will return tomorrow.'

  Abruptly, as if afraid of her, he stood up and left the room, and she collapsed onto her chair half laughing, half crying at the thought of the man so pathetically lusting after her and so unwilling to recognize it, cloaking it with pious phrases, and turning his lust into a work he was doing for the sake of his God.

  Soon she sobered, and began to think of the situation. She was unsure of the power Faithful had as her accuser, and soon rang to beg for an interview with the Governor. She told him there was some doubt on the part of her accuser, who may have misunderstood some things he had seen.

  'If he withdraws the charges, can he place them again later?' she asked.

  'I doubt if he would have any reason to do that.'

  'But if he did? I could not rest easy if I thought that at any time I could be rearrested on these horrible charges!'

  'No magistrate would listen to him a second time. They would have to be new charges.'

  'I see, that relieves my mind greatly. I thank you.'

  The Governor bowed, and seemed prepared to stay, but Cherry smiled dismissal, and reluctantly he withdrew. She thought over the situation, and decided that in order to escape her plight she would have to pretend to Faithful that she would agree to his proposal. She would repudiate it later when she was free and safe from the charges. She had no compunction at using him so after what he had done to her, and no obligation to keep a promise extorted by force.

  When Faithful arrived the next day, therefore, she smiled shyly in welcome and held out her hand to him.

  'Well, Mistress? Have you decided?'

  'Aye, Faithful. I had not thought to wed again, as I told you, but since you want me so much, I would be wrong to refuse you.'

  He had been certain she would agree, for she could escape the charges no other way, but he was so overwhelmed to hear her saying so that for some moments he could do nothing but stare at her. She looked back calmly and unsmiling. Then, with a choking cry, he moved towards her, and took her in his arms.

  Cherry was tall, and he only just matched her height. He was elderly, thin and gaunt, but had a wiry strength. She flinched at his nearness, but he did not notice, and kissed her on the lips. She closed her eyes and concentrated on restraining her instinctive revulsion as his wet lips covered hers. She stood rigidly, enduring his embrace, until his hand crept tentatively to her breast. Then she moved abruptly, breaking away from him.

  'No, no, sir! Faithful, I am no bawd! What do you think to do?'

  He looked at her, breathing deeply. She turned away to hide the distress and dislike in her face.

  'Come, I am to take you away now,' he said harshly, and with relief she gathered together the few articles her housekeeper had brought her the previous day.

  The Governor was there to bid her farewell, and for an instant she hesitated, half wishing to throw herself on his protection. But she controlled the impulse, unsure of what it might lead to. She had to get outside the prison, and then she could deal with Faithful.

  In the street outside a coach was waiting, and Cherry allowed Faithful to help her into it. He stepped in after her and sat morosely as they drove along the streets, passing St Paul's, and into Canning Street. Cherry was watching the familiar sights as though she had been shut away from them for months instead of barely more than a day. She saw her own house, and began to gather her things together as they drew nearer, but to her sudden fear, the coach did not stop.

  'What is happening?' she asked sharply.

  'I am taking you to my house, my dear,' Faithful answered calmly.

  'Why?'

  'I prefer to do so. You have suffered a great shock, and I wish to see you recover from it property.'

  'I shall do that best in familiar surroundings,' she said angrily. 'Tell the man to stop!'

  'No, you will come with me. I do not trust you, and I do not intend to allow you to escape the promise you made. Women are as serpents, and must be held fast to tame them.'

  'I made my promise, but I will not be forced in this way,' she told him.

  'We will see.'

  They had reached the house where Faithful lived, and the coach stopped. Cherry wondered whether she could escape if she ran for freedom, but before she had decided to make the attempt, two burly men appeared at the door of the coach and pulled aside the curtain.

  'Take her inside,' Faithful ordered, and they grasped Cherry's arms and pulled her, protesting, out of the coach. She looked round desperately, but there were few people about and none seemed interested in what was happening. She tried to scream, but found one of her captors had been prepared, and clapped his hand over her mouth. Within seconds she was dragged inside the house, and taken to a room at the top.

  Faithful followed them up, and when she had been thrown unceremoniously onto the small bed in a corner of the room, he looked down at her triumphantly.

  'Now I have you! You thought to escape me, but you will not be able to repudiate your promise.'

  'You are despicable, and I would no more think of wedding with you than with the lowest scum of the kennels,' she said furiously. 'How can you expect me to accept you when you treat me so scurvily?'

  'You are unruly, and I mean to tame you. You have great beauty that has tormented me these many months, and I intend to make you pay for the temptations you have caused me. You will never again be the object of lascivious looks, for I shall keep you here until I have forced you to behave in a suitable manner.'

  'I will never wed you after you have behaved so treacherously to me!' she stormed at him.

  'Will you not?' He laughed. 'That is to be seen. In less than a week you will be crying for mercy, and willing to repent your sins. You will do all I ask.'

  'You underrate my aversion to you,' she said.

  'I will leave you now to your reflections. Do not think to escape, there will be a guard outside your door all the time. You cannot escape.'

  At that he left the room, and the door was locked. Cherry sat down to consider her situation. It was unlikely she could escape, but she might be able to bribe the guard to take a message for her. She had seen the
admiring looks the two men had given her as they brought her up the stairs, and thought they would be easy prey.

  She had not considered Faithful's cunning, however, for she did not see the guards alone, and as Faithful kept the only key to the room on his person, and came himself whenever the door was unlocked, she was limited in what she could do. She had tried to hold a conversation with the guard through the locked door, but the next time Faithful visited her he told her gloatingly that there was always one of his trusted servants outside the door with the guard, so no private conversation was possible.

  'You will not seduce them into betraying my trust,' he said. 'Now, have you considered whether you will obey me or do I have to show you I mean to obtain obedience?'

  She refused to speak, and he surveyed her grimly.

  'You will be hurt, and you will submit in the end. Be humble and submit now.'

  She would return no answer, and he left her. For two days he visited her mornings and evenings, but she refused to speak to him. For two days she was given nothing to eat, and only a small glass of water each day. On the third day that was omitted.

  On the following morning when Faithful appeared, Cherry was beginning to weaken bodily, but her determination to resist him was as strong as ever, and she returned no sign she heard him when he began to ask the same questions as he had asked every time he had seen her.

  'Are you willing to make good your promise? Will you wed me willingly? Has your stubborn sinfulness been driven from you yet?'

  Cherry made no sign, and he lost patience and came over to where she sat on a chair, and shook her roughly. She flung up her arm to shake him off, but he simply caught it and twisted it cruelly behind her. She bit her lips, dry and cracked from thirst, to prevent the cry of pain escaping from her.

  'You are a wicked jade, but I will master you yet.'

  He flung her from him and stalked out of the room, and Cherry sat nursing her arm, fighting to keep back the tears. By the time he came in the evening she was weak with her sufferings, for she had been four days without food, and two without water.

  'Here, take this,' Faithful said as he walked over to her.

  She was lying on the bed, feeling too ill to sit up. He thrust a glass in front of her, and roughly putting his arm behind her, pulled her into a sitting position. Cherry saw the glass, and allowed him to hold it to her lips. She gulped a mouthful as he tilted it, and felt the cool wine trickling down her parched throat. She thankfully drank more, and it was only when the worst pangs of thirst were relieved that she tasted the wine.

  She sat up suddenly, pushing Faithful away from her, and spilling what remained of the wine over her gown.

  'What have you given me? Have you poisoned me? That was doctored wine! '

  Faithful laughed. 'Not so, my dear, just a potion to make you more complaisant. It will have no bad effect on you, but you will do as I say, and when the magistrate comes here in the morning you will, in his presence, say the words that will bind you to me for ever.'

  'You fiend! I will not do it! You cannot keep me a prisoner for ever. I will let the whole world know of your base and wicked treatment of me!'

  'You will not be able to, my dear. You will, in the morning, be ready to do as I wish, and after that I shall have full control over you as my wife. I shall return soon to see how you do.'

  He left the room, and Cherry could already feel her limbs becoming slack. She struggled across the room, and managed to force herself to vomit into the bucket, but she had taken enough of the wine for it to have some effect, especially in her starving condition.

  Swaying dizzily, she managed to reach the small window set high in the wall, and pushed it open. It was far to small for her to attempt to escape through it, as she had discovered on the first day of her imprisonment, but the cool night air swept over her, and she breathed it in thankfully, wondering what else she might do to ward off the effects of the drug Faithful had tricked her into taking.

  She walked up and down the small room, very unsteadily, for she was exceedingly dizzy, but with an idea that if she kept moving she would be less likely to succumb to the drug. It was a tremendous effort, needing all her willpower and failing strength, but she kept doggedly walking up and down.

  It was about two hours later that Faithful returned. The guard who accompanied him carried candles which he set down on the table before withdrawing. Cherry blinked in the sudden glow, for it had grown dark during the past hour. She was still trying to walk about the room, dazed and only half aware of what she was doing, and she stumbled as Faithful caught at her arm.

  'Well, have you given in?'

  'No, never,' she whispered with returning consciousness of her surroundings, and undiminished determination to resist.

  He flung her from him, and she fell across the bed. He gestured to the guard, who left the room, and returned with a riding whip in his hand. Faithful took it, and jerked his head. The guard, with a half regretful look at Cherry, left the room and Faithful locked the door after him, then turned to Cherry who was watching him helplessly.

  'I will tame you,' Faithful declared. He seized Cherry's gown and tore it viciously. She tried to prevent him, but she was too weak to hinder him, and he had soon torn all her clothes from her. With a smile of satisfaction he stood for a moment gloating at her lovely body, then picked up the whip, and struck her with it across the legs. She gasped with pain, but did not cry out. He then brought the whip down on her stomach and again on her breasts. She cried out at that, and rolled over to shield herself, and he laughed with glee at this first sign of weakness he had been able to drag from her. Again the whip was raised, and he struck her several times across her back. She had clenched her teeth onto the pillow and managed to avoid crying out, but she could not prevent the shudders that racked her body as the whip descended time after time.

  The sight of her smooth flesh marred with the lashes from the whip, the luscious curves of her body, her long slender limbs, drove Faithful on until he was scarcely capable of realizing what he did. Suddenly he put down the whip, and with an animal cry began to tear off his own clothes. Cherry realized dimly he had ceased to beat her, and looked up fearfully. He was struggling to rid himself of his breeches, and she saw with revulsion his scrawny naked body. She also saw the whip he had discarded lying at the end of the bed, and tried to crawl towards it. But he was free of his clothes, and came at her, knocking the whip out of her feeble grasp.

  She was weak, and he was stronger than normal because of his lust and madness. He pushed her back onto the bed, and although she found a desperate strength to try and fight him off, she could do little. Soon he was able to fling himself on top of her, grunting with a mixture of triumph and pleasure. As he fumbled with her she made a last attempt to throw him off, then, realizing the futility of it, screamed in anguish, and almost lost her senses.

  It was with utter incomprehension that she suddenly felt his weight lifted from her, and for a few moments she lay inert. Then the sounds of movement in the room roused her and she turned her head towards the sound. Faithful was cowering in a corner, while a man was belaboring him furiously. With a cry of joy, Cherry saw it was Miles, and she struggled to sit up. Then she realized there were more sounds coming from the stairs outside, but before she could distinguish what these were, another man appeared in the doorway. Dimly she saw it was Dick Ashford.

  At that moment Miles turned from the thoroughly cowed Faithful, and both he and Dick stepped towards her. With a great effort she stood up and took a step towards Miles, holding her hands out to him.

  'Miles, my love!' she managed to say before he caught her to him, and she collapsed into a flood of tears.

  Gently he soothed her, murmuring endearments, while Dick looked on in wry sympathy. Then Miles glanced at Dick.

  'Can you find a robe or a cloak? One of the maids.'

  Dick nodded, and left the room, to return within a few moments with a cloak. Miles gently wrapped Cherry in it, and stood up with her in h
is arms.

  'I will carry her home. It is not far.'

  'What of this sorry crew?' Dick asked, indicating Faithful, who was moaning with pain as he lay on the floor.

  'He will cause no more harm, he will be too afraid. If you do,' Miles went on, turning to the cringing fellow, 'I will have you thrown out of the Company, and your chance of importance and your livelihood will be gone, and you will no more be respected by the Saints!'

  He turned away, and carried the semi-conscious girl down the stairs and out of the house. It was dark, and the streets were deserted. It took only a few minutes to reach Cherry's house, and Miles was soon laying her gently on her own bed. The housekeeper was hovering anxiously.

  'Some soothing balm, and warm water, then wine and broth,' Miles ordered, and when these had been brought, he proceeded to bathe the weals on Cherry's body, and cover them with ointment. Dick gave what help he could, while the housekeeper hurried away to supervise the preparation of a meal. Cherry recovered somewhat under his gentle administrations, and when he had finished, and wrapped her in a silk robe, she was able to sit up in bed and take the broth.

  Miles sat beside her, and insisted on feeding her himself, though she weakly protested she was able to feed herself.

  'You will allow me,' he said firmly, and she was too shaken by her experiences to argue.

  After a while she was feeling surprisingly better, and smiled at them with a little of her old gaiety.

  'Why do you not bring a table in here and eat while you tell me how you discovered me?' she suggested.

  'You are not fit for talk,' Miles protested.

  'I must. Please, my dear, do as I ask?'

  Reluctantly he agreed, and soon they were all three sitting on the bed, the men eating heartily, and Cherry nibbling the wing of a chicken.

  'How did you find where I was?' she asked.

  'I have just arrived back in London, and called to see if there was word from you. I thought you would still be in Norfolk,' Miles explained. 'I found Dick here, also newly back in town, talking with your housekeeper who was most concerned about you. She told us how you had been arrested, and how you had left the prison with Denham, but been heard of no more. We came straight to his house, and were immediately suspicious because of the villainous looking fellow who opened the door to us and tried to prevent our entering. We had to insist.'

  'Insist?' Dick laughed. 'If that is what you call it! He knocked the fellow out cold, and then fought his way through a gang of servants.'

  'A rabble, they offered no resistance,' Miles said drily.

  'Then he found another armed man on the stairs, and was dealing with him when he heard you scream. I have never seen a man move so fast. He pushed the man out of the way, and calmly ordered me to deal with him while he broke the door down. By the time I had finished off what he had begun with this guard fellow, he was beating the life out of Denham.'

  Cherry shuddered. 'Thank God you came, my love, for I could not have fought him off any longer! He had drugged me, after starving me for four days,' she explained, and Miles' eyes grew dark with anger.

  'All this, to have his way with you?' he asked.

  'No, I do not think he intended that, but was carried away. He said it was to force me to wed him.'

  Dick laughed. 'The old goat! So he had some red blood in him after all! Poor Cherry!'

  'I will kill him if he dares to lay a finger on you again!' Miles declared slowly.

  Dick raised his eyebrows. 'And you, my friend? Cherry has found a worthy champion.'

  'You would have done as much for her,' Miles said, smiling at him.

  'Aye, but she had eyes for no one but you. You are a fortunate fellow. May I congratulate you.'

  'Dick, Miles and I are to be married.' Cherry said, holding out her hand to him. He took it and held it gently, looking affectionately at her.

  'He is the most fortunate man alive. I wish it could have been me.'

  'You will stay our friend?'

  'Of course, and be glad to. I could not tear myself away completely from the enchanting Cherry! But now, it would be tactful of me to leave. May I come to the wedding?'

  'Dick, you are a dear! Kiss me farewell.'

  With a mischievous look at Miles, Dick complied, lingering as long as he could, until Cherry laughingly pushed him away.

  'Take care, Miles is a jealous lover.'

  'But it is my last chance, I must make the most of it.'

  With a cheerful wave of the hand, he left them, and Miles held Cherry gently.

  'I will never leave you again, to get into such pickles,' he said, half jokingly.

  'I am safe now.'

  'Will you go to Flanders when we are wed, and await me?'

  'No, my dear. We have work to do. I must go to Norfolk and discover who this man Cotes is, and you, I imagine, have new instructions?'

  'Aye, but I cannot bear the thought of your being in danger.'

  'I will not be, for we will be together. Will you come to Norfolk with me?'

  He laughed. 'Aye, when these cuts are healed, and we are safely wed, we will journey round the country together. If you cannot drum up support for the King, no one will be able to!'

  'And we are still undiscovered here. I can go on working amongst the Parliamentmen.'

  'Not in the same way as before.'

  'No,' she agreed. 'I will reserve my wiles for you in the future!'

  ###

  THE END

  Marina Oliver has written over 75 novels, all are available as ebooks.

  Please see the latest information on Marina's web site:

  https://www.marina-oliver.net.

  You might like some of my other novels set in the Civil War:

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  The war is almost over, though Caro is hardly aware of it in their peaceful Exmoor valley.

  Her isolation ends when Lord Robert Ashring rides past and asks for shelter for his men. Caro fears the loss of horses and food, and in defending her home she wounds Lord Ashring by a glancing shot to his head. Aghast, Caro nurses him while his men ride to join Prince Rupert at Bristol. As he recovers they grow close.

  The news is bad for King and Royalists. Just as Robert is well enough to leave, Roundhead soldiers arrive to search the house. Caro hides Robert in a priest's hole, and the men depart, thwarted. One of Peter's childhood friends, John Culham, arrives and threatens to search the hiding place which he knows from boyhood.

  *

  A Civil Conflict

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  Highland Destiny

  After the Battle of Naseby Sir John Emrey brings a dying Highland chieftain's heir to his home, and promises to restore his sword to his clan.

  When his mother and sister Blanche are drive
n from their home in the north of England, they plan to go to relatives in Ireland after delivering the sword, but are persuaded to stay in Scotland where Blanche becomes a friend and companion to Fiona Macdonald, the new heir.

  Sir John goes to fight with Montrose, while Fiona is beseiged with suitors eager to take control of her inheritance.

  There are her cousins, and her neighbour the Black Campbell.

  And there is danger from her aunt and uncle, the next in line to rule the clan.

  ***