The Lion Triumphant by Philippa Carr

know what.
    I went into the punch room, which I supposed was the most likely place to find them.
    They were not there. I drew aside the curtain and mounted the stone stairs to the solarium. This was a large room with a curtain placed halfway which could be pulled to divide it. The curtains were pulled and I went through to the second room. There was no one there. Then I heard their voices and guessed where they were. At the end of the solarium was a door which opened into a small chamber and inside this chamber high in the wall was a peep—a star-shaped hole which was scarcely perceptible. Through this one could look down to the hall to see who was arriving.
    The door of this chamber was now shut and as I walked toward it I heard the sound of voices.
    They must be there.
    “Honey,” I called. “Are you there?”
    There was a short silence. Then Honey’s voice said: “Yes, yes, Catharine. We … we’re here.”
    I opened the door. Edward and Honey were seated at a table and the peddler sat with them.
    Honey said: “We were just about to look at the pack. I wanted Edward to see something.”
    I said I would like to have another look at them. I bought some cambric to make a petticoat and Honey bought some needles and thread.
    There was nothing of interest to Edward and I wondered why Honey had brought the peddler into the house.
    Edward appeared to be rather tense and there was a pulse beating in his temple which I hadn’t noticed before.
    Three nights after the day the peddler came I saw the galleon again. The Pennlyons were still away, but I expected them to be back at any time. I awoke as I had on that other occasion. It was three o’clock in the morning. I wondered what had awakened me. There was something going on. In my sleep I had been aware of unaccustomed sounds—or had I been half awake? The great harvest moon—almost full—shone into the room; I rose and went to the window: and there was the galleon in all its glory, its four masts clearly visible—the tallest and most majestic ship I had ever seen.
    The Rampant Lion, dwarfed beside it, made me laugh. I wished that he could be here at this moment. How I should like him to see that other ship! But the idea of wishing that he could be with me for any reason whatsoever was so contrary to my wishes that I must laugh at myself.
    Then I saw the boat on the moonlit waters; it was clearly making for the shore. I knew then that it contained someone from the galleon.
    I could hear Jake Pennlyon’s voice: “By God’s Death, it would seem that you are describing a Spanish galleon.”
    He hadn’t believed I had in fact seen what I claimed to. He had pooh-poohed the idea of a Spanish galleon daring to enter the harbor.
    As I watched, the rowing boat disappeared as it had on that other night. I did not return to bed. I sat watching.
    Half an hour passed. The galleon was still there. Then I heard movements below. I looked down and saw a light in the courtyard. Instinct told me that the movement below was in some way connected with the galleon. Something was happening and my curiosity needed to be satisfied. I wrapped a robe about me and putting on slippers, I descended the staircase and went down to the courtyard.
    As the cool night airs enveloped me I heard voices—quietly whispering. I saw the lantern and there was Edward and with him a stranger. I slipped back into the house, my heart beating fast. I ran swiftly to the solarium chamber and looked down through the peep. Edward had come into the hall and with him was the stranger. I could see them only vaguely in the dim light. They were talking earnestly; then Edward led the stranger up the stairs to the punch room and I could see them no more.
    I was bewildered, but I was sure that someone had come from the Spanish galleon to see Edward.
    I went to my room. The galleon had started to move. I stood there watching as she slipped below the horizon.
    I was possessed by a sudden fear. Edward, who seemed so gentle, was