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wise for them to know that we celebrate the Mass in this house.”
    “I am so weary of these conflicts,” I assured her. “You can rely on me to say nothing of the matter.”
    “It would seem,” said Honey, “that there is a movement from the True Religion.”
    “Which is the true?” I said angrily. “You say the road to Rome is the right one because Edward believes that and it was necessary for you to before you married him. We know that members of our own family take the Protestant view. Who is right?”
    “Of course Edward is right … we are right.”
    “In matters of religion it seems all people believe they are right and all who disagree with them wrong. For this very reason I refuse to side with either.”
    “Then you are without religion.”
    “I think I can be a better Christian by not hating those who disagree with me. I do not care for doctrines, Honey. They bring too much suffering. I will go along with neither. I’m tired now, and in no mood for a theological discussion tonight.”
    She rose.
    “All I beg of you, Catharine, is be careful.”
    “You may trust me.”
    She kissed me lightly on the cheek and went out; and I thought how fortunate she was with her adoring husband, her startling beauty and her certainty that she had found the True Faith.
    But my thoughts were almost immediately back with our visitors. I looked out across the sea and there was his ship at anchor; soon I thought, I shall be at this window watching it sail away. And I pictured him on the deck, shouting orders, legs astride, defying anyone to disobey him; I saw him with a cutlass in his hand boarding a Spanish ship; I saw the blood run from the cutlass; I heard his triumphant laugh; and I saw him with the golden coins in his hands, letting them run through his fingers while his eyes gleamed as covetously as they had when they had rested on me.
    I shook myself. I went to bed and was vaguely irritated because I could not get the man out of my mind.
    I awoke. My room was full of moonlight. I was not sure how long I had been asleep. I lay very still listening to the sounds of the countryside—the sudden rustle of leaves; the hooting of an owl. Why had I who usually slept so soundly awakened in this way? Had something startled me?
    I closed my eyes preparing to drift back into sleep when I heard the clock in the tower strike three. It was an unusual clock and all callers at the house went out into the courtyard to look at it. It was adorned with the figure of a man who resembled the late King Henry VIII, father of our Sovereign; he struck a bell to give the hour. It was quite a curio here—although at home we had one or two unusual clocks.
    Three o’clock. I rose and put on my fur-edged wrap. I went to the window and looked out. My gaze went at once to the Rampant Lion, but it did not stay there, for farther out to sea was a magnificent sight, such a ship as I had never seen before. She towered above the water. She was majestic. I knew little of ships except what I had learned since coming here; but I did not notice that the forecastle instead of projecting over the bows rose straight up from the jutting forepeak.
    I had never seen such a stately ship. Beside her the Rampant Lion looked small and insignificant.
    I sat for some time watching this beautiful ship, and as I did so I saw a bobbing light on her and then on the water a dark speck. It disappeared and then appeared again. It was coming nearer. I watched. It was a small boat which was being rowed to the shore.
    I looked at the Rampant Lion again. I thought: I wish he could see this fine ship. I wish he could compare his precious Lion with that one.
    I saw quite clearly the little boat bobbing about on the water. Then it disappeared and I could see it no more; I looked in vain for it. The great ship remained and I watched and waited, but nothing more happened.
    I heard the clock in the courtyard strike four and I realized that I was cold.
    The ship was still there, but