A Rose for the Crown Read Online Free PDF

sunning themselves against the bank. There was not much joy for Kate in their clandestine feast as she pondered a plausible story to tell Martha. The boys squabbled over the food, and Matty, whose special day they all had been bent on celebrating, fell fast asleep.
K ATE SUFFERED THE WORST PUNISHMENT . The responsibility she had been given for the safety of her siblings was rescinded, at least for the time being, and wise Martha, knowing that being nursemaid to Matty was one of the joys in Kate’s life, took away that privilege for a week, even though it would put an extra burden on her own shoulders. Instead, Katewas to help pick the apples that were being harvested, and, until the light was gone, she was to mend the family’s clothes without Martha’s help.
Ugh! thought Kate, to whom sewing was tantamount to purgatory. “Yes, Mother,” was all she said aloud.
The two boys were chastised but not punished. Kate had fabricated an elaborate tale about Fenris being caught in an otter trap in the stream and his yowls forcing her to disobey her mother and go to the river with Geoff to help the dog. Unfortunately, instead of trusting her luck and stopping there, Kate blithely continued in her lie, inventing Geoff’s heroism in the incident as the reason for his wet clothes. “If it hadn’t been for him, Fenris might have drowned. . . .”
John’s fist crashed down on the table. “Enough!” he shouted at her. The whole family jumped. “Enough of your lies, girl! Go to bed immediately!”
Kate fled up the stairs in tears. She got under the blanket fully clothed and listened as her parents spoke sternly to the boys before they, too, clambered into bed beside her. They whispered their prayers in unison, and soon Kate could hear them lightly snoring. She thought guiltily of the ease with which she had told the lie and offered an extra prayer to the infant Jesus to forgive her. She finally fell asleep and dreamed of sitting beside a stream, surrounded by mounds of clothes, her finger bleeding so profusely from carelessly plying the needle and her tears of frustration so free-flowing that her gown was soaked through.
The next day, as Kate churned the butter alone in the corner of the kitchen, she was dismayed to see her father at the door. He would usually be out in the field at this time of day. He pulled up a stool and told her to stop what she was doing. She held her breath.
“Why did you lie to your mother?” John asked sternly. “Have we not taught you right from wrong? Good from bad? Lying is wrong, Kate, and you shamed us with it last night.”
Kate reddened and hung her head. “Aye, Father, I know.”
“Lying begets more lying until a body cannot even remember the truth. God teaches us not to bear false witness, my child, and you must learn to obey His laws.”
“I be sorry, Father.”
“That be what I wanted to hear, child. Now go and apologize to your mam. When you have said your piece, come to the orchard.”
Kate bowed her head, wiped her hands on her apron and went to find her mother.
W HEN THE SUN WAS SETTING , Kate found her father enjoying a quiet moment at the foot of a gnarled apple tree after toiling all day. She sat down beside him. His face was impassive, but when she curled her hand into his, she was rewarded with a smile.
“Do you hate me, Father?”
“Don’t be daft, child. Of course, I don’t. I know you for a good girl, but you needed to learn a lesson.” He paused. “Are you ready to learn another?”
“Aye, Father,” Kate said, with some trepidation.
“This one be not as simple, but I think I can make you understand. I believe your lie was confused with loyalty.”
“Loyalty? What be loyalty?” Kate asked eagerly, relieved that she was not to be punished again.
“’Tis when you stand by someone you love or honor and do not desert him even in the bad times. You lied for Geoff, didn’t you? I be certain ’twas that young rascal got into trouble and you rescued him with a lie so he