The Merchant of Vengeance Read Online Free PDF

as you prepare to receive your new husband in your wedding bed, conceal your counterfeit virginity within, and as your husband consummates the marriage, the resulting flow shall surely satisfy him of your purity."
    Elizabeth stared at her friend with open mouthed astonishment. "God's mercy, Antonia! You take my breath away and nearly leave me speechless! However do you learn such things?"
    Antonia shrugged. "The same way that you have learned them now. One woman passes on wisdom to another. 'Tis the ancient way."
    "And the woman who passed this wisdom on to you," Elizabeth replied, "would not be a woman by the name of Granny Meg, by any chance?"
    It was Antonia's turn to look surprised. "And how would you know of Granny Meg?"
    "Mayhap I do not know so little of the world as you may think," Elizabeth said with a touch of defensive smugness. "As it happens, I have had occasion to consult with Granny Meg myself."
    "You? Gone to see a witch?"
    "Do you find that so surprising?" asked Elizabeth, a bit annoyed that she should be thought so innocent, especially by someone younger than herself.
    "What did you go to see her for?" Antonia asked. "Was it to obtain a love potion?"
    "I hardly think I should require a love potion," said Elizabeth.
    "From what I can see, love brings naught but trouble to its victims."
    "What then? What did she give you?" asked Antonia eagerly.
    "Was it a charm of warding? A binding spell to hold off your father's wishes for you? Or did she, perhaps, work a spell of divination to foretell your future?"
    "Never you mind what Granny Meg did," Elizabeth replied. "'Twas between the two of us, and let that be an end to it. I would >not have said as much save that you were so smug in thinking you knew more than I did about everything. In any event, some things are best left unspoken, and so I shall say no more."
    Antonia's eyes grew wide. "Oooh, 'twas something nasty, was it not?"
    "Twas some black magic that she worked for you?"
    Elizabeth said nothing. She merely looked away.
    Antonia's hand went to her mouth. "Oh! I knew it! 'Twas something dark and terrible!"
    It was, of course, nothing of the kind, but Elizabeth was not about to tell Antonia that. She merely gave her a sidelong glance and said, “I shall not speak of it."
    Antonia gasped and shrank away from her. "Elizabeth! What have you done? You have involved yourself with witchcraft! Oh, how could you?"
    "Why, I have done no more than you," Elizabeth replied. "Nay, I never!"
    "You never what?"
    "I never went to Granny Meg!" Antonia said.
    "You said you did!"
    "I never did!" Antonia protested. "I merely asked you how you knew of her!"
    "Antonia! You told me that you had been to see a cunning woman, that 'twas she who told you of the trick to counterfeit virginity!"
    "I never told you that I had been to see a cunning woman," Antonia replied. "I said that you should go to see a cunning woman if you wished to fool a husband into believing that you were a virgin when you were truly not; I never said that I had gone to see a cunning woman myself!"
    Elizabeth folded her arms and scowled at her friend. "Antonia, you purposely led me to believe that was just what you had done!"
    "Well… perhaps I did," Antonia replied, "but I did not lie!
    And I did not mean to deceive you."
    "I think that was precisely what you meant to do," Elizabeth said. "And I can see that I shall have to be more careful what I tell you in the future."
    "Oh, that was unkind!" Antonia said. "Elizabeth, I would never betray your trust! Surely, you must know that!"
    "I am not certain that I do," Elizabeth replied. "But I suppose that we shall see.
    Time shall tell how well you keep a confidence.
    "I shall never tell a soul, I swear it!"
    "If you do, Antonia, then I may go see Granny Meg about another sort of charm," Elizabeth replied.
    Antonia brought both hands up to her mouth. "Elizabeth! You wouldn't!"
    "See if I would not!"
    Antonia swallowed hard, her eyes very wide. "I shall be as silent