The Witch from the Sea Read Online Free PDF

way to treat your guests,” began my mother.
    “My lady, it is no fault of mine. I did not know he would be here this night. It is only last week that he came. He does not usually come so often. I have a very nice room …”
    “No,” said my mother, but she was very uneasy. Outside it was dark. If we left the inn where could we go? There would not be another for some miles. The horses were tired. We would have to stay; and yet she was in revolt against the arrogant churlish behaviour of this man.
    “My lady,” said the innkeeper. “You do not know Squire Colum Casvellyn.”
    “If that is the name of that oaf I do not wish to.”
    “Ah, my lady, we cannot always help these things. I can prepare a good room for you. It is not our best room but it is a good room and there you can spend the night in peace.”
    “You have forgotten that you gave us the Oak Room.”
    “I do not forget, Madam, but Squire Casvellyn can make great trouble. He is a man who must be obeyed. I could not say what would happen to us all if I refused to allow him to have the Oak Room.”
    “I will speak of this with my daughter,” said my mother.
    He nodded. We went into the inn parlour which mercifully was deserted. Jennet followed us and sat some little distance away. My mother said impatiently: “Take that look off your face, Jennet. That braggart wouldn’t look your way. You’re an old woman now.”
    Jennet simpered. I was always amazed by her imperturbability. My mother once told me that she had always been like that. No matter what had happened in the past; when she had been the victim of men’s lust, as she had frequently, she had accepted her fate without a qualm, although, as my mother said, she would never have been an unwilling victim in those circumstances.
    “The wisest thing to do would be to take the smaller room,” said my mother. “I wish your father were here.”
    “Then there would be a fight. I should not like that.”
    “Your father would make short work of him.”
    I was not so sure. I saw in this man something akin to my father and he was many years younger.
    “But my father is not here. How I hate giving way to him!”
    “I also. But what would happen if we refused to leave that room? He would be there too. He might throw us out. What sort of night should we have then? No, ’tis better to accept the other room and behave with dignity. But when your father hears of this he will not allow it to pass.”
    I could see that she was right. We were not in a position to fight against him, and his remark that he might share the room with us had upset me.
    “Let us then tell the landlord to give us his next best room. We deplore the ill manners of his guest but as he will do nothing about it we must needs accept this insult.”
    My mother sent Jennet for the landlord. He came, his hands under his apron trembling, I’m sure. I felt sorry for the man.
    “We have decided we can do nothing but accept your offer of another room.”
    Relief flooded the poor man’s face. “You are wise, Madam,” he said. “I promise you that everything shall be done …”
    “I can see,” said my mother, “that this is no fault of yours. Tell me who is this man who strikes such terror into you and your servants?”
    “He is the lord of Castle Paling—a man greatly feared in these parts. He is the lord of the neighbourhood. It has always been so with the Casvellyns. They own much of the land hereabouts. He could turn us out of our homes if we displeased him. He would have no mercy. His father was lord of us all but he was but a shadow of his son.”
    “You live in terror of him?”
    “He does not come this way so often. That is why since he was here last week I did not think he would come again. He pays well for his lodging here. He is not one to stint. There is grandeur at Castle Paling I have heard. My daughter once went there.”
    “Your daughter … Nessie,” I said sharply.
    The landlord looked embarrassed and the thought