Mistress Penwick

Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Josephine Paolucci and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team.
Contents
If the ship sails at dawn, then I must hasten to tell my mistress of the departure, and—of her father's letter.
I am loath to let yonder tide take her away so soon, Janet.
But my master's words are a positive command to leave Quebec at once, and Janet's eyes fell to the imperative line at the close of her letter which read: In God's name, good nurse, take my baby to England in all haste.
Aye, our noble patron's desire must be carried out! and the Mother Superior without further lament went from the small cell.
When the last echo of her footsteps had died away, Janet Wadham cautiously opened the inner door and passed to the cell adjoining, and to the low couch upon which lay her mistress in sound slumber.
Fondly she noted the beauty of her charge; the heavy waving hair gleaming in the fading light a bronze-like amber, the white forehead, the arched brow, the glow of health upon lip and cheek, the slender neck, the slope of shoulders, and the outline of a perfect form.
Then the maid stirred and opened her eyes. Her whole body thrilled with the awakening.
Ah, 'twas like the bursting of a bud! How dost feel now, Mistress?
I am not ill at all. I am a martyr to thy imagination. Dost remember the time, Janet, I drowsed in the chapel and thou didst make me drink bitterwort for a fortnight? and the girl's voice rung out in soft laughter.