travel books: could deny that Elizabeth was great. As Rodney had said, men were ready to live and, if necessary, to die for her and to count their lives either way of little consequence. And yet she was just a woman. Lizbeth remembered the throb in Rodney's voice and felt a strange sensation she had never known before. Although the idea was almost laughable, it was almost a jealousy that any woman, even if she were a Queen, should draw men to her in such a wav that she held not only their lives, but their hearts in her hands and took such devotion as her just due. And then it seemed to Lizbeth in that moment she learned an important lesson, one which should be taught to all her sex. She learnt that in a greater or lesser degree every woman should be to a man an inspiration, a spur, an ideal and last of all, a goal to which he must strive endlessly. For a moment Lisbeth felt frightened by the magnitude of this; and then, standing on that sun-baked deck with hands scurrying around her, the sound of the blacksmith's hammer in her ears and the lap of the waves beneath her feet, she smiled with an inner satisfaction and a sense of power that she had never known before. She, too, was a woman, although for the moment no one was aware of it! Dinner at twelve was a hastily snatched meal, but at least Lizbeth had Rodney to herself for a few minutes. They neither of them took much note of what they were eating and Rodney seemed for once to have forgotten his anger and resentment at her presence, and talked away as easily and without reserve as if they, had been at Camfield. He told Lizbeth further details of his investigation the night before. " The Indian boy went into the village to find out the latest news and then came back to where I was hidden," he said. "He learnt that the steering of the Santa Perpetua has been repaired and that the ship is to leave at dawn. But there is to be a party ashore to-night. The natives have been commanded to find half a dozen bullocks and a dozen fat pigs. They were in revolt at the idea, but I gave them money and both the bullocks and the pigs will be there and a great number of casks of native wine." " What is that like?" Lizbeth asked. books

Books > Old Books > Elizabethan Lover (1953)

Page 112

CHAPTER SEVEN

could deny that Elizabeth was great. As Rodney had said, men were ready to live and, if necessary, to die for her and to count their lives either way of little consequence. And yet she was just a woman.
Lizbeth remembered the throb in Rodney's voice and felt a strange sensation she had never known before. Although the idea was almost laughable, it was almost a jealousy that any woman, even if she were a Queen, should draw men to her in such a wav that she held not only their lives, but their hearts in her hands and took such devotion as her just due.
And then it seemed to Lizbeth in that moment she learned an important lesson, one which should be taught to all her sex. She learnt that in a greater or lesser degree every woman should be to a man an inspiration, a spur, an ideal and last of all, a goal to which he must strive endlessly.
For a moment Lisbeth felt frightened by the magnitude of this; and then, standing on that sun-baked deck with hands scurrying around her, the sound of the blacksmith's hammer in her ears and the lap of the waves beneath her feet, she smiled with an inner satisfaction and a sense of power that she had never known before. She, too, was a woman, although for the moment no one was aware of it!
Dinner at twelve was a hastily snatched meal, but at least Lizbeth had Rodney to herself for a few minutes. They neither of them took much note of what they were eating and Rodney seemed for once to have forgotten his anger and resentment at her presence, and talked away as easily and without reserve as if they, had been at Camfield. He told Lizbeth further details of his investigation the night before.
" The Indian boy went into the village to find out the latest news and then came back to where I was hidden," he said. "He learnt that the steering of the Santa Perpetua has been repaired and that the ship is to leave at dawn. But there is to be a party ashore to-night. The natives have been commanded to find half a dozen bullocks and a dozen fat pigs. They were in revolt at the idea, but I gave them money and both the bullocks and the pigs will be there and a great number of casks of native wine."
" What is that like?" Lizbeth asked.