"Nay, you refuse to understand!" Ebenezer protested. "I'm not what you think I am at all!"
"So I begin to grasp, young rascal!"
"Pray, hear me — "
"Peace, Sir Benjamin," McEvoy laughed, but Ebenezer saw alarm in his eyes. "Thou'rt embarrassing Henrietta with your forwardness. Out on't, Madame Russecks, methinks we'd best forego the tea, to spare your lovely daughter farther blushes; by'r leave, I'll ask her to take me once again through the mill, to inspect more closely what I only glimpsed before."
To this bald proposition Mrs. Russecks only replied, "I'm not disposed to keep a man from His Majesty's business, sir; yet if on the grounds of your commission you decide to try the machinery as well as inspect it, I ask you to bear in mind two things. ."
"Anything, madame: 'tis thine to command."
"First, then, albeit we have your statement for't that you've inspected many a mill before, you must remember that this one is unaccustomed to inspection. 'Tis very dear to me, e'en precious, sir; for all my husband claims it as his own, 'tis not o' his making at all, but came to him with my dowry, as't were. Moreover, we've our reputation to think of, and albeit 'tis a perfectly harmless thing thou'rt commissioned to, if 'twere generally known what thou'rt about, certain ill-minded gossips would make a scandal of't. In sum, inspect and try what ye will, Mr. McEvoy, but be gentle and discreet as becomes an officer of the King."
McEvoy bowed, "I pledge my life on't, lady."
"And you, Henrietta," Mrs. Russecks said more sternly. "Bear in mind that the mill is a perilous place for novices."
"Methinks I know my way around it well enough, Mother!"
"Very well, but mind your step and stay alert for trouble." With this advice the couple left, and Mrs. Russecks turned to Ebenezer with a proud smile.
"Fetch me into the house, Sir Benjamin, and we'll attend to the pressing business that so distracts you."
Ebenezer sighed; it was chilly outside, and he was blind neither to Mrs. Russecks's beauty nor to her flattering invitation. Nevertheless, as soon as they were seated in her parlor he declared that he was not Sir Benjamin Oliver nor any other knight, and that neither he nor his companion were traveling in any official capacity.
"As for my actual identity, I am ashamed of't, but I'll tell it readily — "
"Indeed you shan't!" Mrs. Russecks commanded, with some heat. "Methinks thou'rt younger in the ways of the world than becomes thy years! Do you take me for a whore, sir, that swives all comers in the stews?"
"Prithee, nay, ma'am!"
"You've seen what a gross, unmannered bully is my husband," she went on sharply. "Once in my youth I grew to despise the race of men, and to loathe in myself those things that aroused their lust and mine: 'twas in contempt of life I married Harry Russecks, so that every time he forced me like a slavering brute of the woods, he'd strengthen twice over my opinion of his sex."
"Mercy, ma'am! I scarce know what to think! Many's the time I've pitied woman's lot, and reviled men's coarseness; yet a man is nine parts nature's slave in such matters, methinks, and in any case I assure you not all men are so coarse as your husband." He stopped, covered with confusion by the unintended insult. "What I mean to say — "
"No matter." Mrs. Russecks's face softened; she smiled and laid her hand upon Ebenezer's. "What you just told me, I knew in my heart all along, and soon saw the folly of my marriage. Yet I was and still am victim of another folly, that I got like a family illness from my father: I was too proud to renounce a grand course once I'd embarked on't, e'en though I saw 'twould lead to naught but pain and revulsion. In lieu of admitting my blunder and leaving the Province, I resolved to make the best of't; I vowed I'd lose no opportunity to redeem myself for scorning good men along with bad. That, sir, explains your presence here, and what you no doubt took to be immodest encouragement on our part — I feel more pity for Henrietta than for myself, inasmuch as 'twas none of her choice to live with such a jealous and vigilant despot. Yet albeit I own we've behaved like tarts, sir, I beg you remember that we're not: 'twas to a knight I opened my door and e'en good Guinevere played harlot for a knight! To tell me now thou'rt only Ben the factor's son, or Slim Bill Bones the sailor — 'twere less than delicate, Sir Benjamin, were it not?"
While speaking she played distractedly with Ebenezer's hand, stroking down each bony finger-top with her index nail; at the end she raised her excellent brown eyes, furrowed her brows in whimsical appeal and smiled a little crooked smile. Ebenezer's cheeks burned; his nose and eyebrows jerked and twitched.
"Dear lady — " It was time to make a move; he must embrace her at once, or throw himself upon his knees to protest his ardor — but though the feelings so at odds within his breast were strangely different from those he'd known in other passionate impasses, he was unable to bring himself to do what the moment called for. "I beg you, madam: take no offense — "
Mrs. Russecks drew back. Bewilderment was followed at once in her expression by disbelief, which gave way in its turn to wrath.
"Prithee, don't misunderstand — "
" 'Tis not likely I shall, d'ye think?" she said furiously. "Or will you tell me thou'rt a Christian saint disguised, that hath such a nice regard for husband's honor!"
"He is a boor," Ebenezer assured her. "What horns he wears, he hath more than earned by's callous — "
"Then the truth is plain," she snapped. "Your friend stole the filly and left you to ride the foundered jade!"
"Nay, madam, b'm'faith! I've no wish to change places with McEvoy, believe me!"
"Hear the wretch! He finds the pair of us sour to's taste, nor scruples to tell us so to our faces! And you call my husband callous?"
Up to this point Ebenezer had spoken gently, even timidly, in his fear of wounding the lady's pride. But among the curious new emotions that possessed him was a strange self-assurance, such as he'd never felt before in a woman's presence. He scarcely bothered to wonder where he had acquired it, but on the strength of it caught her hand, held it fast against her efforts to wrench free, and pressed it against his chest. "Feel my heart!" he ordered. "Is that the pulse of a Christian saint? Can you believe I sit here coldly?"
Mrs. Russecks made no reply; an uncertain, irritated disdain took the place of her initial anger.
Ebenezer spoke on, still clasping her hand. "Thou'rt no child, Mrs. Russecks; surely you can see you have possessed me with desire! Nay, only twice in my life have I burned so, and both times — i'Christ, the memory scalds me with remorse! — both times I came within an ace of committing rape upon the woman I loved! And 'sblood, thou'rt handsome — by far the comeliest lady I've seen in Maryland! Thou'rt the masterwork whereof your Henrietta's but a copy!"
In the face of these protestations, the miller's wife could maintain but a pouting remnant of her ire. "What is't unmans you then?" She could not restrain a smile, or Ebenezer a blush, when even as she spoke she noticed that he was in a condition far from unmanly. "Or better, since I see for a fact thou'rt ardent, what holds you back? Is't fear of my husband?"
Ebenezer shook his head.
"Then where's the rub?" Her voice began to show fresh irritation. "Is't that ye fear I'm poxed like many another strumpet? 'Tis a wondrous prudent ravisher, i'faith, that asks his victims for a bill o' health!"
"Stay, you slander yourself, madam! I swear to Heav'n this is the rarest opportunity of my life: who wins thy favors wins a splendid prize; the world must regard him with awe and envy! 'Twere a rare, a singular pleasure to accept so sweet a gift; 'tis a rare and singular pain to say you nay, and would be e'en if my rejection were no insult — " He paused and smiled. "Dear lady, you little dream the whole and special nature your appeal bears for me!"