“Alas!” quoth Captain Trevor at this part of Rose’s story. “An I had known this, Mistress Rose, an hour ago, we would have given the smooth-tongued knaves a dozen extra stripes apiece. I cannot abear your foxy villains that say fine things to your face and are plotting against you in their hearts. However, we made their backs smart.”
All went well, continued Rose, until they reached the wayside inn between Thrybergh and Rotherham, which was towards the end of the afternoon. When they had come to this point they informed her that the house where her father lay was now close at hand, and that they would stable their horses at the inn, and then conduct her to it across the fields. Even then she had felt no suspicion, and followed the men with confidence to the house in the wood. When they were at the door, one of the men, namely, the innkeeper, retired, and the other took her inside and put her in charge of the woman. Rose now wished to be taken immediately to her father, but the woman put her off with the excuse that he had fallen into a deep slumber, from which he must not be disturbed at that time. After this she conducted Rose to an apartment and left her, promising to fetch her to the sick man as soon as he should give signs of waking. The woman, however, had no sooner gone away from the chamber than the door opened and Dennis Watson appeared before her.
Now, it did not at first so much surprise Rose to see Dennis, because she thought that he had chanced to be in the neighbourhood and had been made aware of her father’s condition, and she therefore immediately made inquiry of him as to Philip Lisle’s health. He answered this question by assuring her that so far as he knew her father’s health was in the best of conditions, and begged her to forgive him for the trick he had played upon her in order to bring about that meeting. For he was, he protested, dying with love for her, and believing that all things were fair in love and war, he had not scrupled to resort to stratagem to secure her. After which he renewed his professions and besought her to fly with him out of the country.
Now, when Rose fully understood how she had been served, her indignation rose to such a height that she told her mind very plainly to the villain before her, and informed him that she now knew him to be a liar and a very sorry knave, finally commanding him to stand out of her path and let her go out of his presence, which did but offend her. At which, she continued, he grew very red with passion and altered his tune, threatening her as much as he had formerly coaxed her. For she must remember, he said, that there was no help for her, because she was entirely in his power, and could count on help from no earthly being. Wherefore he bade her consider matters afresh, and then retired, locking the door behind him, so that she was a prisoner. In this way she continued until the next day, seeing no one but the woman of the house, who brought her food and waited upon her, and whom she tried to bribe with promises of reward, but with no effect. Nevertheless, she did not lose heart, knowing right well that her friends would come to rescue her sooner or later.
The next day Dennis again appeared before her, and again made many protestations of his passion for her, to which she answered that his actions gave the lie to his words. After that he again resorted to threats, which she scorned as before, telling him that she did not fear him and promising him, moreover, sound punishment for his misdeeds. This caused him to withdraw again, having first told her that she should be kept in close confinement until she was more reasonably disposed towards him. In this way the succeeding days passed, Rose being strictly guarded by the man and his wife, while Dennis appeared at least once a day to plead his evil cause, hoping that the imprisonment would eventually break his captive’s resolution. But though Rose became anxious and concerned, she did not cease to rate him soundly for his misdeeds, and upon the day previous to our arrival she let him know how much she abhorred and despised him; whereupon he swore an oath that he would use foul means if he could do naught with fair, and bade her take two days to decide whether she could give him no better answer. After which he left the house, telling the men that he was going to Castle Hill and should return on the second day at the