Page 41 of Lion and the Lamb: Easter

“Gilly? Aye, Father Anthony’s nephew,” said the man.

“The priest?” asked Rachael in surprise.

“Aye,” the man answered. “Ye know, our new priest that took over recently when the old one died.”

“Tell me about Gilly,” said Lionel.

“Gilly comes in here occasionally with his new friend, Fred. Why? Have they done somethin’?”

“Fred is my daughter,” said Lionel through gritted teeth.

“Daughter?” The man made a face.

“Fred is really Winifred,” explained Rachael. “She’s cut her hair short and likes to dress like a boy, so mayhap you didn’t notice she was a girl. It’s quite understandable.”

“I see,” said the man, shaking his head.

“Have you seen them in here today?” asked Lionel.

“Aye, they were both here not fifteen minutes ago,” answered the man.

“Well, where did they go?” asked Lionel.

“I – I’m not sure,” he said, but Rachael could tell the man was lying. She saw his eyes shoot up to the rooms at the top of the stairs. Lionel must have noticed, too.

“God’s eyes, she’s up in the whore’s room,” spat Lionel, releasing the man and running for the stairs.

“Pardon me,” said Rachael, stepping around the proprietor and following her husband.

“Winifred, are you in there?” Lionel kicked open the door to the first room, rushing inside. When Rachael got to the door she saw two people under the covers in bed.

“Oh, no!” she cried.

“I’ll kill you, Gilly,” shouted Lionel, pulling the man out of the bed, punching him in the face. The naked man fell backward to the ground, and the girl in the bed sat up, exposing her bare breasts.

“Lionel?” asked the whore with a smile. “If you wanted an appointment all you had to do is ask. Then again, you always were impatient.” She winked at him and smiled.

“You – you’re not Winifred,” he said. He spun around to see Rachael standing there. Rachael looked down at the man rubbing his jaw.

“That’s not Gilly,” she remarked. “Lionel, you can’t just break down doors and start hitting people.”

“Father? What are you doing?” Winifred walked up behind Rachael, peering into the room. Gilly was with her, but when he saw the anger on Lionel’s face, he took off at a run down the stairs.

“I’ll kill you for touching my daughter,” shouted Lionel, starting after the boy. Rachael grabbed his arm and stopped him.

“Winifred, what were you and Gilly doing up here?” asked Rachael in a calm voice.

“I wanted to talk to him privately to tell him I love him,” said Winifred. “Why? Father, did you think we were . . . coupling?”

“Well I . . .” Lionel looked the other way and scratched the side of his face. “You shouldn’t be here, Winifred. And certainly not with that boy!”

“You told me I could spend the day with Gilly.” Winifred looked confused. “I’m not here without your permission.”

“She’s right,” said Rachael under her breath.

“I thought you said Lily,” he told her. “I never would have agreed to you seeing that boy. Now go! I’m taking you home and I never want to see you in a tavern again.”

“I hate you!” cried Winifred turning and running down the stairs.

“Well, that didn’t go quite the way I expected,” mumbled Lionel, following after his daughter.