the taming of the shrew

Chapter 5

The taming of the shrew

I dismounted Pontus, and lifted Katherine off. She was still screaming.

Carrying her into my small empty house, and closing all the doors and sitting her on a chair, I knew that something had to be done about Katherine’s manners.

Sitting on a chair in front of her, she frowned and refused to look at me.

“Something to eat my lady?” I asked her inquisitively. “Beef and mustard?”

“Yes, I am quite hungry. Fetch me some now peasant!” Katherine snapped and stared coldly at me. I was quite prepared for this, and brought in some beef and mustard on a pretty silver dish.

 Before Katherine could eat, I said:

“No dear Katherine, you must not eat this! Mustard is too hot and spicy for a lady!” as I pulled the food away, she cried, for she wanted the beef and mustard.

“Let me have just beef then!” she screeched angrily, but she looked worried and hungry.

“No dear Katherine, for if a lady cannot eat beef and mustard, then she will have none at all! And with that, I dropped the mouth-watering meal on to the floor.

Screaming in anger, Katherine ran upstairs. Horrified to find that her bed had no mattress, she gave up, flung herself on the floor and started to cry.

I went upstairs and sat with her. Tears streamed down her face, and more were still overflowing out of her round brown eyes. Her eyes were such a lovely shade of brown, rather like a mouse’s. flowing down her back like a river, her long brown hair was wet from the tears that had fell on it. Curled up in a ball, she looked like a little mouse, lost and upset.

Don’t worry my little mouse, for I shall tame you yet.