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a KNOCK SOUNDED on the door "Magistratei Master Bidwell sent uests are arrivin&039;"

"I&039;ll be there directly," Woodward answered, recognizing the housekeeper&039;s Scottish brogue He recalled that the last time he&039;d heard a knock on a door, his life had been near snuffed Of course the old-striped waistcoat was enough tothe clean pale blue shirt he had recently put on "Damn!" he said to his reflection in the oval wall mirror

"Siri" Mrs Nettles inquired beyond the door

"I said I&039;d be there directly!" he told her again

She said, "Yes sir," and walked with a heavy gait along the corridor to the roo his shirt, which was a bit short at the sleeves anda nus, and shoes - that had been collected for hi spell had been overcoings Then Bidwell, realizing his providence was at hand, had beentwo roo up the approxi sure they had such necessities as freshly stropped razors and hot water for baths Woodward had feared he&039;d never be able to scrub all the mud from his skin, but the last of it had coe and plenty of elbow oil

He had previously put on a pair of black trousers - again, a shade snug but wearable - and white stockings and a pair of square-toed black shoes Over his shirt he donned a pearl-gray silk waistcoat, loaned to hiain in thethat he would have to e-spotted condition, as a as such a personal ite the loan of one was out of the question But so be it at least he still had a head upon his neck If truth be told, he would rather have slept the night away than be the centerpiece at Bidwell&039;s dinner, as he was still exhausted; but he&039;d slumbered for three hours after his bath, and that would have to do until he could again stretch himself out on that excellent feather-mattressed four-poster behind him

as a last precaution he opened his mouth and checked the condition of his teeth His throat felt soht of ru of sandalwood soap and le lotion, he opened the door of his spacious room and ventured out into the candle-illumed hallway

Downstairs, he followed the sound of voices into a large wood-panelled room that stood just off the , the chairs and other furniture shunted aside to afford space forin a white stone hearth as the rainy night had turned cool a chandeliera and a velvet suit the color of dark port He was standing with two other gentlemen, and as Woodward entered the room Bidwell interrupted his conversation to say, "ah, there&039;s the istrate now! Sir, hoas your resti"

"Not long enough, I fear," Woodward adht haven&039;t yet been eased"

"The istrate tells a reentlemen "It seems he and his scribe were alue was evidently well versed in ht siri" He lifted his eyebrows, pro Woodward to take over the story

"He was My clerk saved our skins, though that&039;s all we cas Oh, I look forward to the istrate has asked ain his worldly goods," Bidwell explained to the two others "also to arrest that , too," Woodward said "I wouldn&039;tthe expression on Shawcombe&039;s face when the iron&039;s slapped on hier man, perhaps in his early thirties - frowned "I&039;ve stopped at his tavern before, on my trips back and forth to Charles Town! I had my suspicions about that man&039;s character"

"They ell founded Furtheristrate as on his way here teeks ago Thysbury was his naistrate Isaac Woodward, this is Nicholas Paine" - he nodded toward the younger man, and Woodward shook Paine&039;s outstretched hand - "and Elias Garrick" Woodward grasped Garrick&039;s hand as well "Mr Paine is the captain of ourthe expedition to secure Mr Shawco Won&039;t you, Nicholasi"

"My duty," Paine said, though it was obvious froht resent these plans of arrest being made without his representation "and istrate"

"Mr Garrick is our largest farmholder," Bident on "He was also one of the first to cast his lot with me"

"Yes sir," Garrick said "I built lanced toward the room&039;s entrance "Here&039;s your scribe!"

Matthew had just walked in, wearing shoes that pinched his feet "Good evening, sirs," he said, and -tired and in nolate"

"No pardon necessary!" Bidwellabout your adventure of last night"

"I&039;d have to call it a misadventure," Matthew said "Surely not one I&039;d care to repeat"

"Gentleistrate&039;s clerk, Mr Matthew Cor-bett," Bidwell announced He introduced Matthew to Paine and Garrick, and hands were again shaken "I was telling the istrate that Mr Paine is the captain of our- "

" - the expedition to secure Mr Shawcothy trip, we shall be leaving promptly at sunrise"

Woodward said, "It will be a pleasure to rise early for that satisfaction, sir"

"Very well I&039;ll find another uns, or do you think Shawcoive up without violencei"

"Guns," Woodward said "Definitely guns"

The talk turned to otherin Charles Town, and therefore Mattheas wearing a white shirt and tan trousers hite stockings - had the opportunity to make quick studies of Paine and Garrick The captain ofed him to be in the vicinity of thirty years; he wore his sand-colored hair long and pulled into a queue at the back of his head, secured with a black cord His face ell balanced by a long, slender-bridged nose and thick blond brows that settled low over his gunray eyes Matthew surmised from Paine&039;s build and economy of motion that he was a no-nonsense type of er to strenuous activity and probably an adept horseman Paine was also no clotheshorse; his outfit consisted of a siray shirt, well-used leather waistcoat, dark brown trousers, gray leggings, and brown boots

Garrick, who listened far entle the dusk of his fifties He was sliaunt-cheeked face burnt and weathered by the fierce sun of past summers He had deeply set brown eyes, his left brow slashed and draard by a sray hair was slicked with poht back on his skull, and he wore creae-buffed waistcoat that was the bright yellowish hue of some spoiled cheese Matthew once had theabout Garrick&039;s expression and e when he did deeht be the salt of the earth but was definitely liress servant appeared with a pewter tray upon which were goblets - real cut glass, which impressed Woodward because such treasures of luxury were rarely seen in these rough-edged colonies - bried them all to partake, and never did wine floo istrate and his clerk

The ringing of a dulcet-toned bell at the front door announced the arrival of others Two entlemen were escorted into the room by Mrs Nettles, who then took her leave to attend to business in the kitchen Woodward and Matthew had already made the acquaintance of Edward Winston, but the man with him - who limped in his walk and supported hier

"Our school them one to another "We&039;re fortunate to have Master Johnstone as part of our cos to us the benefit of an Oxford education"

"Oxfordi" Woodward shook the man&039;s hand "I too attended Oxford"

"Reallyi Which college, h pitched low and quiet, held a power that Woodward felt sure would serve hi the respectful attention of students in a classroom

"Christ Church and youi"

"all Souls&039;"

"ah, that was a nificent time," Woodward said, but he rested his eyes on Bidwell because he found the schoole in appearance Johnstone wore a dusting of white facial powder and had plucked his eyebrows thin "I re the bottom of ale tankards at the Chequers Inn"

"I ht s and very cheap"

"I see we have a true scholar ae, ehi I expect Lord Mallard will be drunk again next year"

"In his cups, I&039;e between fellow Oxfordians had been going on, Matthew had beenhis own cursory study of alan Johnstone The schoolray suit with black striping, a white ruffled shirt and a black tri-corn He wore a si, and from the breast pocket of his jacket protruded a white lace handkerchief With the powder on his face - and a spot of rouge highlighting each sharp cheekbone - it was difficult to guess his age, though Matthew reasoned lie was so, aristocratic nose with slightly flared nostrils, narrow dark blue eyes that were not unfriendly but rather soh forehead of an intellectual Matthew glanced quickly down and saw that Johnstone wore polished black boots ;ind white stockings, but that aserved hiain, he found the school across his cheeks

"as you&039;re interested, young man," Johnstone said, with an uplift of his finely plucked eyebrows, "it is a defect of birth"

"OhI&039;m sorry I meanI didn&039;t - "

"Tut tut" Johnstone reached out and patted Matthew&039;s shoulder "Observance is the ood mind Would that you hone that quality, but be a shade less direct in its application"

"Yes, sir," Matthew said, wishing he h the floor

"My clerk&039;s eyes are soe for his head," Woodward offered, as a poultice of apology He, too, had noted the e than too small, I think," returned the schoolmaster "In this town at this present time, however, it would be wise to keep both eyes and head in moderation" He sipped his wine, as Woodward nodded at Johnstone&039;s sagacity "and as we are speaking of such things and it is the point of your visit here, ht I ask if you&039;ve seen her yeti"

"No, not yet," Bidwell answered quickly "I thought the istrate should like to hear the particulars before he sets sight on her"

"Do you ht uneasy laughter froht smile from Bidwell "as one Oxford istrate, "I should not wish to be in your shoes"

"If you were inthis joust with the schoolmaster&039;s wit, "you would not be an Oxford man You would be a candidate for the noose"

Johnstone&039;s eyes widened a fraction "Pardon mei"

"My shoes are in the custody of a murderer," Woodward explained, and then proceeded to paint in detail the events at Shawcoe had realized that such a tale of near-tragedy was as sure a draw to an audience as was a candle-flaan to bellows the flaued to find that in this go-round of the tale, the judge was certain fro that Shawcombe was "a scoundrel of evil intent," and that he&039;d uard his back ere Shawco reshaped, the doorbell again rang and presently Mrs Nettles reappeared escorting another guest to the gathering This gentleht to Matthew&039;s e of a bantam owl perched atop a barn&039;s beam His face was truly owlish, with a pale pursedbehind round-lensed spectacles and arched brown brows set high on his furrowed dome He wore a plain black suit, blue shirt with ruffled cuffs, and high-topped boots His long brown hair - streaked with gray at the te his shoulders, his head crowned by an ebon tricorn

"Dr Benjaoes it, Beni"

"an unfortunate day, I fear," the doctor said, in a voice very ive my tardiness I just came from the Chester house"

"What is Madam Chester&039;s conditioni" Winston asked

"Lifeless" Shields removed his tricorn and handed it to Mrs Nettles, who stood behind hio It&039;s this swas and thickens the blood If we don&039;t have some relief soon, Robert, our shovels will see much neork Hello!" He strode forward and offered his hand to Woodward "You&039;re thefor Thank God you&039;ve finally come!"

"as I understand it from the council in Charles Town," Woodward said after he&039;d shaken the doctor&039;s hand, which he noticed was more than a little cold and claistrate involved in this situation The first perished by the plague back in March, before he could leave the city, and the secondwell, Magistrate Kingsbury&039;s fate was unknown until last night This isman" The doctor shook Matthew&039;s hand "Sir," he said, addressing Woodward again, "I care not if you are the third, thirteenth, or thirty-third istrate involved! We just want this situation resolved, and the sooner the better" He punctuated his statelare over the rims of his spectacles, then he sniffed the air of the aro into the rooht, Roberti"

"Toss &039;em boys in peppercorn sauce," Bidwell said, with less vitality than a few moments previously; he was pained by the death of Dorcas Chester, a grandly aged lady whose husband Timothy was Fount Royal&039;s tailor Indeed, the cloth of things was unravelling The doctor&039;s remark about the work of shovels also made Bidwell think - uncomfortably so - of alice Barrow&039;s dreams

"Dinner will be a&039;table presently," Mrs Nettles told the the doctor&039;s tricorn

Shields walked to the fireplace and warmed his hands "a pity about Madam Chester," he said, before anyone else could venture off into new territory "She was a fine woistrate, have you had much of a chance to inspect our towni"

"No, I haven&039;t"

"Best hurry at this rate of mortality, Fount Royal will have to soon be renamed Grave Common"

"Ben!" Bidwell said, rather more sharply than he&039;d intended "I don&039;t think there&039;s any purpose in such language, do youi"

"Probably not" Shields rubbed his hands together, intent on re from them the chill of Dorcas Chester&039;s flesh "Unfortunately, though, there&039;s s for hie" He looked at the schoolmaster, who stood nearby "alan, are you finished with thati" Without waiting for a response, he plucked the half-full wineglass from Johnstone&039;s hand and took a hearty s Then he fixed his baleful gaze full upon Isaac Woodward "I didn&039;t become a doctor to bury my patients, but lately I should wear an undertaker&039;s shingle Two last week The little Richardson child, bless his soul, was one of the off next weeki"

"This does no good," Bidwell said fire you to restrain yourself"

"Restrain lass&039;s shallow pond of red wine "Robert, I&039;ve restrainedmyself"

"The weather is to blame," Winston spoke up "Surely these rains will pass soon, and then we&039;ll - "

"It&039;s not just the weather!" Shields interrupted, with a defiant uplift of his sharp-boned chin "It&039;s the spirit of this place now It&039;s the darkness here" He drank again, finishing off the glass "a darkness at noon the saht," he said, his lips wet "These sicknesses are spreading Sick of spirit, sick of body They&039;re linked, gentleulates the other I sa Madam Chester&039;s sickness of spirit robbed her body of health I saw it, and there wasn&039;t a dahted with the contagion How long will it be before I&039; his demisei"

"Pardon me, sir," Garrick said, before Bidwell could deliver a rebuke "When you say the sickness is spreadin&039;do you ether exactly what he desired to say "Do you uei"

"Careful, Benjamin," the schoolmaster cautioned in a quiet voice

"No, that&039;s not what he ht about Mada, that&039;s all! Tell hiue, Ben"

The doctor paused and Matthew thought he was about to announce that plague indeed had come to Fount Royal But instead, Shields released his breath in a long weary sigh and said, "No, I&039;ue caused by any physical power"

"What the good doctor means, I believe," said Johnstone to Garrick, "is that the town&039;s current spiritualu the physical health of us all"

"You mean the witch is ued

Bidwell decided it was time to stop these floodwaters, ere the dam break when Garrick - as a proficient far - repeated these s around the coentleistrate We should put our trust in the Lord and the law, and forbid ourselves of these destructive ras"

Garrick looked to Johnstone for translation "He means not to worry," the schoolistrate will resolve our difficulties"

"You put great faith in me, sirs" Woodward felt both puffed and burdened by these attentions "I hope I meet your expectations"

"You&039;d better" Shields had put aside the elass "The fate of this settlement is in your hands"

"Gentlemeni" Mrs Nettles loomed in the doorway "Dinner&039;s a&039;table"

The banquet room, toward the rear of the house next to the kitchen, was atapestries, and a fieldstone fireplace as wide as a wagon above the hearth was the , and displayed on both sides of it was a collection of muskets and pistols Neither Woodward nor Matthew had expected to find a mansion out here on the coastal swaht have served as the centerpiece in a British castle - rendered theular table was an equally huge candlelit chandelier supported fro by thick nautical chains, and upon the floor was a carpet as red as beef-blood The groaning board was covered with platters of food, principal a them the roasted toss &039;eistrate, you sit here beside me," Bidwell directed; it was clear to Matthew that Bidwell relished his position of power, and that he was obviously a man of uncouests, and Matthew found himself seated on a pewlike bench between Garrick and Dr Shields another young negress servant girl ca wooden tankards of what proved to be - when Woodward tried a tentative sip, re the bite of the Indian ale - cold water recently drawn fro

"Shall we have a prayer of thanksi" Bidwell asked before the first blade pierced the roasted and peppercorn-spiced chicken "Master Johnstone, would you do the honorsi"

"Surely" Johnstone and the others bowed their heads, and the schoolave a prayer that appreciated the bounties of the table, praised God for His wisdoistrate safely to Fount Royal, and asked for an abatement to the rains if that was indeed in God&039;s divine plan While Johnstone was praying, however, the muffled sound of thunder heralded the approach of another storm, and Johnstone&039;s "amen" sounded to Matthew as if the schoolh clenched teeth

"Let us sup," Bidwell announced

Knives flashed in the candlelight, spearing roasted toss &039;em boys - a title rarely used in these as upon chickens to bet upon which dog would "toss" the greatest nuuests was followed by tearing the ers Hunks of the heavy, coarse-grained jonakin bread that tasted of burnt corn and could sit in a belly like a church brick found use in sopping up the greasy juices Platters of stea, and a servant girl brought a communal, beautifully worked silver tankard full of spiced ruan to drum steadily on the roof Soon it was apparent to Matthew that the banquet had drawn a nu horseflies and - more bothersome -welts In a lull of the idle conversation - which was interrupted quite frequently by the slapping at an offensive fly or mosquito - Bidwell took a drink froistrate Then Bidwell cleared his throat, and Woodward kneas tiet to the heart of the matter

"I should ask you what you know of the situation here, sir," Bidwell said, with chicken grease glea on his chin

"I know only what the council told aol a woman accused of witchcraft"

Bidwell nodded; he picked up a bone from his plate and sucked on it "Her nalish and Portuguese In January, her husband Daniel was found dead in a field with his throat cut"