Page 8 (1/2)

OUTSIDE THE GaOL, the hulow of paradise Woodward disdained the carriage, where Goode sat on the driver&039;s seat whittling a piece of ith a s Matthew followed close behind

"That alls me!" Woodward said "I may be a servant of the law, but I&039;m not his slave and neither are you!"

"No, sir I ot beside hirates, however, I can understand his anxiety"

"Well, aren&039;t you the generous soul!"

"I er for an execution if I&039;d put so much money into Fount Royal, and no my investment near ruin"

"To the Devil with his investment!"

"Yes, sir," Matthew said "I think that&039;s what he fears"

Woodward slowed his pace and then stopped He mopped beads of sweat from his face with his shirtsleeve, looked up at the ominous sky and then at his clerk "That&039;s why you&039;re so invaluable to lance you see the picture, the frame, the nail, and the wall"

"I see only what&039;s there to be seen"

"Yes, and surely we&039;ve today seen a bit too er than I suspected Much ht say lovely, if in different circued very many female defendants Never have I stood and seen a woly," Matthew said "She knew her clothes would be taken from her, so she elected to remove them herself"

"Yes What does that say about the womani"

"That she wishes to retain some measure of control over herself Or, at least, deny that control fro Truth Street again, and Matthealked alongside Though the village still see about their daily business To a large basket abales of hay and a few barrels "I should like to know," the ues you have with Mrs Nettles"

"Siri"

"You may wear that expression of innocent surprise with everyone but me I know you too well On this day, of all days, you would never have been late rising from bed In fact, I suspect you were up early in anticipation So why did Mrs Nettles say such a thing to Bidwelli"

"Ipromised her I wouldn&039;t betray her confidence"

Woodward pulled up short again, and this ti "If it has to do with Madam Howarth, I should like to be informed In fact, it&039;s your requirement as my clerk to infor you please," Woodward said "But tell ht to be told"

"She did ask that I not speak a word to Mr Bidwell"

"Well, neither shall I Tell me"

"In essence, she requested that you and I both approach this case with an open mind She believes Madam Howarth to be falsely accused"

"and she told you why she believes thisi"

"No, sir Just that she fears our minds will be poisoned"

Woodward stared off across Truth Street at a s a straw hat was on her knees in a beanfield, pulling up weeds, while her husband was at work nailing shingles atop their farmhouse Nearby, on the other side of a split-rail fence, stood a farmhouse that had been abandoned by its previous tenants, its field noampy thicket Three crows perched on the roof of the forlorn house, looking to Woodward like a trio of black-robedthe departure of the next-door neighbors

"You know," he said quietly, "that if Rachel Howarth is a witch, then she has powers of influence that are much beyond our perception"

"Mrs Nettles asked me not to mention our conversation to Bidwell, for the reason that he ht think her so influenced"

"Hht "Poison can be served from many cups, Matthew I&039;d beware the one from which I chose to drink Come, let&039;s walk" They started off once wash He wants out of his cage"

"and the Devil&039;s marks on the woman&039;s bodyi"

"Inconclusive," Matthew said "Such marks are common on most people" He didn&039;t have to mention the blotches that marked Woodward&039;s pate

"Granted What, then, of the poppetsi"

"I think you should see thereed I&039;er available"

"You should ask Bidwell for a list of witnesses who are available," Matthew suggested "Then you should secure some place to interview them where Bidwell can&039;t interfere"

"Yes" He nodded, then darted a sidelong glance at Matthew "We will have to interview Madath She seems to be acceptable to your questions, but mute to anyone else Why do you think that isi"

"I don&039;t know"

Woodward let theain "You don&039;t think it&039;s possible that she knew Mrs Nettles would speak to you this hthow shall I put thisiWin some favor from youi"

"I&039;m just a clerk I have no - "

" - powers of influencei" Woodward interrupted "You see my point, don&039;t youi"

"Yes, sir," Matthew had to adness or inability to speak the Lord&039;s Prayer is especially da If she would or could speak it, then on&039;t shei Do you have any theoriesi"

"None," Matthew said

"Except for the obvious, that - as Paine said - her tongue would be scorched by mention of the Holy Father It&039;s happened before in witchcraft trials that the accusedthe prayer and fell convulsed with agony to the courtroom floor"

"Has it ever happened that anyone accused of witchcraft spoke the prayer and was set freei"

"Of that I can&039;t say I&039;m far from an expert in these matters I do know that some witches are able to speak the na somehow shielded from harm by their master That much I&039;ve read in court dockets But if Madam Howarth did speak the prayer - in its entirety, with proper holy attitude and without fainting or crying out in pain - then it would go a distance in helping her cause" Theabove their heads It caht to be wary of what he said and where he said it "You do realize, don&039;t you, that Madam Howarth today made a confession of sortsi"

"Yes, sir" Matthehat he meant "When she disrobed, she said, &039;Here is the witch&039;"

"Correct If that&039;s not a confession, I never heard one I could order the stake to be cut and the fire to be laid this afternoon, if I had awhich they neared the conjunction of Fount Royal&039;s streets "Tell me why I should not," he said

"Because the witnesses should be heard Because Madaht to speak without pressure from Bid-well and because" Matthew hesitated, "I&039;d like to knohy she murdered her husband"

"and I the - " same, Woodas about to say, but before he could finish he was interrupted by the high-pitched voice of a woistrate Woodward!"

It was so sharp and startling that for an instant Woodward thought the crow had spoken his name, and if he were to look up he would see the evil bird about to sink its talons into his scalp But suddenly a wo across the square where Fount Royal&039;s streets o blue dress, a blue-checked apron, and a white bonnet, and she carried a basket that held such household iteistrate and Matthew halted as the woave hiiveI had to cohan My husband is Stewart, ns the carpentry shop" She nodded in the direction of Industry Street

"My pleasure This is entlemen are quite the talk hereabouts How you defied that ht off his brood of le sword! It&039;sus!" Matthew had to hold back a laugh; it seeht fro transfor akin to Ulysses&039;s monumental battle with the Cyclops

"Well," Woodward said, unconsciously puffing out his chest a bit, "it did take all our wits to escape that gang of killers" Mattheas forced to lower his head and study the ground

"But how exciting that must have been!" the woistered to Woodward that she was a very handsoure, in her thirties perhaps, with clear blue eyes and a friendly, open deht brown hair escaped her bonnet, and her face - though lined by ti as a warht "and to have found such a treasure, as well!"

Woodward&039;s sold coins you discovered! Spanish gold, wasn&039;t iti Come, sir, please don&039;t be coy with a si somewhere in the vicinity of his adam&039;s apple He said, "May I ask a questioni" then waited for Mrs Vaughan to nod "Who inforold coinsi"

"Well, I heard it from Cecilia Semmes, who heard it from Joan Baltour But everyone knows, Mr Corbett! Oh!" Her eyes widened, and she put a finger to her lips, "Was it supposed to be a secreti"

"I fear you&039;ve been le coin of Spanish gold, not a sackful"

"But Cecilia promised me it was God&039;s truth! and Cecilia&039;s not one to pass on tales that aren&039;t true!"

"In this case, your friend has erred Grievously," Woodward added

"But, I can&039;t understand why - " She stopped, and a knowing sht "Ohhhh, I see! The cat ju your pardoni"

"You can trust me, sir! Mum&039;s the word!"