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UPON aWaKENING aT FIRST LIGHT and the rooster chorale, Matthew hurriedly pulled on his breeches and crossed the hall to look in on theon his sto harsh but steady Mattheas curious as to the state of the blisters on Woodward&039;s back, and so carefully lifted the gown to view them

Instantly he wished he had not The blisters had flattened into ugly ebony bruises surrounded by circles of mottled flesh Streaks of red ran underneath the skin, attesting to the pressures that the istrate&039;s body had endured It occurred to Matthew that this procedure of heat and blister cups was more suited for the torture chaain, then dipped a cloth into the bowl of water that sat atop the dresser and spent a reen crust that had accuistrate&039;s face was da from him like the calidity from a bellows-coaxed blaze

"What" Woodhispered, his eyelids fluttering "What is the dayi"

"Thursday, sir"

"I et up and about Can you help et up quite yet, sir Possibly later in the day"

"Nonsense I shallas keen as an icy dagger pierce his guts "They already think me lax in my duties, " Woodward continued "They think I aavel Yes, I saw Mendenhall yesterday That peacock Laughing at me behind his hand What day is it, did you sayi"

"Thursday" Matthew&039;s voice was hushed

"I have a larceny trial to hear ThisWhere are my bootsi"

"Siri" Matthew said "I fear that court has been postponed for the day"

Woodas quiet Then, "Postponedi"

"Yes, sir The weather being so bad" Even as he spoke it, he could hear birds singing in the trees around the spring

"ahhhhh, the weather, " Woodhispered His eyes had never fully opened, but remained hidden behind the fever-inflamed lids "Then I shall stay indoors today, " he said "Shall light a fire drink a hot rum"

"Yes, sir, I think that would be best"

Woodward said soe, as if he were losing control over even his speech, but then he spoke clearly enough for Matthew to make out the words, "My back Pains me"

"It will be well soon You must lie still and rest"

"a bottle, " Woodward said, drowsing off onceme a bottlei"

"I shall, yes, sir" It seeistrate&039;s eyelids had ceased their war against gravity and he lay quiet again, his breathing returned to its accusto sloorked back and forth

Matthew finished his task of carefully cleaning Woodward&039;s nostrils When he left the rooht have been a crushing weight suddenly applied to his shoulders at the saer that had entered his entrails seemed to twist toward his heart He stood short of his own door, one hand clasped to hiswith tears

He was tre, and wished to make it cease but could not a sensation of utter powerlessness had co a leaf stripped fro altitude of lightning and rain

He had realized that every day - every hour - brought the istrate closer to death It was not now a question of whether the ht die, but when Mattheas sure this bleed-ing-and-blistering treatment was not sufficient; indeed, he doubted the ability of Dr Shields to heal a istrate If Woodward could be gotten to Charles Town, to the attentions of the urban doctors who commanded fully equipped infirmaries and a benefit of medicines, then there was a chance - be it however die malady

Yet Matthe that no one here would volunteer to carry Woodward the long distance to Charles Town, especially if itthe abilities of their own doctor If he undertook to convey Woodward there, he would lose at the very least two vital days froation, and by the tie on a charred stake Woodward ht not be his father, it was true, but the man had served in as near that capacity as was hu hi hiistrate at least soht persuade Winston to take Woodward to Charles Town, under threat of revealing the incri be trusted with a e on the side of the road for the animals to eat, and never return

No, not Winston But would Nicholas Paine be willing to do the jobi

It was a spark, but it ether, wiped his eyes clear with the back of his hand, and continued into his roo Downstairs, he found Bidwell clad in a lireen suit at the bountiful breakfast table, the foxtail of his wig tied with an emerald-hued ribbon

"Sit down, sit down!" Bidwell offered, his mood jovial because the day promised to be as sunwarmed and beautiful as the one before "Come have breakfast, but please let us announce a truce on the subject of theories"

"I haven&039;t time for breakfast, " Matthew said "I am on my way to - "

"Oh, of course you have tie!" Bidwell indicated the platter heaped with sausages, but their color was so siistrate&039;s back that Matthew couldn&039;t have sed one if it had been shot into his throat from a pistol "Or, here, have a pickled melon!"

"No, thank you I am on my way to see Mr Paine Can you tell me where he livesi"

"To see Nicholasi Whyi" Bidwell speared a segment of pickled melon with his knife and slid it into his mouth

"Some business I wish to discuss"

"What businessi" Bidwell noas truly suspicious "any business you have with hiht, then!" Matthew had reached his zenith of frustration "I wish to ask hiistrate to Charles Town! I want hie in two and chewed thoughtfully on half of it "So you don&039;t trust Dr Shields&039;s i"

"It is"

"I&039;ll have you know, " and here Bidwell aiood a doctor as any of those quacks in Charles Town" He frowned, knowing that hadn&039;t come out as he&039;d intended "I mean to say, he&039;s an able practitioner Without his treatistrate would have been deceased days ago!"

"It&039;s the days hence I&039; no i to me in deliriue and guided the greasy black thing into his mouth "You should by all means be on your way, then, " he said as he chewed "Not to see Nicholas, but to visit the witch"

"Why should I wish to do thati"

"Well, isn&039;t it obviousi One day after the decree is delivered, and the istrate lies at death&039;s doori Your skirt has placed a curse on hiistrate&039;s condition has worsened because of this excessive bloodletting! and also because he was required to sit in that cold gaol for hours when he should have been in bed resting!"

"Oh, ho! His sickness is now my fault, is that iti You cast about for blas! Besides if you hadn&039;t pulled your stunt with Seth Hazelton, the witch&039;s case would have been heard in the public ht add So if you wish to blao speak to a mirror!"

"all I wish to do is find the house of Nicholas Paine, " Matthew said, his cheeks flushed and his teeth gritted "I don&039;t care to argue with you, for that is like trying to outbray a jackass Will you directthe scras on his plate "I as, " he said "Nicholas will not go to Charles Town He is needed here to help with the preparations"

"By God!" Matthew shouted, with such force that Bidwell juistrate a chance at livingi"

"Calirl peeked in from the kitchen and then quickly drew her head back "I will not be shouted at indown the walls at the gaol, I e it for you"

"Isaac needs better , " Matthew insisted "He needs to be taken to Charles Town i, if possible"

"and I say you&039;re wrong I&039;d also say that the trip to Charles Town ht well kill the poor wretch But if you&039;re so willing to gallop in that direction, you should load hion and take hion and two horses, if you will sign a note of agree to this with his face downcast, staring at the floor Now he drew in a deep breath, his cheeks mottled with red, and he walked purposefully to the end of the table Soer, because the man started to push his chair back and rise to his feet - but before he could, Matthew had reached Bidwell&039;s side and with one sweep of his arm sent the breakfast platters off the table to the floor in a horrendous echoing crash

as Bidwell struggled to stand up, his distended belly jiggling and his face dark with rage, Matthew claht shoulder and bore doith all his weight, at the sa his face into Bidwell&039;s

"That man you call a wretch, " Matthew said, in as barely more than an ominous whisper, "has served you with all of his heart and soul" Matthew&039;s eyes blazed with a fire that promised to scorch Bidwell to a cinder, and the master of Fount Royal was for thebecause he has served you so well and you, sir, for all of your wealth, fine clothes, and pufferies, are not worthy to clean the ue"

Bidwell suddenly laughed, which made Matthe back

"Is that the worst insult you can constructi" Bidwell lifted his eyebrows "Boy, you are a rank amateur! On the matter of the boots, however, I&039;ll have you recollect that they are not thewas supplied by me You came to this town near-naked, the both of you So remember that I clothed you, fed you, and housed you, while you are flinging insults in my face" He noted the presence of Mrs

Nettles from the corner of his eye, and he turned his head toward her and said, "all&039;s well, Mrs Nettles Our young guest has shown his tail, that&039;s - "

The noise of the front door bursting open interrupted him "What the bloody helli" he said, and now he brushed Matthew&039;s hand aside and hoisted hi room But it was a different Winston than Matthew had seen; this one was breathing hard, as if he&039;d been running, and his face was drawn and pale in the aftermath of what seemed a terrible shock

"What&039;s the matteri" Bidwell asked "You look as if you&039;ve - "

"It&039;s Nicholas!" Winston put a hand up to his forehead and appeared to be fighting a faint

"What about himi Tk sense, aped, trying to forered as if frohted himself and his sense of control came to the forefront "Not a word about this!" he told Mrs Nettles "Not to a single servant, not to anyone! Do you hear mei"

"Yes sir, I do" She appeared just as stunned as her master

"Where is hei" Bidwell asked Winston "The body, I meani"

"His house I just caed a grim, sickened half-smile "Go look for yourself I proht"

"Take me there Clerk, you come too Rele soul!"

During the walk in the early sunlight, Bidwell maintained his pace at a quick clip for a , which Bidwell had the presence of e It was only when one far execution that Bidwell snapped at theat a worrisome flea Then Bidwell, Winston, and Matthew reached the ashed dwelling of Nicholas Paine, which stood on Harmony Street four houses northward of Winston&039;s shuttered pigsty

Paine&039;s house was also shuttered Winston&039;s pace slowed as they neared the closed door, and finally he stopped altogether

"Co with youi"

"I would rather stay out here"

"Co, I said!"

"No, " Winston answered defiantly "By God, I&039;ain!"

Bidwell stared at him openmouthed, thunderstruck by this show of impudence Matthealked past both men, lifted the door&039;s latch, and pushed the door open as he did, Winston turned his face and walked away a few strides

Matthew&039;s first impression was of the copious reek of blood Secondly, he are of the buzzing of flies at work Thirdly, he saw the body in the slanting rays of verht that entered between the shutter slats

Fourthly, his gorge rose and if he had eaten any breakfast he surely would have expelled it