by Sam Thomas
“Did Mr. Stubb say anything?” I asked.
She looked at me in confusion.
“The big man,” I said. “Did he threaten you?”
“No—he never said a word. Just stood in the corner, staring at me with the most hateful expression. I don’t frighten easily anymore, but he scared me some.” She paused for a moment. “Do you think he might have done in Jennet? Is that why you’re asking about him?”
“We don’t know,” I replied. “We’re just trying to find out who was with her in the days before she died.” Now that I said the words aloud, I realized how little we had learned. We were like drowning men catching at straws.
“But you said it might be one of the godly.” She leaped to her feet, her eyes ablaze. “And he’s one of that crowd. He’s probably the one who done it. You have to do something.”
Martha crossed the room, took Barbara’s arm, and gently guided her back to the bed before sitting beside her. “We have to find out more before we do anything,” she said. “Mr. Ward has powerful friends in the city. We can’t just accuse one of his men of murder.”
Barbara considered Martha’s words and calmed herself.
“You said that Silence Ward was the first woman who came to you,” Martha continued. “Did others come as well?”
“His wife came,” she said, nodding vigorously. “Said the same things as her daughter. But she was more cruel.”
“Did she bring Stubb?”
“No—a different young man. Her son, I think. He didn’t say anything either. Just stood there while she told me of the punishments that awaited me in hell. That was last Friday. The constable took me on the Sabbath, and I’ve been here since.”
“Did the Wards treat Jennet in the same way?” I asked.
“She said they did. The women didn’t frighten her. At least that’s what she told me. But the giant did. And she said that Mr. Ward did, what with that crazy eye. She feared he had the evil eye, might curse her.”
Before I could reply, I heard a commotion from downstairs where we’d left Will. I could hear Samuel’s voice and that of a woman, and both seemed to be at the height of fury. I thanked Barbara for her help, and Martha and I dashed down the stairs to see what the matter was.
When we arrived, we found the entry room in utter chaos, most of which seemed to have been provided by the newly arrived visitors. I stood on the stairs staring at the scene in amazement. Samuel, Tree, and Will had been joined by a half-dozen others, and everyone seemed to be shouting at once. I knew immediately what the tumult must be about, for nearly all of Hezekiah Ward’s party stood below me: his wife, son, and daughter were there, as were Stubb and James Hooke. There were a few others, who seemed to be birds of the same fanatical feather.
As soon as he saw us, Tree dashed up the stairs, taking them two at a time in his haste to escape the tumult below. He grasped Martha’s hand, and slipped behind her skirts. Martha knelt next to him, and took him in her arms.
“What in God’s name is going on?” she asked.
“The High Sheriff ’s man let them in,” Tree said. “He said they could preach to the whore. And they didn’t have to pay!” His horror at the prospect of visitors seeing Barbara without payment matched his unease at the shouting. “Samuel says that she’s his prisoner and he’ll be the one to decide who sees her and how much they’ll pay.”
I turned my attention to the shouting below. Tree seemed to have gotten it right.
“I don’t care who you are, whose work you think you’re doing, or what the Sheriff said.” Samuel’s face was bright red as he roared up at the trespassers. “This is my jail, and I’ll decide who comes in and goes out. I say it’s two shillings for each of you, and if you say another word, it’ll be four!”
I could not help smiling at the ridiculous fee he demanded. Samuel was not usually so difficult a man—they had simply enraged him beyond all reason. Will stood behind Samuel, his cane at the ready, but the dwarf showed no signs of needing help.
“If you will not cooperate, the Lord will know of it, and you will feel His wrath!” Ward’s wife shouted back. “You will learn what terrible fate awaits those who would thwart His will.”
“And I shall inform the Sheriff,” Ward’s son added lamely. His voice was high and reedy, more suitable for a child than a man.
“It looks to me as if the Lord has already punished this one, Mrs. Ward,” sneered Stubb. “Surely a shriveled dwarf with so weak and crooked a frame can mean little else.”
Behind me I heard Martha gasp, not at Stubb’s cruelty, but in anticipation of the storm that would surely follow such an insult.
“That’s it! That is all!” shouted Samuel. He plucked a small cudgel from his belt and swung it with both hands at the nearest set of knees, which happened to belong to Ward’s son. The young man squealed in pain and toppled to the ground like a windblown tree.
“Praise God!” cried out Silence Ward, and she rushed to her brother’s side.
It took me a moment to realize that rather than rejoicing in his suffering, she’d called out his name. Ward had named his daughter Silence and his son Praise-God. Such were the names with which the godly burdened their young; may the Lord save us from ourselves.
Stubb took a lumbering step forward, and for a moment I feared that Samuel had gone too far and the giant would crush him. Then I heard the hiss of a blade being drawn and Will stepped forward, extending his sword toward the giant’s throat. Everyone in the room froze at the sight of the blade and the prospect of blood.
“If you want to attack the dwarf, you’ll have to fight through me first,” Will said softly. Will’s tone must have convinced Stubb that he was serious, for after a moment’s hesitation, he stepped back.
“Mrs. Ward,” Will continued, “I suggest you take your people and leave.” I marveled that in just a few moments, Will had seized control of the chaotic scene; how was it that Edward could not see this side of him? This seemed an ideal moment to introduce myself to the situation, so I descended the last few steps.
“Hello, Will,” I said. “What’s the matter here?” I turned to Ward’s wife without waiting for an answer. “And who are you to cause such trouble?”
My sudden appearance had caught her off guard. Torn between her anger at Samuel and the respect she owed me, she could only offer an awkward curtsy.
“I’m Deborah Ward,” she replied. “I am wife to Mr. Hezekiah Ward, minister of the Gospel. If you’ve not heard him, he’s newly come to the city.” She stared into my eyes, the very soul of impudence, as if her marriage to a clergyman somehow made us equals. I would have none of that.
“Well, Deborah, you seem to have wandered some way from the city and its pulpits. I think it is time for you to return. Don’t you?”
There was, of course, no way for her to object. Samuel had refused to let her into his tower, and while she might have blustered through that, she could no more overrule a gentlewoman than she could refuse the King himself. When Deborah realized that I’d cornered her, her cheeks turned bright red. She took a deep breath to recover herself and then sought an honorable way out.
“There are other whores who need us no less than this one. We shall tend to them.” By now Stubb had hauled Praise-God to his feet, and Deborah led her godly crew into the Castle courtyard.
Samuel hung his cudgel on his belt and turned to me. I could tell he still smarted from Stubb’s insult, but he’d regained command of himself. “Thank you, my lady,” he said. “But I did not need your help.”
I realized that he’d taken my intervention as an attack on his manhood, and tried to repair the damage as quickly as I could.
“I’ve no doubt of that,” I replied. “I feared more for them than for you. The last thing this city needs is more spilt blood. What is more, I had my own reasons for confronting Mrs. Ward and her crowd. I needed to test their mettle and make sure that they knew of mine.”
“Fair enough,” he replied with a curt nod. If he wondered what busine
ss I might have with godly newcomers to the city, he kept it to himself.
“Samuel, what will you do if they return?” Will asked. His sword had disappeared back into his cane, and he once again appeared a model young man.
“Increase the fee to four shillings,” he said with a laugh. “I’m nothing if not a man of my word.”
“Shall I make another offer?” I asked. “I’ll match their best price if you don’t let them in.”
“You’ll pay me to keep visitors out?” Samuel asked.
“These visitors only,” I said. “If her true friends come, they are welcome.” I wanted to keep Barbara safe from Stubb, just in case he proved to be the murderer, but I also had to admit I took some pleasure in thwarting Deborah and her gang. Whore or no, Barbara had done them no harm.
Samuel smiled and we agreed to terms.
“Samuel,” Tree chirped as he skipped down from his perch on the stairs. “Might I have supper at Lady Hodgson’s today?”
“Well, pug,” he said, “if she agreed to it, how can I deny you?”
I could not help smiling. I’d made no such offer, but as surely as I’d trapped Deborah Ward, the boy had bested me.
* * *
Tree dashed out ahead of us as Martha, Will, and I reflected on our encounter with Ward’s followers.
“Will,” I said, “what did you make of Stubb? You heard him at your father’s and looked him in the eyes today. Is he the kind of man who would kill?”
“He meant to do real harm to Samuel,” Will said. “And even with a sword at his throat, he seemed ready to assault me; I feared I would have to use it in order to save myself. I can’t imagine what my father would say if I had killed one of the godly for trying to preach to a whore.”
“Never mind that,” I replied. “You did nothing wrong. The question is what we do now.”
“I could watch him if you like,” replied Tree from behind us. We turned in surprise. A moment before he’d run out in front us, but somehow he’d slipped in behind. “Such a fellow wouldn’t be hard to follow.”
“You’ll do no such thing,” I ordered. “If he snatched you up, who knows what would become of you.”
“Ah, but he’d never catch me, would he?” Tree replied tartly. “Besides, he is so big I wouldn’t even have to get close. Where’s he staying, Will?”
“At the Three Crowns on Coneystreet,” he replied.
“Will, no!” I cried.
“He won’t even notice me,” Tree said.
“Promise you’ll stay in the alley by the river,” Will said before I could object. “If he comes out, see where he goes, and then come tell us.” He held out a shilling coin. “But you must promise that you won’t go near him. If he sees you, run. When night comes, go back to the Castle. Don’t follow him down alleys where he might trap you. Don’t even walk on the same side of the street. If you lose sight of him, just return to the inn and wait. You know he’ll be back.”
Tree nodded his agreement, snatched the coin from Will’s hand, and dashed off toward Coneystreet. As I watched him go, I felt my heart rise up in my throat. What had we just done?
Chapter 10
While I knew that Will was right—Tree was hardly fool enough to let Stubb catch hold of him—I could not help worrying. If Tree did fall into Stubb’s hands, he would last no longer than the chicken Martha had cooked for supper. That night I went to sleep praying for Tree’s safety, and I cannot think it mere happenstance that I dreamed I heard my daughter, Birdy, scampering through the house. Tree’s visits had helped ease my grief and made such dreams less frequent, but the merest thought of losing him—never mind that I would be responsible for his death—made me regret my failure to stop him.
When Tree appeared at my door the following morning, I felt no small measure of relief, and I offered a prayer of thanks.
“He didn’t go out before I left yesterday, but he’s up and about early this morning,” he said. Tree peered past me in the direction of the kitchen, his nose twitching. “I’d only just gotten to the inn this morning when he set out. Is the bread done yet?”
Without my saying a word, Hannah appeared with two thick slices of bread, slathered with butter. Martha came in, wiping her hands on a towel, no less eager than I to hear Tree’s account.
“First place he went was to Mrs. Hooke’s,” he said through a mouthful of bread.
“Rebecca Hooke?” I asked. I wondered again if she might be behind Ward’s presence in the city.
Tree nodded vigorously. “Well, he wasn’t there for her, of course. He went to get her son.”
“James?” I asked.
“Has she got another one?” I could not tell if Tree’s innocent tone was entirely genuine—I suspected not—but I let him continue. “He didn’t stay long. The two of them went back to the inn and right upstairs.” Tree must have seen the worried look on my face. “Don’t worry. I didn’t go near him—I’m no lunatic. He’s got a room on the first story, and from the roof across the street I could see right in the window, the whole crowd of them.”
“What crowd?” Martha asked.
“I saw the giant Stubb and James Hooke, of course. Then two who were at the Castle: the woman and the skit-brained fool that Samuel thumped. It looked like he was still limping a bit,” Tree added with a smile.
“What were they doing?” Martha asked.
“Dunno,” Tree said. “They got in a circle, read from books, and talked to each other. When they settled down, I came here.”
“Martha, a word?” I said, and we withdrew to the parlor. “What do you think?”
“If James is so close to Stubb, we should talk to him first,” she said. “And perhaps the other young people. If they know what Stubb is up to, they might let something slip.”
I agreed, and when Tree had finished his bread, I sent him for Will.
“Tell him to meet us here as soon as he can. We don’t know how long they’ll be at the inn.”
Tree nodded and dashed off once again.
* * *
Within half an hour, Tree returned with Will. I was pleased to find him well-rested, sober, and even clean-shaven.
“Tree says Stubb and James Hooke are together?”
“Aye,” I replied. “And Silence and Praise-God Ward are with them. It sounds like they’ve come together for prayer.”
Tree looked up at me, his brow furrowed.
“Prayer? By themselves?” he asked. “At an inn?”
“For the godly, there can never be too much prayer,” Martha announced as she joined us. “Inns, streets, alleyways, out on the moors, even a barn or brewery will do in a pinch. What is our plan?”
“Let’s go to the Three Crowns and see if they are still there,” Will replied. “Once we see how things lie, we can figure that out.” Will had always been one for action over planning, but in this case it seemed a reasonable suggestion, so the four of us set out for Coneystreet.
When we arrived, Tree led us into an alley across the street from the Three Crowns. “Will, can I borrow your coat?” he asked. Will looked confused, but he handed it to the boy. “I’ll need something to sit on if I’m on the roof,” he explained as he scrambled up. “The tiles are devilishly hot already.”
Tree peered in the window across the street.
“They’re still at it,” he called down. “It looks like James is shouting and crying,” he added uncertainly. “Is he unwell?” Clearly he’d never seen the godly at prayer.
“He’s fine,” Martha called up. “He’s just overcome by the Lord.” Tree shook his head in wonder.
Will looked up and down the street and then pointed at the Angel, an inn that sat across the street from the Three Crowns.
“If we went in there, we could watch the front door without fear of being seen,” he suggested. “And if any of them leaves alone, we can accost him three against one.”
“Good idea,” I replied and called Tree down to the street. “We are going to watch them from inside the Angel,” I to
ld him. “You go back to Samuel.” He started to protest, but I was having none of it. “Tell him you’re invited to supper tonight. Really invited this time.”
This seemed to mollify the boy, and after wheedling a penny out of Will, he dashed toward the Castle. I smiled as he disappeared among the market women, shopkeepers, and customers who filled the street.
Martha, Will, and I climbed the small flight of stairs to the Angel, and requested a table by the window. From there we could look out over the crowds and keep an eye on the entrance to the Three Crowns. We ordered a second breakfast of small beer, bread, and cheese, and settled in to watch our quarry. Happily, it did not take more than an hour—and a second pot of beer—before we saw our chance when Stubb left the inn and walked south toward the Ouse Bridge.
“Let’s question them while Stubb is gone,” Will said. He stood and threw a few coins on the table. I nodded, and the three of us crossed the street and entered the Three Crowns.
We climbed the stairs to the first floor and found ourselves in a short hallway with doors leading to a half-dozen rooms. We looked about uncertainly, trying to determine which room might be the one we sought. Will shrugged, and knocked on the nearest door. When nobody answered, he tried the next. It opened a few inches and Praise-God Ward peered out. His eyes widened when he saw us but before he could react, Will lowered his shoulder and forced the door open.
Praise-God cried out as he tripped over his own feet and tumbled backward onto the bed. A squawk from beneath him alerted us to the presence of his sister, Silence. James Hooke stood stock-still, mouth agape, staring at the jumble of arms and legs thrashing about on the bed. Martha and I followed Will into the room, and I latched the door behind us.
“What is going on here?” Praise-God sputtered as he tried to disentangle himself from Silence. He struggled to his feet and faced Will. “You cannot come in here uninvited!”
