The Midwife's Tale(19)

“The Aldermen have met and decided to hold a special court just for this purpose. The Lord Mayor will preside, and the rest of the Aldermen will sit as the jury. It’s a more learned group than she could hope for in a conventional trial. My father will be there. He will see that justice is done.”

“But the Lord Mayor wasn’t even elected!” I objected. “He was installed by order of the King, and has been kept there on the King’s insistence. This is no court at all. Surely you can see that.”

“It is irregular,” he conceded. “But the evidence is damning. And what would you have them do? Does the siege suspend the laws of God? The Lord Mayor believes that the presence of rebels at the city gates makes it more necessary than ever to prosecute treason, wherever it takes place. And my father agrees.”

“And you? Do you support this court?” I was incensed.

“Aunt Bridget, she murdered her natural lord and master,” he insisted. “Whether it is a servant who kills his master, a son his father or a wife her husband, by law it is petty treason.” He knew my sympathies lay with the King and hadn’t expected this reaction.

“And she deserves a trial. A real trial, not one intended to show how much the Lord Mayor loves the King and hates rebellion.”

“Well, it wasn’t my decision,” he said. “It’s not even my father’s. There’s really nothing to be done, not by me, and certainly not by you.” I considered his point and relented.

“Ah, Will, I am sorry. You are the bearer of bad tidings, not the cause.” He nodded, accepting my apology. “But I will have words with your father, you can be sure of that.”

“I will warn him, though I can’t imagine it will do him much good,” said Will with a smile.

“Will, can you join us for dinner?” I asked. He was never one to turn down Hannah’s cooking.

“I’m afraid I cannot. My father has business to which I must attend.” As he spoke, Will’s voice swelled with pride. With Joseph at war, Edward had begun to give Will some political responsibility. The change pleased Will to no end, but I feared that when Joseph returned to York, Edward would push Will to the side once again.

“Well, that explains the clothes, at least.”

His ears turned red at the compliment. “Are they too much?” he asked, suddenly worried. “I just had them made. They cost me a pretty penny.”

“And it was money well spent,” I assured him. “You cut an authoritative figure. Dare I ask what the mission is?”

“I’m to be one of the city’s representatives at today’s parley with the rebels. A minor role, I’m sure, but I wanted to look the part.” Will seemed to be the only one in the city who believed that the talks were anything more than a delaying tactic by both sides. The King’s men hoped to put off an assault on the city until the King could send assistance, and the rebels, I was quite sure, were using the time to tunnel beneath the city’s walls. But he was so enthusiastic, I held my tongue.

“God be with you,” I said. “As you go,” I continued, “would you mind seeing Martha to the Shambles? Capons are so dear, and I was hoping she could find one at a reasonable price for our supper.” He agreed, and I saw the two of them off.

Within an hour Martha had returned, capon under her arm, but I could tell that the journey had not gone as planned. The blood had drained from her face and her entire body shook as if she suffered from an ague. Perhaps it was because my mind had been much on Birdy, but Martha’s pale and feverish appearance reminded me of nothing so much as my daughter on the day that she died.

“Martha, are you all right?” I exclaimed. “What happened?”

“My lady, it was…” She groped for words. “I thought I saw the man from that night, the soldier,” she whispered. “In the Shambles, peering at me from an alley.”

I didn’t know what to make of this. Obviously she had not seen the same soldier, but it was equally clear that something had given her a terrible fright. I led her to the parlor and asked Hannah to bring a glass of wine. In her fear, Martha suddenly seemed like nothing more than a girl, far from home and afraid for her life. My heart compassioned after her, and I swore to myself that I would do everything in my power to save her.

“You are safe now. Tell me what you saw,” I said. She took a deep breath and drank some of the wine. It seemed to calm her nerves.

“It was him,” she said, and then paused. “I mean, I know it wasn’t, but it looked like him. He had the same broken teeth and the same horrible look in his eyes when he smiled.”