The Secret Healer(103)
“What’s your plan?”
“Well, what would you expect a lawyer to do when his wife is on trial?”
“Defend her,” Elsbeth stated.
Johannes nodded in affirmation. “And that’s why I’m going to do the opposite.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ll prosecute her. Everyone will feel the hatred I have for her. And then I will leave room for doubt. Doubt about what I can actually prove. Doubt that she is a bad person, doubt about the alleged crimes that she’d been accused of. I sincerely hope that the archbishop comes to Heidelberg and takes part in the trial. He will see how I, as a lawyer, tried everything and yet failed miserably. Everyone will be convinced of Madlen’s innocence.”
“But your reputation.” Elsbeth pressed her lips together. “You’ll destroy everything that you’ve built over so many years.”
He shrugged. “Possibly. But I’ll save the lives of my wife and child.”
Elsbeth didn’t know what to say. She grabbed Johannes’s hand and embraced him tenderly. “What can I do to help you?”
“I’m so glad you asked. Can you go see Otilia?”
“What shall I tell her?”
Johannes flushed. “Well, because of the way I acted on my last visit, I doubt that she’d be willing to speak to me. But she’ll listen to you. To help Madlen, we need Otilia, Roswitha, and Sander. And we have to locate anyone else we can find who Madlen healed of the cough.”
“You want to summon these witnesses to help Madlen, right?”
“Exactly. I doubt they would even agree to speak to me when they hear I’m the prosecutor. I need you to convince them. If they show up in court without being summoned by me, no one will suspect anything.”
“A good idea. But what if they refuse? After all, Heidelberg is a good piece away, and the people have to work to earn their daily bread.”
“These people”—Johannes held up his finger—“wouldn’t be alive today if Madlen hadn’t helped them.”
“I’ll do everything I can, Johannes, but I can’t make any promises.”
“You can be very convincing if you want to be. And you want to be, right?”
“Of course. How can you ask me that?”
“Forgive me.” Johannes plopped down on one of the chairs, exhausted. “You’re right. I’m just so afraid for her life.”
“I’m pleased to hear that we weren’t deceived by Maria, uh, by Madlen. She’s the woman you love.” She smiled. “The woman we all love.”
“I have to save her, Mother. Otherwise, my life will be ruined.”
“I know.” She touched his hand. “But even if you successfully defend her against the accusations that she’s a miracle healer, there’s still the issue of the murdered woman in Heidelberg. How do you plan to defend her against that?”
“I don’t know,” Johannes confessed. “Not yet, anyway. But I’ll come up with something. I must succeed.”
“I’ll stand by you, son. We’ll leave no stone unturned.”
“You can start right now by going to Otilia and talking to Roswitha. She’ll be suspicious, but if you send her to Heidelberg, she’ll see Agathe. She trusts Agathe.”
“I won’t just send her.” Elsbeth lifted her head proudly. “I’ll bring her there myself, along with as many healed citizens of Worms as I can find.”
“Oh, Mother.” He kissed her forehead. “Then there’s nothing more I can do here.”
“What are you thinking?”
“I’ll ride back to Heidelberg immediately.”
“At least stay here tonight and ride out first thing in the morning. It won’t help anybody if you fall victim to highwaymen in the middle of the night.”
He wanted to argue but thought better of it. “You’re right. I’ll ride tomorrow.”
“Now I’ll tell Helene to prepare something for us to eat and inform your father that you’re here.” She looked at him thoughtfully. “I haven’t said a word to him.”
“Let’s leave it like that until the trial is over.”
Elsbeth stood up. “I’m going to Otilia’s. Wait here.”
She gave her son’s hand an encouraging squeeze. “It’s going to be all right.”
By the time Johannes left the next morning, his newfound confidence had waned a bit. After several hours, Elsbeth returned, giving him little hope that she could convince Roswitha to go to Heidelberg. She was too suspicious. Elsbeth also told him that she’d spoken to Otilia and her daughter, Reni. She told Elsbeth that they would think it over. When Elsbeth asked them whether they knew other citizens who had been healed of the cough, they replied evasively and wouldn’t give Elsbeth any names.