The constable looked a bit puzzled as Madlen stepped around him, elated. Suddenly, his colleague came back from the workshop with Jerg and Kilian in tow.
“What’s going on?” Kilian called out. “Why do you need to go with them?”
“It’s all right,” Madlen called back. “It’s about Adelhaid.” She waved good-bye as she walked away, flanked by the two constables. Finally, justice would be served.
Chapter Five
“So would you like to make a statement, miss?” The sheriff scrutinized Madlen, now sitting on a chair in front of his desk. She calmly returned his fixed gaze, though she was surprised that he had addressed her so politely. High-ranking people like the sheriff usually didn’t address commoners this way. Madlen was happy that the sheriff seemed to appreciate her willingness to testify.
She straightened her spine and sat as tall as she could. “Yes, my lord, I do.”
“All right then. Begin.”
She nodded obediently and began with what had happened when Barbara showed up unexpectedly at her house that day, begging for help. As she moved on to the Trauensteins’ estate, the sheriff stopped her. “How did the maid know that you were able to help women with their problems?”
Madlen hesitated. The sheriff’s voice was tinged with suspicion. Still, she had no desire to deceive him, even though he no longer seemed very sympathetic toward her. His skin looked addled from too much wine. His face was flushed, and his cheeks and nose were especially discolored. His eyes were dull with a tinge of yellow. It took all her willpower not to advise him that if he wanted to live a long and healthy life, he had to give up wine, at least for a while, so that his body could recover.
“You don’t want to answer me?” he said, ripping her from her thoughts.
“Oh, forgive me, lord. What was the question again?”
“How did the maid know that you had these abilities?”
“Yes, of course. Well, I worked alongside Clara, the midwife, for many years. Barbara is the same age as my brother, Kilian. We’ve known each other for a long time.”
“So, would you refer to her as a confidant?”
The question surprised her. Barbara a confidant? She shook her head. “No, my lord. I know who she is and where she works. That’s all.”
“And she came directly to you because her mistress wasn’t well.”
At this point, Madlen decided not to go into detail. “Yes, she came to me.”
“Then what happened?”
“We went to the Trauenstein home together,” Madlen continued. The sheriff listened carefully. She told him that when she found Adelhaid Trauenstein, she was suffering from a high fever and bleeding profusely.
“So you claim that she started bleeding before your arrival?”
“Yes, of course. That’s the reason Barbara came to me.”
The sheriff raised his eyebrows.
“Why do you ask?” Madlen was starting to feel very uncomfortable. Slowly, it began to dawn on her that she wasn’t brought in as a witness, but as a suspect.
“Tell me more.”
She hesitated. “No,” she said. “I want to know why you’re asking me if Adelhaid Trauenstein was bleeding before my arrival.”
“Can’t you imagine why?” The sheriff raised his voice, looking skeptical.
Madlen’s heart began to race, but she did her best to keep calm. “No, I can’t,” she said defiantly.
“Well, I just wanted to hear your declaration, but if you insist.” He pointed to a parchment on his desk. “The town scribe recorded this statement. It says that the bleeding and subsequent miscarriage experienced by the noblewoman Adelhaid Trauenstein occurred after you treated her with an herbal concoction.”
Madlen turned deathly pale. “What?” She looked down at the document on his desk. What kind of nonsense was this? She couldn’t read what was written there. Her body went ice-cold as wild thoughts raced through her head. “So, that’s why I’m here?” She was so scared that she could barely whisper.
“This is an extremely serious matter.” The sheriff shot her an icy glare.
Madlen bowed her head. “That’s why I’m here?” she repeated.
“Well, since you apparently insist on hearing the words straight out of my mouth: you are accused of killing the unborn child of the Trauenstein family with the administration of toxic herbs.”
All the color drained from her face. “That’s not true,” she said softly.
“Oh no?” The sheriff stood and paced the room. “Then why did the maid confirm it?”
“Barbara?”
“Correct. What do you have to say about that?”