The Secret Healer(83)
“And what about me?” Sander roared.
“You appear to need a little time to think. Let’s hope it’s not too cold for you down here, so far underground.”
“You can’t do this to me. I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“Yes, but we’re going to do it anyway.” Johannes laughed as he locked the door from the outside. When they locked an even heavier door at the top of the stairs, Sander’s yells couldn’t be heard at all.
“Did you do what I asked you to do?” Johannes asked Elsbeth when he came home.
“Yes.” His mother nodded. “But I wasn’t comfortable with it at all.” She touched Johannes’s arm. “Is Sander all right? You didn’t do anything to him, did you?”
“Mother.” Johannes took her hands in his. “You know me better than that. I only do what I have to do in order to get answers. I’ve not forgotten my humanity.”
She sighed in relief. “You don’t realize how much better that makes me feel. I was afraid . . .” She bit her lip.
“Don’t worry. I’m only scaring him.” He balled up his hand into a fist. “This Roswitha will talk, and I’ll learn what I need from her in order to find Maria.”
“And what then?” Elsbeth’s voice trembled.
“I’ll try her, then convict her. That’s my job.”
“But Johannes.” Elsbeth was horrified. “She’s your wife. You married her; don’t you at least want to give her the opportunity to explain?”
“What? Why she ripped an innocent child from its womb and murdered Adelhaid Trauenstein in cold blood? Or the magical healing that she did in the name of the devil?”
Elsbeth was stunned. She had never seen her son so angry before. His grief had transformed into coldhearted hatred. Elsbeth wondered whether it had been a mistake to assist her son with his plans. She wanted to say something, but the front door squeaked open. A moment later, a guard knocked on her door and entered with her permission.
“Excuse me, my lady. A maid who calls herself Roswitha is at the front door. She would like to speak with you.”
“She actually wants to see me,” Johannes answered. “Send her in.”
The guard nodded. Johannes turned to Elsbeth. “You shouldn’t be here. I thank you for your help; I’ll do the rest on my own.” Her son’s voice sounded harsh.
“I’m staying,” Elsbeth replied firmly, as she straightened her skirt and sat to await the visitor. Johannes wanted to argue, but there was a knock, and the guard let Roswitha enter. She curtsied and looked at the Goldmanns shyly. It was obvious that she’d been crying.
“I was told that Sander would be here.” She stared at the floor.
“Really?” Johannes folded his arms in front of his chest. “Well, I think that there must be a misunderstanding. Did you tell her this, Mother?”
Elsbeth fell silent. She looked at her son expectantly.
“Well,” he continued, “Sander is not here, but I know where he can be found.”
“Where?” Roswitha’s body began to tremble.
“I will gladly tell you, once I have some answers.”
Roswitha nervously chewed her lower lip. “What do you want me to do?” Her trembling became even more violent.
“Sit down,” Johannes ordered, moving a chair away from the table. The maid obeyed without looking up.
“I only have one question,” Johannes stated.
“Is Sander all right?” She lifted her head to look at Johannes through tearful eyes.
“We can go into that in a moment,” he replied dismissively. Johannes started to pace the room. Horrified, Elsbeth followed his movements. It was if he were a completely different person.
“We haven’t seen each other in a long time, Roswitha.”
The maid didn’t answer.
“That last time was in Agathe’s home.”
She nodded mutely.
“Your Sander had the cough and was healed. How did that happen?” he said, suddenly changing his tune.
Roswitha winced as if someone had dealt her a blow. “He just had a light cough.” Her voice wasn’t more than a whisper.
“Just a light cough. Really? I heard otherwise.”
“It was just a light cough,” she reiterated, although she didn’t dare meet his gaze.
“If you say so.” Johannes’s eyes fell on Elsbeth, who was tense and pale. He would have preferred that she wasn’t in the room for this. Johannes knew that Elsbeth would be quite displeased with the way he forced Roswitha to talk.
“Are you happy with your new husband?”
“Yes, my lord.”