The Witch Hunter's Tale(94)

In the days that followed, York’s gaols slowly emptied of the women accused of witchcraft. Without Joseph or Rebecca to push them, the courts had lost their thirst for blood. The women who could not repay the city for the cost of their imprisonment languished in their cells until their relatives could gather money enough to satisfy the Warden. I later learned that half a dozen women died of gaol-fever because they were too poor to buy their freedom.

I sent nearly twenty shillings to the Castle in hope of speeding Will and Tree’s release, and the day after Joseph’s death Samuel Short wrote with the joyful news that Tree had been restored to him. As soon as the note arrived, Martha, Elizabeth, and I dashed to the Castle. We brought with us a new suit of clothes for Tree and as much food as we could carry.

“Do you think Will is there as well?” Martha asked as we wove through the crowded streets. The fact that we’d heard nothing of or from Will worried us both, and we did not know what it could mean. Perhaps he’d fallen ill—or worse.

“He could be with Samuel and Tree, waiting to surprise us,” Elizabeth suggested. I prayed that was the case.

When we entered the Castle, the sight of a three-legged mare greeted us, nooses still dangling from the crossbeams.

“They must have hanged Joseph here,” Martha ventured. “More private than the market at least.”

I looked away from the gallows. I had no interest in dwelling on my role in his death.

As soon as we arrived at Samuel’s tower, Tree dashed into our arms. When I was able to free myself from his embrace, I looked him over. Samuel had shaved his head to free him from lice, but aside from that he seemed as fit as could be. There could be no doubt that the Lord had watched over him with especial care. While Tree and Elizabeth devoured the cakes I’d brought and talked of their separate adventures—Elizabeth’s visits to the market seemed no less remarkable than Tree’s time in gaol—Martha and I turned to Samuel.

“Have you heard any news of Will?” Martha demanded. “Why wasn’t he released with Tree?”

Samuel’s brows knit in confusion. “All three of them—Stephen Daniels, Will, and Tree—walked out of the gaol together, nearly three hours ago,” he replied. “Will told me he’d go straight to your house. You haven’t seen him?”

Martha and I looked at each other. The relief I’d felt upon seeing Tree turned to concern for Will.

“How did he seem?” I asked Samuel. I could not imagine where he could be.

“He was distant, to be sure,” Samuel replied. “He wandered as if in a daze, following close behind Daniels. He didn’t even bid Tree farewell.”

“We must find him,” Martha said. She nearly managed to keep the worry from her voice. “There aren’t many places he could go.”

“Wait,” I said. Something else seemed strange. “They released Stephen Daniels as well? He killed the guards.”

“I didn’t ask why.” Samuel shrugged. “The gates opened wide, and every prisoner who could walk fled as quick as he could. I saw him and Will leave the Castle together.”

Tree and Elizabeth refused to be separated, so we took them both to my home and put them in Hannah’s care. We then turned to the question of where Will could have gone. A penniless man newly freed from gaol had few options before him.

“Perhaps he went to Helen Wright’s,” Martha suggested. “After spending so many nights in gaol, he may have wanted the chance to bathe and change his clothes before coming home.”

Martha’s was the best explanation we found, so we kissed the children farewell and walked south toward Micklegate Bar.

Helen’s maidservant answered our knock and ushered us into the parlor. Helen hurried in a few moments later. Gone were the days when she would make us wait simply because she could. She smiled broadly when she saw us (another first), embraced Martha, and grasped my hands. More remarkable than this was that I welcomed the gesture and I embraced her. If the Lord could let a fallen woman wash His feet, perhaps a bawd and I could become fast friends. Helen called for a warming drink, and I explained why we had come.

“Will didn’t come home?” Helen asked. The surprise on her face only increased my own worry.

“We thought he might have come here,” Martha said. I could hear the fear in her voice. “You haven’t seen him at all?”

“Stephen is sleeping, but for this I’ll wake him,” Helen said.

Helen returned a few minutes later with Stephen Daniels at her side. He had shaved his head, but even so there could be no mistaking that his time in gaol had taken its toll. His cheeks were hollowed, and his eyes had dark circles beneath them. He smiled wanly when he saw our reaction, and he ran a hand over his scalp.