Sarum - Edward Rutherfurd [497]
Obadiah was taken aback by this news. But he quickly recovered to take advantage of it.
“That land was meant to come to you, Samuel,” he said. “She has sold your patrimony to pay Forest. Yet had I not offered the same education to you myself for nothing?” He shook his head. “Hers is a distorted mind. I fear the worst. We shall try, if we can, to get your land back.”
And as he considered this, whether or not he thought she might be a witch, Samuel Shockley felt a touch of anger towards his sister.
The accusation was made the very next day. He would demonstrate, Hopkins promised, that by her unnatural behaviour in dressing up as a man, by her speech with animals and by other signs, Margaret Shockley had shown herself to be steeped in the arts of necromancy. For good measure, it was subjoined that she had bewitched her neighbour’s sheep, and the death of two of Forest’s was adduced as evidence.
It was a damning charge and all Sarum was buzzing with it. The matter would be laid before the Justice of the Peace—Sir Henry Forest – the very next week, but there seemed little doubt that he would send the matter forward to the Assizes for trial. The fact that the bewitched sheep belonged to him was not held to prejudice the matter in any way.
The next day, however, Sir Henry Forest received a most unexpected call.
It was from Aaron the Jew.
After hearing about the accusation, it had taken courage for Aaron to go to Forest. As a Jew, his position in England was tenuous. Did not his people know to their cost, for centuries of persecution, the terrible risks of calling attention to themselves? Had he any need to make enemies of powerful men like Obadiah? Margaret Shockley was nothing to him, nor Sarum, where he might only stay a month before passing on.
But it was written in the law: Thou shalt not bear false witness. It was written in the law, and if he did nothing, his conscience would not let him rest. He had seen what he had seen.
Briefly, without suggesting what it might mean, he told Sir Henry how he had seen Obadiah.
Forest listened, and as he did so, he grew thoughtful. When the Jew had finished, he thanked him, then, choosing his words with care;
“This is a delicate matter,” he warned, “and I advise you to say nothing about it. I shall investigate it diligently though. Be assured of that.”
Then he dismissed the man.
For some time after Aaron had gone, he considered the business in every aspect. Then drew out the agreement he had made with Margaret only days before. Even in the event of her condemnation and death, he judged that it might still be valid. Without her life tenancy at a low rent, the value of his acquisition would be raised many times.
Forest considered carefully, then decided to remain silent and wait upon events.
Margaret Shockley foresaw the next move against her.
That same day, she packed Samuel’s possessions into three larges boxes and placed them in the cart. Then she drove the boy round to Avonsford Manor.
“It’s best he remains with you,” she told the baronet, and reminding him of their agreement she pointed out: “’Twill be easier for you to keep your part of the bargain if he is already safely in your hands. Not so easy if Obadiah’s already got him.
Forest took him in without a word.
Two hours later, Obadiah and six men arrived at the farm. They had come for Samuel. She noticed that neither Jacob Godfrey nor any of the farm hands made any attempt to stop him.
“You come too late,” she told Obadiah. “He is safe with Sir Henry Forest, where even you can’t touch him.”
“I am the head of the family, impudent woman,” he said with icy coldness. “Forest will yield him to me.”
“I think not. He’s an interest in keeping the boy. He’s also a magistrate before whom you are to bring me,” she added shrewdly.
Obadiah scowled, but let the subject drop.
Before he left however, when the two of them were alone together for a moment, she asked:
“If you can’t have the boy, Obadiah, why bother to persecute me?”
To which, with all the hatred of the past in his dark eyes