The Witch of Blackbird Pond - Elizabeth George Speare [54]
"It's safe, sir!" he burst out, before the door was shut. "The charter's safe, where he can never lay a hand on it!"
"Thank God!" exclaimed Matthew reverently. "You were at the meeting, William?"
"Yes, sir. Since four o'clock. Sir Edmond got a stomach full of talking this day. The speeches of welcome lasted near to three hours, before he could get in a word of business."
"And the charter?"
"It was there, all the time, in the middle of the table in plain sight. Sir Edmond made a long speech about how much better off we were all going to be. It got dark, and finally he asked for lights. Before long the room got hot and full of smoke and when someone opened a window, the draft blew out the candles. It took quite a few minutes to get them lighted. Nobody moved. Far as I could see everybody stayed right in their places. But when the candles were lit the charter had disappeared. They looked high and low for it, all over the room, and never found a trace."
"Was the governor angered?"
"You'd have admired him, sir. You couldn't help it. He sat there cool as an icicle. He knew the paper wasn't going to be found, and he wouldn't stoop to ask a question about it. As it was, he could afford to ignore it."
"Aye," said Matthew grimly. "He had the power in his hands without it."
"Yes. Governor Treat read a statement, and they all signed it. The Colony of Connecticut is annexed to Massachusetts. Governor Treat will be appointed Colonel of Militia."
"And Gershom Bulkeley?"
"They say he will be appointed a Justice of the Peace for his loyalty."
"Hmm," snorted Matthew. He thought the news over for a moment. "The charter," he insisted, "do you know what happened to it?"
William hesitated. For the first time he acknowledged the presence of the three women by one brief embarrassed glance up the stairs.
"No sir," he answered. "The room was dark."
"Then how do you know it is safe?"
"It is safe, sir," said William positively.
"Then we can hold up our heads," said Matthew, taking a long breath. "Thank you for coming, my boy."
When the door was shut behind William, Matthew turned to the women on the stairs. "We can praise God for this night," he said. "Now get to bed, all of you. And remember, if there is any talk about this, you have heard nothing—nothing at all, do you understand?"
"Can you sleep now, Matthew?" asked his wife anxiously.
"Aye," agreed Matthew, "I can sleep now. There are hard times ahead for Connecticut. But some day, when the hard times have passed, as they must pass, we will bring our charter out of hiding and begin again, and we will show the world what it means to be free men."
The two girls crept back into the cold chamber and climbed shivering into bed. As Kit lay wide awake in the blackness, some distant shouts, a snatch of raucous, unrestrained singing such as she had never heard before in Wethersfield, sent her mind back to the days of her childhood. She surprised Judith by a sudden giggle.
"I know where the charter went," she whispered. "The spirits took it."
"What are you talking about?" Judith was almost asleep.
"I just remembered it is All Hallows Eve. This is the night the witches are supposed to ride abroad on broomsticks, and the spirits do all sorts of queer things."
"Nonsense," said Judith. "We don't hold with saints' days here in New England. Besides, William knows perfectly well where that charter is. I could tell he does."
Snubbed again, Kit fell silent and listened to that unaccustomed shouting in the distance. She felt curiously elated. She knew she had overheard an account of serious insubordination to the King, yet in her heart she was glad that her uncle had known this small victory. Now perhaps they would have some peace in the house. No, it was more than that. Tonight she had understood for the first time what her aunt had seen