The Witch of Blackbird Pond - Elizabeth George Speare [72]
Every voice was suddenly stilled. Almost paralyzed with dread, Kit turned slowly to face a new accuser. On the threshold of the room stood Nat Eaton, slim, straight-shouldered, without a trace of mockery in his level blue eyes.
Nat! The wave of joy and relief was so unexpected that she almost lost her balance, but almost instantly it drained away and left a new fear. For she saw that beside him, clinging tightly to his hand, was Prudence Cruff.
Goodwife Cruff let out a piercing scream. "Take her out of here! The witch will put an evil eye on her!" She and her husband both started forward.
"Stand back!" ordered the magistrate. "The child is protected here. Where is the witness?"
Nat put his hands on the child's shoulders and gently urged her forward. With one trusting look up at his face. Prudence walked steadily toward the magistrate's table.
Suddenly Kit found her voice. "Oh please sir!" she cried, the tears rushing down her face, "let them take her away! It is all my fault! I would do anything to undo it if I could! I never meant any harm, but I'm responsible for all of it. Please—take me to Hartford. Do what you want with me. But—oh, I beg you—send Prudence away from this horrible place!"
The magistrate waited till this outburst was over. "'Tis a trifle late to think about the child," he said coldly. "Come here, child."
Kit sank on her knees and buried her face in her hands. The buzz in the room roared like a swarm of bees around her head. Then there was a waiting hush. She could scarcely bear to look at Prudence, but she forced herself to raise her head. The child was barefoot and her snarled hair was uncovered. Her thin arms, under the skimpy jumper, were blue with cold. Then Kit stared again. There was something strange about Prudence.
"Will you stand there, child, in front of the table?" Captain Talcott spoke reassuringly.
Watching Prudence, Kit suddenly felt a queer prickling along her spine. There was something different about her. The child's head was up. Her eyes were fastened levelly on the magistrate. Prudence was not afraid!
"We will ask you some questions, Prudence," said the magistrate quietly. "You will answer them as truthfully as you possibly can. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir," whispered Prudence.
"Do you know this young woman?"
"Oh yes, sir. She is my teacher. She taught me to read."
"You mean at the dame school?"
"No, I never went to the dame school."
"Then where did she teach you?"
"At Hannah's house in the meadow."
A loud scream from Goodwife Cruff tore across the room.
"You mean Mistress Tyler took you to Hannah Tupper's house?"
"The first time she took me there. After that I went by myself."
"The little weasel!" cried Goodwife Cruff. "That's where she was all those days. I'll see that girl hung!"
It is all over, thought Kit, with a wave of faintness.
Gershom Bulkeley still held the little copybook. He spoke now, under his breath, and passed the book to Captain Talcott.
"Have you ever seen this book before?" the magistrate questioned.
"Oh yes, sir. Kit gave it to me. I wrote my name in it."
"That's a lie!" cried Goodwife Cruff. "The child is bewitched!"
Captain Talcott turned to Kit. "Is it true," he asked her, "that the child wrote her own name in this book?"
Kit dragged herself to her feet. "'Tis true," she answered dully. "I wrote it for her once and then she copied it."
"You can't take her word for anything, sir," protested Goodman Cruff timidly. "The child don't know what she's saying. I might as well tell it. Prudence has never been what you'd call bright. She never could learn much."
The magistrate paid no attention. "Could you write your name again, do you think?"
"I—I think so, sir."
He dipped the quill pen carefully in the ink and handed it to the child. Leaning over the table. Prudence set the pen on the copybook. For a moment there was not a single sound in the room but the hesitant scratching.
Goodman Cruff was on his feet. Propelled by a curiosity greater than any awe for the magistrate, he came slowly across the room and peered