Huber looked baffled, and Michaels paused, wondering what explanations he should try and give. Then he simply walked out of the door again. Let them sort it for themselves. It was possible they would come after him, but Michaels had not given his name, and it didn’t look like anyone would be seeking that hard for justice on the blacksmith’s behalf. Still, it would be best not to linger. He walked back up the track again, knowing the rabble would not turn on him now the blacksmith was put away. As he entered the square he saw the young man with the shovel in the forge. It looked as if he and his friends had found the blacksmith’s strongbox, and were trying to break it open. The woman and her child were gone. He went to untie his horse. His mount had felt some of the violence in the air and was blowing hard through her nose. He put a hand on her neck and murmured to her. The words weren’t important, but she needed the touch, the steadying from him. He felt her muscles beginning to relax a little.
The skinny girl he had seen at the blacksmith’s came running up and slid to a halt at his side. Her eyes were a little vacant and the bones at her collar stuck out like a bird’s.
‘They said you were looking for the witch.’
Michaels continued to stroke his horse. ‘Looking for a girl, bit older than you, might have come through here two years ago.’
‘She had black hair. Never seen hair like it. Devil must have spat in it to make it so shiny.’
‘You know her then?’
The girl began to chew at one of her fingernails. ‘She wandered round here from time to time. I saw her. Three times.’ She held up three fingers to show him, her nails bitten and dirty.
‘Where was she staying?’
‘Dunno. She’s dead. Came with her head held high and no nod or smile for anyone. Time one. She was a witch. Saw her out in the fields. Time two. Then I saw the devil himself burying her. Time three. She’s dead. Just before the first snow.’
Michaels nodded very slowly. ‘The devil, you say? And where did he bury her?’
‘By the waterfall.’
‘Where’s that?’
She swung from side to side so her thin skirts swished around her ankles, chewing her thumbnail and staring at him. ‘Path goes up from old Rebecca’s place. You passed it if you came in from the big town. Steep. Your horsey won’t like it. You’ll have to walk.’
Michaels ran his hand through the horse’s mane. It snorted and shook its head. ‘How come you saw it?’
She kept swinging from side to side. ‘I like it there. Here is not nice. I only come when I am hungry. Would you like to know what the devil looks like?’
‘I think I should.’
She stopped swinging and gave a little skip, speaking so fast Michaels could hardly keep pace with the sense of it. ‘Like a man! Tall and thin with a long black cloak! I hid in the bushes and watched for a while, then the devil made me sleep, so I never saw him disappear. I liked her hair. I made a wreath for her, even if she was a witch. I am glad the devil buries his servants somewhere pretty. Maybe I should work for him.’
Michaels slowly took a coin from his pocket and put it out towards her, but she stepped away as if he’d held out something foul. ‘They’ll only beat me for it.’
He put it back into his pocket then swung himself onto his horse. She watched him.
‘He’ll have to go away now.’
He turned and looked at her with a frown. ‘The blacksmith?’ She nodded. ‘That any hurt to you?’
‘No.’ She was chewing her finger again.
‘By the waterfall, you say?’
‘I think maybe I’d like to be a witch.’
‘Even though you see what happens to them? Better learn your prayers.’ She wrinkled her nose and made a tsking note in her throat.
‘Do you know where she was going? When she first came through the village?’
‘Westways,’ she said, then turned to walk off, now dragging her feet.
Michaels gently pressed his horse’s flanks with his heels. An hour later he was back with the egg-seller in Oberbach. He tipped his hat to her. ‘What’s your priest like here, sister?’ he asked quietly.
V.6
Harriet delivered the warrant for Clode’s release to Rachel and Graves while they drank their coffee. They were delighted to have it, then shocked into silence by her news of the murder of Countess Dieth. When she explained the symbol to them, Graves mentioned that he had met the gentleman in charge of the library, and offered to accompany her there and give her an introduction before leaving for Castle Grenzhow.
‘If you can wait, Rachel,’ he added gently to her. Rachel had taken the order for Clode’s release from the table where Harriet had placed it, and held it tightly between her white hands. She gave a quick nod.
‘I think I have a little courage left. Go. I can wait a while longer.’
Harriet went round the table to sit by her sister and covered her hands with her own. Rachel did not loosen her grip around the order. ‘Rachel. We can leave. We can go now and leave all this behind us. Return to Hartswood. Ask and we shall follow you without question.’
‘That letter from the Ambassador. The King of England has asked you to assist Maulberg.’
‘Damn the King,’ Harriet replied with a smile and her sister flinched.
‘Harriet …’ Rachel closed her eyes for a second. ‘No, Crowther is right. Daniel’s best chance of leaving these horrors lies in finding out the truth. If we run now, they will follow him.’
‘They might follow him in any case, my love.’
She nodded again. ‘They might, but we must try. Work it out, Harry. I know you can, but please, try and work it out as fast as you can. Now go to the library. I shall rest until you are at liberty, Graves.’ She stood and left the room rather quickly. Harriet watched her go.
The library was not housed in the palace but, to demonstrate that it was available to all respectable people, had been built on one side of the town square. Graves and Harriet left the palace, and found themselves amongst the preparations for the reception of the new Duchess. The stands for the nobility had been completed and were now being dressed. Great bolts of cloth in blue and green hung from their sides, swagged layers of it separated the levels of the stands, and along the upper level ran a forest of flagpoles. Everything glittered.
‘What must that material have cost?’ Harriet said, her brightness rather forced. ‘I hope they donate it to the poor afterwards. You could make a new coat for every man in Pulborough with that material.’
‘I was thinking the same, though the effect might be a bit strange, don’t you think?’ Graves replied. Harriet smiled, mentally repopulating the market town with blue damask. ‘And now we have shown ourselves to be what we are.’
‘What is that?’
‘Not Nobility, Mrs Westerman. We have thought about what things cost and shown ourselves up terribly as a result.’
‘It doesn’t seem to bother you greatly, Graves.’
‘I’ve never been prouder of being the owner of a shop. And of course, my friend is about to be released. I am ready to forgive myself and the nobility most things.’ He frowned. ‘Lord, should I be so light-hearted with that poor woman lying dead? How quickly we can forget what we don’t wish to think of. Earth in the mouth …’
‘Crowther told me not to think about the manner of death more than I have to, and I think I shall do as he suggests, Graves. Our repulsion does her no good.’
‘And it is given out she is only sick …’
‘I wonder if it will be believed.’
‘Most likely people will think she has decided to remove herself from court while the new bride settles herself at the palace, and will praise her delicacy.’ He looked at Harriet with steady attention. ‘I fear, Mrs Westerman, you are on the trail of someone very dangerous. He has killed and covered his tracks with repeated success, and now he has murdered in the palace itself. Part of me feels I should insist we leave for England at once.’