Summer would soon be upon us. The sun would shine brightly with warm air on our faces. But the warmth could not penetrate my heart. As I gazed over the vegetable garden, my thoughts and chagrin over Abigail mounted. She had accused Tituba along with the other girls and she expected me to believe that Tituba would not be hanged. I hope she is right. For if she is not I will not speak to her again, ever.

A week went by. We were in the garden with the cows looking at us long and thoughtfully as if trying to understand us people. I was picking flowers.

‘Abigail, I am disturbed and disgusted as to what had happened to old Rebecca Nurse. When I heard that her sister Mrs Mary Easty has been freed, I thought it a good idea to visit her and share in her good cheer. Would you like to come with me?’

Abigail scowled in answer. ‘She’s far too old for me.’

‘I think she is sweet,’ I said.

I thought it unusual that I should walk alone to Topsfield when it was Abigail who always wanted to walk.

Mary opened the door for me and she appeared ten years younger.

‘Thank you for the flowers. I’ve made a cake. Will you have afternoon tea and cake with us? Betty it’s wonderful to be free for the coming summer. It will be a summer I will enjoy with relish. And the end of spring has never been so precious.’

We hugged.

‘I just had to come and see you.’

‘Mr Hawthorne asked the girls if they were certain of me. It’s so good to be out of that prison and to sleep in my own bed and be clean again. But my dear sister Rebecca is still in prison and my heart pains for her as she is old.’

We said a prayer for Rebecca. I told Mary it would be all right in the end.

I enjoyed her lovely cake with orange rind in it and I spent a delightful afternoon with her and her husband. Mary, at least, was free.

‘But, Mary, I will have to leave early before the dusk comes.’

‘Betty, you are not walking home. Mr Easty will take you back in his cart.’

I was glad of the ride and told my father where I had been. He smiled a wistful smile.

‘Did Abigail go with you?’

I thought why does he ask me a question to which he already knows the answer? I could see Abigail in the parlour.

‘No, Father.’

The erratic spring ended and summer arrived with a boom. It was suddenly hot and I made lemonade daily. I longed to paddle my feet in cold river water but I couldn’t bother walking to the river. Abigail did. My father called me to his study one morning when the heat was not at its highest.

‘Betty, Mary Easty’s freedom is no more,’ he said.

I went into shock, not understanding.

‘It is sickening.’ He hung his head. ‘Mercy Lewis became gravely ill. Her jaw locked.’

‘I didn’t know this.’

‘It was Captain Walcott’s niece who accused Mary Easty of causing Mercy’s illness, in lurid language; of putting chains around Mercy’s neck. At midnight, there was pounding on her door.’

‘It can’t be so.’ I almost choked out the words.

‘Well, Captain Walcott did not tell me. Do we all keep our secrets?’

‘She was so happy when she was freed.’

‘They did the same with her sister, freed her, and imprisoned her again. Do you know what Dr Griggs told me?’

I shook my head.

‘Mercy Lewis recovered completely.’

‘Mary Easty went back to prison for nothing!’

‘Dr Griggs told me that medicine cannot explain this. He no longer knows what to believe.’

‘Neither do I, Father.’

He clasped me to him.