Chapter Nineteen

Gabriel Clarke could feel the rapid ebb and swell of his horse’s breathing as he galloped toward the village green. Far behind him came the rattle of Brockton’s dogcart and the sound of shouts as Brockton urged his horse onward. Dear God, don’t let me be too late!

Gabriel had arrived at Colonel Compton’s within moments of Aaron’s impetuous departure. Met by Brockton, who was about to leap into his carriage in pursuit of Aaron, Gabriel heard only the lawyer’s desperate cry, “He has gone to the green!” before pulling his horse about and galloping onward. Now he pulled up sharply, leapt from the saddle, and pounded heavily on the locked front door to the village hall.

Bertram Madison did not fling the door open, being a prudent man.

“Who’s there?” he called.

“Gabriel Clarke!”

The door opened slowly, and Gabriel found himself facing the business end of a pistol.

“What do you want?”

“I’m seeking my brother!”

“Captain Clarke? Haven’t seen him, now go away.”

There was a rattle behind Gabriel and both men turned their eyes toward Brockton, who tumbled from his dogcart before his horse had ceased to move.

“Is he here?” Brockton cried, stumbling toward the others.

“No,” Gabriel answered. “Madison hasn’t seen him.”

Brockton turned his eyes to the sheriff, who was tucking his pistol in his trousers. “Madison, you’ve got to stop the hanging! We’re very close to bringing forward some circumstances that would shed doubt on the verdict. You must give us time!”

“You know I can’t make that decision. Wake up the judge if you’ve got something worth his listening to. Otherwise, get out of here.”

“You’d hang an innocent girl?” cried Gabriel. “What sort of colonial justice is this?”

“Don’t talk to me of colonial justice!” Madison rejoined. “You Brits aren’t known for mercy when it comes to a hanging!”

“Clarke, we’ve no time for this!” hissed Brockton, pulling Gabriel away. “Come, we’ve got to find Aaron.”

Gabriel turned away from the tall figure of the stalwart lawman. “He must be at home, Brockton. He may have gone to arm himself!”

“Wait,” said Brockton, clutching Gabriel as he tried to mount his steed. Brockton turned back to the sheriff, who was watching them warily.

“Madison, for the love of God, if Clarke shows up here, don’t shoot him! One death tonight will be enough!”

There was only a grunt from the lawman. Brockton turned again to Gabriel.

“Have you any ideas for changing Maria’s mind?” he asked. “If you do, we need to talk to Colonel Compton. We don’t have time to search for your brother.”

Gabriel eyed the shrewd solicitor. “You guessed what I might do, didn’t you? I’m prepared to turn over my title to Aaron if the witch will consent to marry him. I feel a fool to do so, for she’ll only make his life a hell.”

“Good!” cried Brockton. “It’s what I hoped! His life will be a worse hell if Hannah dies, so let’s first save her, then see about saving him.”

Turning their tired horses, they galloped through the sleeping village, past the harbor, where the Bonnie Reel creaked gently in her berth, up the hill by the great stone church, and finally, hooves thudding, down the lane to the Compton residence.

Gabriel’s fists pounding on the Compton’s front door were not necessary to wake the family for no one had made an attempt to retire for the night. Colonel Compton had dragged his niece downstairs to the parlor and was haranguing her, all pretense of courtesy at an end. His wife was huddled in a corner wringing her hands, while the maids, white-faced, hung in the doorway. One of them heard the banging on the front door and hastened to open it. Following the sound of raised voices, the two men rushed to the parlor.

“If you lied in a court of law and condemned that girl to die,” Compton was hollering, “I will do what my brother should have done years ago and tan your evil hide!”

“Let me go!” screamed Maria. “I’ll do as I please!”

Brockton seized Compton and dragged him into a chair. Maria would have fled, but Gabriel caught hold of her sleeve and pushed her roughly onto a settee.

“How dare you!” she cried, attempting to rise.

“Be quiet!” was Gabriel’s response. “Be quiet and listen!”

Gabriel turned to the colonel. “We have one further card to play, Compton. If this witch recants her testimony and marries my brother, I’ll abdicate my claim to my father’s title. Aaron one day will be Sir Aaron, and she will be Lady Clarke.”

Compton rose and faced Gabriel. “You’re a fool to do this! Your place in your family, your seat in the British parliament—all will be gone!”

“Perhaps I’m a fool, but that’s my offer. And I’ll keep my word on it.”

Colonel Compton turned again to his niece, but Maria did not look at him. All anger was gone from her face as she rose gracefully from the settee and regarded Gabriel Clarke. Her eyes gleamed in the candlelight as she smiled.

“Sir, if you are in earnest, I believe we may indeed strike a bargain. I’m not such a fool, however, as to take your word on it. But here’s Mr. Brockton, who can draw up an agreement for you to sign.” Turning toward the solicitor, she added sweetly, “It’s 11:15, Mr. Brockton, so perhaps you should hurry.”

“Have writing materials brought to me. We have not a moment to lose!”

****

There was silence on the Bonnie Reel as Jeremiah Whetherton and Aaron Clarke stared into each other’s eyes. Their thoughts were similar: I must trust this man’s word in order to proceed.

If he signed his property over to Whetherton, will he renege on his promise to attempt to stop Hannah’s execution? was Aaron’s agonizing question. Whetherton’s was, If he risked the wrath of Sheriff Madison, would Clarke follow through on the property transfer?

There was little trust on either side; on both sides too much was at stake.

Aaron became aware of the ticking away of precious time and spoke. “Come, let’s provide security for each other. I’ll fetch Corey Carne and he can witness my signing a deed of transfer. He’ll hold the deed, and it won’t be delivered to you until after you’ve spoken with Madison—in my presence.”

“Carne? He and his entire family are your friends and allies! What would prevent him from tearing up the agreement after I risked my own freedom with Madison?”

“Then name someone to second the agreement. Each can hold a copy!”

Whetherton thought this over while Aaron waited in agony.

“Come on, man!” he finally cried. “It’s after eleven!”

“Get Carne,” replied Whetherton, “But if you renege on this, I’ll kill both of you.”

Aaron ignored the threat. “Meet me in the village square!”

He quickly rose and would have been off in a second, but Whetherton restrained him. “Take my skiff across the river.”

Aaron nodded and in a moment, he had leapt into the boat and pushed away from the Bonnie Reel into the current of the mist-shrouded river.

While Aaron thrust his oars wildly into the black water of the Mystic and began his journey across, Hannah, locked in the Stygian darkness of her cage, opened her eyes slowly. She could see nothing and hear no sound except the beating of her heart. Soon she would hear footsteps, and her heart, pounding now like a terrified bird’s, would be stilled forever. At the thought, she shook all over, and tears rolled down her face into the straw.

Mercifully, she had been asleep for a time. She had been dreaming she was aboard the Penelope, but a great storm had arisen and was battering the ship to pieces. In her dream, she felt herself struggling in the cold sea. Her flailing arm had struck the wall of her cell, and the blow had awakened her.

As with all awakenings now, her instant thought was of her impending death. She had read her Bible and prayed for strength, but now with the moment so close, she felt a gnawing terror.

Shuddering, she turned over in her bed of straw. She had been back in the prison for a week, but her cough had not returned. Why, she wondered, could they not have hanged her when she was too ill to care? Now she was well and strong, and it took all her courage not to scream with fear of what she must soon endure.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps, and she jerked spasmodically. She must hide, she must hide! She crawled desperately into a corner and pulled the hay around her.

Then she forced herself to regain her senses. She could not hide. Fate, or God, or whatever force ruled the affairs of humans had ordained she must die for a crime she did not commit. She reached into the hay for her Bible and pressed it to her bosom. She must be brave, as others had been before her.

Madison opened the creaking door. With him were two deputies, one of them young and pale, his face round-eyed and frightened at what he must do.

“It’s time, Miss Winstead,” said the sheriff. “Have you made your peace with God?”

“I have no peace to make,” Hannah whispered, “for I did not commit the crime.”

“Come, miss,” said the older of the deputies. He seized Hannah by an arm and pulled her to her feet. Her Bible fell to the floor and was retrieved by the younger man.

“The parson is outside,” said Madison. “He’ll stay with you…until the end.”

Hannah was light-headed from lack of food, for she had been unable to eat anything for two days. As the sheriff spoke, blackness filled her head and mercifully she fainted. The deputies dragged her forward down the dank hall past the desperate faces watching from the shadowy cages, up the stairs and into an antechamber just inside the door leading to the green.

Madison sighed as he opened the door and stared cautiously into the black night. He had hoped Brockton would have been able to get the judge to order a delay of the execution, but there were no thudding hoof beats to announce the arrival of a messenger. The green was as still and silent as a tomb.

Madison fingered a small vial in his pocket. It contained laudanum, enough to stop a bull in its tracks. He would pour a little down the girl’s throat now and the rest after the parson had said his piece. That was all he could do for her. She would die painlessly and, he hoped, reap her reward in heaven.

Madison checked his watch: 11:50. He pulled forth the vial and raised it to Hannah’s lips. The older deputy held her head back, and Madison poured a bit of liquid into her mouth. Only somewhat conscious, Hannah swallowed to avoid choking.

“Let’s go,” Madison grunted and held the heavy door open for the two men dragging their pathetic burden.

The outside air revived Hannah, and she began to moan and try to stand upright. The men paused to allow her to gain her footing, and as they did, three figures appeared from the shadows near the gallows. The parson, who had been sitting on the steps of the structure, rose and faced the newcomers. Madison drew his pistol.

“Sheriff!” called a voice. “’Tis Oliver Brockton! I’ve brought Miss Compton to speak with you!”

A small flame of hope ignited in Madison’s mind, but he called gruffly, “This hanging is not open to the public! Go away!”

The three people advanced toward the sheriff, and he cocked his pistol.

“Put your gun away, sheriff,” said Brockton. “It’s only Miss Compton and Mr. Gabriel Clarke who are with me. We give you our word that we don’t mean to interfere with your duty. We only ask that you hear what Miss Compton has to say.”

“You have two minutes,” Madison replied. “But whatever you have to say would better be told to the judge.”

“You have the authority, Madison, to delay the hanging if you opine that’s how the judge would rule.”

“I know the law, Brockton. Speak, but make it quick.”

Maria approached the sheriff, casting a pitiless glance at Hannah, who stared at her uncomprehendingly.

“Sheriff Madison,” Maria began, placing her hand on his arm imploringly, “you must understand…how frightened I was.” She began to weep, pulling a delicate lace handkerchief from her reticule. “When I realized I had mistaken the day I saw Hannah, I was too frightened to come forward.” She sobbed into the handkerchief, causing Brockton to admire her acting and Gabriel to raise his eyes to the heavens.

“It…it was not the Wednesday in question I saw her but the day before. And she wasn’t leaving the side door of the inn, but the side door of the church. I was so upset at the murder of Lord Earling that…I became very muddled in my thinking.”

Madison stared at the beseeching face of Maria Compton. She was a liar; he already knew that. But now she was lying on the other side of the fence. Why?

“Miss Compton, what made you wait until this moment to come forward?”

“Mr. Brockton assured me I would not be in any difficulty on account of my mistake. I was terribly afraid that if I told the truth, I would be arrested myself! I was so frightened, so very frightened!”

Maria sobbed into her handkerchief again, while Madison stared at her. Finally, he turned to Brockton.

“You have one hour to wake up the judge and get an order to delay. One hour!”

Before Brockton could answer, running footsteps were heard. Aaron, Corey, and Jeremiah Whetherton appeared at the edge of the wavering circle of light cast by the lanterns standing on the gallows.

“Sheriff!” called Whetherton, “You must stop the hanging! I’ve made an error, a terrible error!”

Madison could not repress a smile as the three men reached him. He tucked his pistol away. There would be no hanging tonight, and he was as glad as any of them.

“Let me hazard a guess, Whetherton. You’re here to tell me that you made a mistake, and Miss Maria Compton was indeed aboard the Bonnie Reel in her knickers on the day Lord Earling was stabbed!”

At the sheriff’s words, Miss Compton began to cry again. Madison turned to her.

“Dry your eyes, girl. I’m not going to arrest you for lying in court, so you can cease your acting bit. But if I were Colonel Compton, I’d lash you with a horse whip!”

Aaron had rushed to Hannah and was attempting to take her from the deputies. Madison turned his attention to the scuffle.

“Miss Winstead is still my prisoner, Clarke. She’ll be returned to her cell to await the judge’s order for a new trial or a new date of execution. If you interfere, you’ll be in the next cell.”

“For God’s sake, Madison! Let me take her home!”

Brockton seized Aaron’s arm, and Corey grabbed his other arm. “Sheriff, we’ll abide by your decision!” Brockton cried, dragging Aaron away from the swaying form of Hannah.

Madison turned to the deputies. “Take her back to the lockup, and then go wake up Judge Watson.”

The others watched in silence as Hannah was half carried across the green. When the heavy door had been closed on her, Maria, who had been watching Aaron through narrowed eyes, strolled to his side and placed her arm through his.

“Captain Clarke,” she purred, her tears now gone. “Perhaps you didn’t know…you and I are engaged.”

Aaron glanced at her, his mind still on Hannah and barely aware of Maria’s meaning. Whetherton looked at both of them and laughed. Snatching a paper from Corey, he waved it in their faces.

“A fine bargain you’ve made, Maria. He is a pauper!”