Martha and Will looked at me awaiting my reaction. After a moment George’s smile faded and his triumph turned to puzzlement.
“What is it?” he asked. “I should have thought you’d welcome the change.”
“You had me named the city’s Chief Witch Searcher—whatever that is—and you did not see fit to consult me beforehand?” Anger rose within me as I spoke.
“Well, yes,” he said. “But…”
“But nothing. I did not want the position before and I do not want it now. What is more, I do not want you acting on my behalf without consulting me!”
“I did not think you’d object.”
“Obviously not,” I said through clenched teeth. “Obviously you did not think about my wishes at all. Why would I want to become involved in such a bloody business? I am a midwife, George, my work is to bring young souls into the world. I did not learn the art and mystery of that craft so that I could see a gaggle of old women hanged.”
“But you’ve done it before,” George objected.
“No, I haven’t,” I cried. “I questioned Hester Jackson after she’d been convicted. And there is many a mile between talking to a lone witch who cursed her neighbor, and the slaughter that Joseph has proposed. Do you really believe that the city has been overrun by witches? Or that hanging a few dozen old women will convince the Lord to welcome us back into His good graces?”
George stared at me in astonishment. “But you were worried about Joseph and Rebecca.” he said. “And with one shot I felled them both from their perches. I thought you would be grateful.” He said the last of these words with the petulance of child unused to reprimand.
“Grateful that you purchased me a terrible office, George?” I asked. I felt my anger turning to exasperation. “Have I not earned my place in the city through honest work as a midwife? Have I ever traded on my name in such a blatant fashion? Have I ever said that I wanted to be a part of such a hunt?”
George said nothing, choosing instead to stare at the candlelight refracting in crimson through the crystal of his glass.
At that moment I became aware that Martha and Will had witnessed the entire conversation, and I found them staring at us, aghast and unable to speak. We sat in silence for far too long, each of us in desperate search of words that might temper the embarrassment I’d just caused.
“Now, George, why don’t you call for the sweetmeats?” I asked at last, and joined him in staring at my wine.
* * *
After we had finished dessert and forgotten, for the moment at least, George’s importunity, Martha, Will, and I prepared to walk home. While we waited for the servant to bring our cloaks, George joined us in the entry hall and cleared his throat.
“Lady Bridget, might I speak to you in the parlor?” He opened the door, and I followed him through.
“George, there is no need for you to apologize,” I said before he could speak. “You were trying to help me, and did what you thought was best. It is what friends do for each other. We will find a solution in the morning, but now it is quite late.”
“Er, that is not what I wanted to talk to you about.” He shifted from foot to foot as if he were anxious to use the jakes.
“What is it then?” I could hear the edge in my voice. If he thought I’d forgotten about his audacity in making me the city’s Witch Searcher, he was wrong.
“Lady Bridget, you know that I have admired you ever since you came to York. I have always held you in the highest esteem, and value your friendship above that of any other woman. And I do not think I am overstepping my bounds if I say that you truly are a handsome woman.”
I felt the bottom drop out of my stomach, and suddenly I was the one who needed to use the jakes. “George…,” I started to interrupt, but he would not be stopped.
“Under the best of circumstances, we would make a powerful couple, and I would still make this proposal,” he continued.
“What is it?” he asked. “I should have thought you’d welcome the change.”
“You had me named the city’s Chief Witch Searcher—whatever that is—and you did not see fit to consult me beforehand?” Anger rose within me as I spoke.
“Well, yes,” he said. “But…”
“But nothing. I did not want the position before and I do not want it now. What is more, I do not want you acting on my behalf without consulting me!”
“I did not think you’d object.”
“Obviously not,” I said through clenched teeth. “Obviously you did not think about my wishes at all. Why would I want to become involved in such a bloody business? I am a midwife, George, my work is to bring young souls into the world. I did not learn the art and mystery of that craft so that I could see a gaggle of old women hanged.”
“But you’ve done it before,” George objected.
“No, I haven’t,” I cried. “I questioned Hester Jackson after she’d been convicted. And there is many a mile between talking to a lone witch who cursed her neighbor, and the slaughter that Joseph has proposed. Do you really believe that the city has been overrun by witches? Or that hanging a few dozen old women will convince the Lord to welcome us back into His good graces?”
George stared at me in astonishment. “But you were worried about Joseph and Rebecca.” he said. “And with one shot I felled them both from their perches. I thought you would be grateful.” He said the last of these words with the petulance of child unused to reprimand.
“Grateful that you purchased me a terrible office, George?” I asked. I felt my anger turning to exasperation. “Have I not earned my place in the city through honest work as a midwife? Have I ever traded on my name in such a blatant fashion? Have I ever said that I wanted to be a part of such a hunt?”
George said nothing, choosing instead to stare at the candlelight refracting in crimson through the crystal of his glass.
At that moment I became aware that Martha and Will had witnessed the entire conversation, and I found them staring at us, aghast and unable to speak. We sat in silence for far too long, each of us in desperate search of words that might temper the embarrassment I’d just caused.
“Now, George, why don’t you call for the sweetmeats?” I asked at last, and joined him in staring at my wine.
* * *
After we had finished dessert and forgotten, for the moment at least, George’s importunity, Martha, Will, and I prepared to walk home. While we waited for the servant to bring our cloaks, George joined us in the entry hall and cleared his throat.
“Lady Bridget, might I speak to you in the parlor?” He opened the door, and I followed him through.
“George, there is no need for you to apologize,” I said before he could speak. “You were trying to help me, and did what you thought was best. It is what friends do for each other. We will find a solution in the morning, but now it is quite late.”
“Er, that is not what I wanted to talk to you about.” He shifted from foot to foot as if he were anxious to use the jakes.
“What is it then?” I could hear the edge in my voice. If he thought I’d forgotten about his audacity in making me the city’s Witch Searcher, he was wrong.
“Lady Bridget, you know that I have admired you ever since you came to York. I have always held you in the highest esteem, and value your friendship above that of any other woman. And I do not think I am overstepping my bounds if I say that you truly are a handsome woman.”
I felt the bottom drop out of my stomach, and suddenly I was the one who needed to use the jakes. “George…,” I started to interrupt, but he would not be stopped.
“Under the best of circumstances, we would make a powerful couple, and I would still make this proposal,” he continued.
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