1. Salem, 1692


    Date: 9/18/2015, Categories: Historical, Author: WritersFriend, Rating: 9, Source: LushStories

    corners of her eyes. She seemed to have aged ten years in the past six weeks. The stress must be terrible. Edward’s heart fluttered when she put on her brave smile. “Hello, Edward. I’m so happy you came.” He sat down beside her and took her hand. “I told you I would. I would never let you down, Mary.” “I know.” Oh, how he wanted to kiss her, but that would be too dangerous. It was dangerous enough just visiting. He had heard tongues wagging at the inn, rumors and conjecture as to the nature of their relationship. If he were jailed as a wizard, that would be the end. They talked for a while, and then he whispered, “I will be bringing the late tea tonight, Mary.” She looked into his eyes and nodded. At least Mr. Gates, the owner of the House of the Seven Gables, had intervened on Mary’s behalf to keep her out of the Salem Dungeon and Jail. Edward had heard that the small cells there were rat-infested and filthy, with no bedding or food provided, the inmates often bound or shackled. This small jail near the Seven Gables allowed Mr. Gates to provide her with meals and an early-evening tea. “Time to go,” the jailer said. Edward gave her hand a squeeze, stood up, and left. *** Being a stable boy, Edward didn’t usually take Mary her meals or tea, but Lucas, the kitchen boy who did so, knew that Edward was sweet on Mary, and the bribe that Edward paid him convinced him. Edward entered the jailhouse with the basket and walked up to the jailer. He was reading a book at his desk under ...
    the light of an oil lamp. Mr. Legwand, it was tonight, looked up at him and said, “Where’s the regular boy?” “He took ill, sir.” “Ah.” Edward took the pot of tea, wrapped in a cozy, out of the basket along with two cups. “Would you like me to pour it, sir?” “All right.” Edward served the tea and stood there. “All right,” Mr. Legwand said, “off with you.” “Yes, sir.” Edward gave a short bow and left. Outside, he crouched in a dark spot off the street, amid a cluster of trees. He waited about an hour, until the church bells chimed nine o’clock, and then went inside the jailhouse again. Mr. Legwand’s head lay on his arms on the desk. He was fast asleep. Edward rushed to the open cell and said, “Come on, Mary.” Her tea, he noticed, had not been touched. He led her out the back door. Nearby he had tethered two horses—Mary’s favorite, a black mare, and the horse called Galahad, the fastest in the stables. He handed Mary a pair of his winter long johns to keep her from chafing, watched her put them on, then helped her onto her mare. “My cat?” she said. “He’s in the basket behind you.” He’d fastened a closed-lid basket to the back of the saddle. Mary opened the lid and, smiling, dipped her hand inside. Edward mounted his stallion. “We have to be going.” They rode hard to the east for a while on the main road, trying to put distance between them and Salem Town. Then Mary left the road and headed towards a bush thick with oak and hickory trees. At the tallest tree she dismounted and ...
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