Page 75 of Dancing On Air

“Where did you get that?” asked Sampson, squinting his eyes, suddenly seeming worried.

“You told Leoric to bury it with the dead man, and we retrieved it,” Raven answered.

“He was trying to hide the evidence,” Connor pointed out. He and Leoric joined the others.

“That’s it! That’s the cup he used to poison Father.” Leoric pushed his way over to Rose and Raven to inspect it closer.

“You are going to believe his word over mine? I’m a noble. He’s just the son of the hangman.” Sampson still didn’t seem overly concerned.

“Wine you forced my father to drink, spilled from this goblet on to my father’s hood the day of the last beheading,” said Connor. “This is that same hood.” Connor removed his hood and held it up for all to see.

“The scent of the poisonous herb, wolfsbane can be smelled on the hood as well as the goblet,” Rose told them.

“Nonsense. I don’t know what you are talking about,” said Sampson.

“It’s true! Father died before I even got him home that day,” cried Leoric.

“Nay. That’s not true,” Sampson still protested.

“Is it really?” Connor looked over to his brother. “Leoric, do you recognize any of these people as being the same ones that were here the day of the beheading?”

Leoric craned his neck, looking over the guards and people in the crowd. “I do,” he answered. “Actually, I recognize lots of them.”

“Who are they? Can you point one out to us?” asked Lord Corbett.

“Well, I remember that lady,” said Leoric, pointing to one of the ladies of the castle. “She was actually kind to me. She stood right in the front and saw everything the day of the beheading.”

“Lady Stephanie, you are a well-respected noblewoman,” said Eleanor’s father, Garret Blackmore, recognizing her as well. “Can you tell me if this is Lord Sampson’s goblet? Come here and take a good look, please.”

The woman walked over, taking a look at the goblet and nodding. “Yes, Lord Warden, it is. My husband gave it to him last year.” Her husband was right behind her and acknowledged the fact as well.

“So, that still proves nothing other than it is my goblet.” Sampson didn’t seem so confident anymore.

“Did you see Lord Sampson give wine in this goblet to the hangman the day of the beheading?” asked Lord Corbett.

“Well, I think so,” said the woman. “But I can’t be sure.”

“I can. I saw it,” spoke up a priest from the village. “Lord Sampson came to me that morning asking for the darkest red wine I had. I gave it to him and saw him later forcing that poor hangman to drink it. The executioner was coughing and didn’t even want it, but was forced to drink it.”

“I can vouch that the herb I smell on both the hood and goblet is poisonous,” said Rose.

“Who the hell are you?” snapped Sampson.

“That is my wife, Lady Rose,” said Rook. “She was a gardener and knows all there is about any kind of herb.”

“You are going to take a gardener’s word over mine now?” spat Sampson, shaking his head and blowing air from his mouth. “That won’t hold up in any court.”

“He sent his guard to my shop that morning to buy wolfsbane,” said a man, breaking through the crowd.

“And who are you?” asked Garrett.

“I am the apothecary and also the healer of the village,” said an older man. “I only carry that herb to help control pests that eat all the crops. I didn’t want to sell it to him but I was forced to do it.”

“I see,” said Garrett. “Lord Sampson, I am Lord Warden of the Barons of the Cinque Ports. As you know, I have the authority to put you under arrest for the murder of Wensel Wyland, and that is exactly what I am going to do. Seize him,” commanded Garrett. His guards rushed up to the gallows to get Lord Sampson. “I also heard what just went on here minutes ago, and I cannot condone it. My daughter as well as a boy were mistreated and threatened. You are condemned to death, Lord Sampson for all your crimes. And since you are a noble, as is proper, you will die by beheading. Will you do the honors, Connor?”

“Nay!” screamed Sampson, now being held by the Lord Warden’s guards. “I demand a trial.”

“There is no need to waste time with a trial,” said Garrett. “You didn’t allow Sir Wensel that courtesy, and neither will I allow it to you. I have enough witnesses here and enough information to sidestep a trial and go directly to the execution. Hangman, your services are needed please.”