Page 62 of The Witch

I look over at Ethel, who seems to be considering this. Finally, she nods. “Okay.”

“This is an extremely sensitive piece of equipment,” he warns us as he places it on the mantel right up next to the painting. “Don’t touch it or interfere with it in any way. I’m the only one licensed to operate it.”

“Okay,” I agree.

Dixon looks down at the recorder thoughtfully. “Hopefully, this won’t make things worse. If it does…” He pauses, then shakes his head. “I’ll be back in a week.”

44

1692

CAROLINE

The next day, there is no mention of what Jonas was trying to do the night before. I look over in his cell, and I don’t see any hole in the ground leading to the outside. So if he is digging some sort of escape route, he’s either managed to hide it or hasn’t gotten very far. I suspect it is the latter.

If he is digging a tunnel, he should make haste. He will soon be transported to Boston, and escape will be far more difficult from a real jailhouse. Once he is in the city, his death warrant will have been signed. There is no chance he will avoid execution.

He deserves it. Whereas I do not.

Just past midday, Deputy Strickland comes down to the cellar. He is holding an object in his right hand, and when he grows closer, I recognize it to be a dress made from wool. I have been holding my own dress together with my hands since it was ripped yestermorn, and I dare not hope that he has brought this for me.

“Mistress Eldridge,” Strickland says as he approaches my cell, stepping over a bowl left on the floor. “I have something for you.”

It is strange that he has brought me a dress that is not my own. Back at Pemberton, there is a whole closet full of dresses that Archie could have brought for me. Archie was not aware that my dress was ripped open, but he knew that I did not pack a bag when I was taken to the jail. Surely it must’ve occurred to him that I would need clothes. Should he not have brought me something to wear? Perhaps he has tried to come see me with a bundle of clothes but was turned away. I would not be surprised.

Strickland unlocks the door to my cell, and like yesterday, he steps inside. He holds out the dress to me, and I take it eagerly, scared he might take it back.

“Thank you so much,” I say.

“You are most heartily welcomed, Mistress Eldridge.”

I clutch the dress, waiting for him to leave my cell so that I might change, but he remains. He is not leaving.

“Mistress Eldridge,” he says. “Do you not enjoy my present?”

“I do,” I say carefully. “But my husband would frown upon me shedding my garments before another man.”

“Verily, I believe this is the least of your husband’s concerns at this time.” He folds his arms and tilts his head in Jonas’s direction. “Besides, he will be here either way.”

Though Jonas is lying on his bed of straw, his eyes respectfully turned away.

“What do you fear so greatly?” Strickland challenges me. “I already saw your teat.”

“I…” I squeeze the scratchy wool fabric between my fingers. “I will change later.”

“No.” Strickland takes a step toward me. “If you refuse to change now, I will take the dress and leave. And I shan’t return until tomorrow.”

It is not yet dinnertime. I have barely eaten today, and the thought of missing another meal makes my stomach clench.

“Good sir,” I begin.

“Did we not discuss this last night?” He tugs on the dress, pulling it hard enough that I know if I do not let it go, it will rip. So I allow him to take the dress that I covet so intently. “You said that henceforth, you would cooperate. And yet here you are…not cooperating.”

I do not wish for Strickland to see me changing, but it would be worse to remain in this destroyed dress. It would be worse to lie on my bed of straw tonight with my belly empty and painful.

I will do it quickly.

I make haste as I throw off my old dress and abandon it on the cold, hard floor. Freed of my torn clothing, I feel the draft in the cellar pass right through me, and gooseflesh rises up on my arms and legs. I reach for the wool dress in Strickland’s arms, hoping to throw it over my head as quickly as I can. But he holds it out of my grasp.