can be no doubt that by their actions, they caused the deaths of four men. But facts are stubborn things, and the facts tell us that these men acted out of fear for their own safety. Who among us would have behaved differently?”
Ethan had heard men speak of the brilliance of John Adams, but until then he had not understood fully what they meant. An hour before, he would have wagered every pence he had that Preston and the others would be found guilty. No longer.
“I fear I’ve wasted your time, sir,” he said, getting to his feet. “You require no aid from me.”
For the first time since Ethan’s arrival, Adams smiled. “You’re kind, Mister Kaille. And I’m grateful to you for coming here. Many men, particularly those who keep company with my cousin, would have kept such information to themselves rather than give aid of any sort to these soldiers.”
Ethan didn’t bother to gainsay the man’s assumption that he supported the Sons of Liberty. He allowed Adams to escort him to the building entrance and bid him farewell.
Adams’s office was but a short distance from the Town House, and so Ethan next paid a visit to the chambers of Thomas Hutchinson. He had expected that he would have some difficulty convincing those who worked for the lieutenant governor to grant him admittance to the man’s office. He was wrong.
Within moments of his arrival, he stood before Hutchinson. Recent events had left him looking even more weary than he had during their previous encounter. Ethan doubted that he had slept in the past two days.
“Sheriff Greenleaf tells me that the conjurer of whom we spoke—the one you thought responsible for the Seider boy’s death—is dead,” Hutchinson said. “Moreover, he tells me that you killed him.”
“Yes, sir, that’s right.”
“The sheriff suggests that we owe you our gratitude.”
This was the last thing Ethan had expected him to say. “Mister Greenleaf is too kind, sir.”
Hutchinson gave a wry grin. “I think we both know better. I think as well that the province owes you five pounds. I assume that is why you came.”
“I came to inform you that before he died, Ramsey cast spells that may well have caused the shootings on King Street.”
Hutchinson’s mouth fell open. “What?” he said, breathless.
“He used his conjurings against the mob and the soldiers, as he did the day of the shooting on Middle Street. I have just now informed John Adams of this, so that he might make use of the information in his defense of the men.”
“Thank you, Mister Kaille. That was most fair-minded of you.”
“You may find this hard to credit, sir, but the idea was not my own. It came from Samuel Adams.”
Hutchinson pondered this, a faint smile on his lips. “Yes, I’m sure it did. Whatever else he might be, there can be no doubt that he’s canny.” The lieutenant governor stood unmoving for some time before returning to his desk and retrieving a purse that rang with coins. “Your five pounds,” he said, untying the drawstrings and pouring out the contents of the purse. He counted out Ethan’s payment and then glanced his way. “And what of our arrangement, Mister Kaille? Do I owe you an additional three pounds? Did Samuel Adams’s motives prove to be as pure as you believed?”
“You know they didn’t, sir. You owe me five pounds and nothing more. I spoke to Adams on your behalf and tried to dissuade him from organizing more assemblies like the one outside Ebenezer Richardson’s house. I failed, as we both knew I would. But I did fulfill my part of our wager.”
“Very well,” said the lieutenant governor, holding out the coins to Ethan.
Ethan took his payment and pocketed it without bothering to count the coins.
“Thank you, sir. Good day.”
“Thank you, Mister Kaille. As you well know, I have no love for your kind. Witchery is a scourge on this province and has been for more than a century. But the sheriff is right: You’ve done us a service, and I’m grateful to you.”
Ethan could think of nothing to say. He nodded once to the man and left the chamber, grateful to be done with Hutchinson, at least for a while, and grateful as well for the coins jangling in his pocket. Upon reaching the street, he paused. He owed a visit to Janna; she would want to know that Ramsey was dead. But all he wished to do was sit with Kannice. He walked back to the Dowsing Rod, taking