believe the man or his colleagues capable of such barbarity. But don’t you see? He didn’t have to. He ordered those scoundrels onto Middle Street to make an example of Theophilus Lillie—a man you were paid to protect, if I understand correctly.”
Ethan didn’t deny it.
“Adams and his kind organize these mobs with the express intent of fomenting unrest. Surely you understand that.” The lieutenant governor was growing more animated by the moment, his face reddening, spittle flying from his mouth. “They incite the rabble to a frenzy and set them loose upon the city, knowing that all manner of violence and mayhem will follow. Adams might have been comfortably ensconced in his tavern over on Union Street, but he bears responsibility for the Seider boy’s death. He may as well have loaded Richardson’s musket and thrust it into his hands.”
Ethan stared down at his tricorn, which he held before him, and he kept silent.
“You disagree,” Hutchinson said with a hint of asperity.
“Whether or not I agree is unimportant. You want me to convince Samuel Adams to go against his very nature. There isn’t a man in Boston who could do that. I’m sure I can’t. Adams and I are acquaintances and nothing more. To be honest, we don’t particularly like each other. You may find this hard to credit, but he thinks me too much a Tory to be trusted. And I—” Ethan stopped himself. “Well, let’s say simply that I don’t always agree with his tactics.”
“Apparently we agree on that as well,” Hutchinson muttered.
“As I’ve already told you,” Ethan said, “I don’t believe that Adams would sacrifice a child’s life for his cause.”
Hutchinson’s laugh was bitter. “Where do you think all of this leads, Mister Kaille? Are you truly so naïve? Adams and the others want separation from England. Do you believe the Crown will simply allow the colonies to leave the British Empire?”
“No, I don’t suppose—”
“Of course not. So then it’s war we’re talking about, isn’t it? Before this is over, how many lads do you think will die for Adams’s cause? A thousand? Ten thousand? More?”
“That’s not the same, sir, and you know it. If you’re right, the king will send lads to fight here. Do you impute similar motives to His Majesty?” Hutchinson did not deign to answer and Ethan thinned a smile. “I thought not. As for Adams, I have no influence with the man. If you want someone to speak with him, I would suggest you seek out one of those whom he keeps in his confidence.”
“Who? Otis? Warren? Revere? They won’t treat with me. They are as besotted with the notion of ‘liberty’ as Adams.”
“Be that as it may.”
The lieutenant governor shook his head, his frustration manifest in his expression. “So you refuse to help me.”
“I don’t believe I can help you.”
“I can pay you. Or rather, the Province of Massachusetts Bay can pay you.”
“Pay me to do what?”
“To … to find the witch—the conjurer—who cast that spell you felt on Middle Street.”
“If you would care to engage my services as a thieftaker I would consider it an honor to work on behalf of the province.”
“Five pounds?”
Ethan nodded. “Done.”
“And Adams?”
“For that you’ll need to find another man.”
Hutchinson’s mien soured once more. “Yes, very well. Good day, Mister Kaille.”
“Good day, sir.”
Ethan turned and walked to the door. Before he could pull it open, however, the lieutenant governor said, “Hold, Mister Kaille.”
Ethan faced him.
“I have a proposition for you. You doubt that Adams would use the death of the Seider boy to advance his political aims. I know that you’re wrong. I will accept that you don’t wish to speak with him on my behalf. But I would ask this: If in the next several days you perceive that I am right and you are wrong about the man’s scruples, you will go to him, as I’ve asked.”
Ethan weighed the proposal. “And if it turns out that I’m right?”
“In that case, our original arrangement stands, with this one amendment: If you find the conjurer, I will pay you from my own purse another three pounds above the five I’ve already promised you.”
“All right,” Ethan said, grinning.
“You find this amusing?” Hutchinson asked.
“Not the circumstances, no. But I will admit that I never imagined when Sheriff Greenleaf was bringing me here that our congress would end with a wager.”
“We’re living in interesting times.”
“Aye, sir. That we are.”
“We have an agreement, then?”
“We do, sir.”
He left the lieutenant governor’s chambers and found the sheriff waiting for him in the