Free The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

interruption.
    "Surrender our charter and we lose all," he thundered. "That charter was given to Connecticut by King Charles twenty-five years ago. It guarantees every right and privilege we have earned, the very ground we stand on and the laws we have made for ourselves. King James has no right to go back on his brother's pledge. What do you say, Master Holbrook? Or has your teacher poisoned your mind as well?"
    "I believe we should keep the charter, sir," John's eyes were on the fire, and his voice sounded troubled. "But Dr. Bulkeley says that Connecticut has misinterpreted the charter. His knowledge of the law is so wide. He says that justice is not always served by our courts and—"
    "Bah!" Matthew Wood pushed back his chair and rose to his feet. "Justice! What do you young men? know about rights and justice? A soft life is all you have ever known. Have you felled the trees in a wilderness and built a home with your bare hands? Have you fought off the wolves and the Indians? Have you frozen and starved through a single winter? The men who made this town understood justice. They knew better than to look for it in the King's favor. The only rights worth all that toil and sacrifice are the rights of free men, free and equal under God to decide their own justice. You'll learn. Mark my words, some day you'll learn to your sorrow!" He stumped off up the stairs without a goodnight.
    Oh, dear! Could there never be a pleasant moment without this senseless argument? After Matthew's departure the conversation never really righted itself. Kit jumped as the square clock in the corner twanged eight o'clock. Only one hour! It seemed like the longest evening she had ever lived through. William rose deliberately to his feet.
    "Thank you for your hospitality, Mistress Wood," he said politely.
    John looked up, startled that the time had passed so quickly, and followed William's example. As the door shut behind their backs, a long sigh escaped Kit.
    "Well, that's over with," she exclaimed. "At least we won't have to go through it again."
    "Not till next Saturday night at least," laughed Mercy.
    Kit shook her head positively. "He'll never come again," she said. Was she altogether relieved at the thought?
    "Why, whatever makes you say that, child?" asked Rachel, busily raking up the fire.
    "Couldn't you see? He hardly spoke a word to me. And then Uncle Matthew—"
    "Oh, they all know about Father." Judith dismissed the quarrel airily. "William said he was starting to build his house, didn't he? What more could you want him to say?"
    "He just happened to mention that."
    "William Ashby never just happened to mention anything in his life," said Judith. "He knew exactly what he was saying."
    "I can't see why just building a house—"
    "Don't you know anything, Kit?" scoffed Judith. "William's father gave him that land three years ago, on his sixteenth birthday, and William said that he would never start to build his house until his mind was made up."
    "That's ridiculous, Judith. He couldn't mean any such thing—so soon—could he, Mercy?"
    "I'm afraid he could." Mercy smiled at her cousin's confusion. "I agree that William was telling all of us—you most of all—that his mind is made up. Whether you like it or not, Kit, William is going to come courting."
    "But I don't want him to!" Kit was close to panic. "I don't want him to come at all. We—we can't even talk to each other!"
    "Seems to me you're pretty choosy," snapped Judith. "Don't you know William is able to build the finest house in Wethersfield if he wants to? Does he have to keep you amused as well?"
    Rachel put a reassuring hand on Kit's shoulder. "The girls are only teasing you, Katherine," she said gently.
    "Then you don't think—"
    "Yes, I do think William is serious. But you don't need to be worried, dear. No one is going to hurry you, least of all William himself. He is a very fine young man. Of course you feel like strangers now. But I think you'll find sufficient to talk