Free I, Coriander by Sally Gardner Page A

said Danes. ‘I cannot read.’
    ‘Here is an indictment against you,’ he said, ‘an indictment from God-fearing honest people who have witnessed what has been going on in this house and will stand up and say so in court if needs be.’
    ‘That’s right, Arise. You tell the witch,’ said Maud, rubbing her hands together.
    Arise carried on like a preacher in the pulpit. ‘It says in good, pure, upright letters that you have been seen hiding evidence relating to your late mistress’s charms and remedies. That you have used Gabriel Appleby, the tailor’s apprentice, to remove the remaining herbs and potions that bear witness to Satan’s hand.’
    He was fair shouting now. The house began to shake. He straightened himself as much as a crooked man can, and lightning seemed to flash from his glasses.
    ‘Witches, fairy meddlers, sorcerers and all that seek their help sin against the commandments of the Lord. I believe, O God be my witness, that you, Mary Danes,’ and he jabbed his long finger towards her as if it were a knife, ‘are in league with the Devil and all his cohorts.’
    ‘Oh,’ said my stepmother admiringly, ‘you speak so lovely.’
    ‘I have done nothing wrong,’ declared Danes.
    ‘Let that be for others to judge,’ shouted Arise. ‘I believe the authorities will be much interested in what is written here.’
    Danes was quiet and I felt my world crumble as Arise said menacingly, ‘I have enough evidence to have you thrown into the clink, woman. As for your precious master, why, a hangman’s noose waits for him at Tyburn. Who then will care for this miserable child?’
    Hester let out a gulp. I ran to Danes and clung tight to her. She was my anchor, all that was left of the sinking ship.
    ‘Do I make myself understood? If you want to keep your position here, you will think carefully before you interfere with my teachings again.’
    I clung to Danes all the tighter, but Arise grabbed me and once more dragged me upstairs and shut me in my chamber.
     
    T hat night I lay in bed in my gold-painted room and wept until Beth’s face was soaked with tears. I watched the reflections of the river water dance on the walls and took comfort from the sounds outside. Our world might be lost but things were going on as usual, watermen arguing over passengers, drunks shouting their love to the moon, cats screaming their fury, the night watchman marking the hour.
    Around first light my chamber door opened and my father crept in and sat on my bed.
    ‘Shush, poppet, listen to me carefully,’ he said. ‘No one knows I am here. I have come to say goodbye. I must go away, I know not for how long, but all will be lost if I stay.’
    ‘Take me with you then,’ I begged. ‘Please.’
    ‘I cannot, my princess. It is not safe.’
    ‘It is not safe here,’ I said.
    My father smiled and wiped away my tears. ‘It is safer than where I am bound.’
    ‘Please, I will be good, I promise,’ I said, clinging to him like a drowning sailor.
    ‘Coriander, I will come home to you. Just be brave for me. I do not do this lightly. Danes will look after you. But now I must leave, the barge is waiting.’ He kissed me and I finally let go.
    I watched from my window, tears blurring my vision as in the dull morning light I saw my father’s barge make its way downriver towards Deptford.
     
    I am not sure what hour it was when Arise Fell came into the room, this time with a servant carrying buckets of water and brushes.
    I backed into a corner in fear of the wrath of God.
    ‘These walls,’ said Arise, ‘are to be scrubbed until all these images of vanity, these scribblings of the Devil are gone. Do you understand?’
    It took a week to wash away those pictures. I did it more with tears than water until only a faint outline remained, and as each wall was washed clean I put the story into my memory.
    On the seventh day the crooked man came up the stairs with my stepmother behind him.
    ‘What is your name?’ asked Arise