Free The Evening Spider by Emily Arsenault

more molasses—it would have been successful. Matthew disliked it so robustly, however, that I probably won’t attempt it again till he’s forgotten this one. I should like to try again, however, because it is such a pleasant pie and I so often have an overabundance of carrots. We haven’t so very much pumpkin now that that Frederick fellow does not come to the house anymore.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  I forgot to write last week that our girl has left us. I think that Vicky thought me strange, anyhow. Matthew has already found a new girl. Her name is Tessa Ripley, and I’m finding her quite agreeable. She’s tall and reaches for the tins on my highest shelves for me without making me feel particularly small.
    I smiled at this entry, feeling a little sense of satisfaction at seeing something about Frances’s life outside of cooking. I skipped a chunk of pages and read ahead.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  March 14, 1879
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  I was foolish last night, attempting the roast from so late an hour. I should have foreseen that it would be too difficult to manage with Martha’s fussing. Matthew tried to stay in good humor about it, but the meat was not served until nearly nine o’clock. Tessa was positively frantic, but it wasn’t her fault. This afternoon I shall cook soup—andstart early to make certain there will be no delay! I am too tired to write more. Martha’s troubles are the same. I hope for more sun and more warmth tomorrow. It has rained for three days. Four, perhaps. I have lost count. I suppose I have lost count in more than one respect.
    My pulse jumped a bit. Still a little less about cooking—and more about life in general. Had Gerard Barnett even read this far? Or had he just assumed this whole thing was about recipes? And of what, exactly, had Frances lost count?
    I skipped forward again and read this:
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  October 14, 1879
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Professor Johnson is to testify soon. On our walk yesterday, Harry answered all of the questions I had about his colleague’s experiments and their place in the trial. It was a pleasure to have my brother all to myself. Matthew is, of late, so intent on cushioning my mind from anything so interesting.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  This is my understanding of the significance of the experimental stomachs. It is to show that the poor girl’s stomach was not tampered with unlawfully after her death! There was no denying that her stomach had poison in it, but what is likely to be argued by the defense is that the arsenic was deposited there by someone on the prosecutor’s side—someone intent on convicting Rev. Mr. Hayden.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  The Stannard girl’s stomach had, as a result of the arsenic, enlarged blood vessels in the postmortem examination. Under the direction of Professor Johnson, Harry and his colleagues obtained two stomachs for experimentation,and applied a similar amount of arsenic to them. After some time sitting in jars in the lab, with the arsenic inside of them, it was found that they did not have the same enlarged condition of blood vessels as the girl’s stomach. These results will make it more difficult for the defense to make their accusation regarding the arsenic’s introduction after the death, rather than before.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  I gather that the physical evidence will be much more complex than what I’ve described here, but this explains Harry’s part. I inquired whether he would be taking the stand, but he said no. Dr. Johnson will be speaking for his own work, including this part in which Harry assisted. It would be exciting if he testified! Mother would