Free Til Death Do Us Part by Sara Fraser Page A

This is the first time I’ve heard of them even being in this country.’
    His train of thought was broken by Amy rushing into the yard, and he hastily spat out the parsley and dried his lips.
    â€˜Tom! Oh, Tom, I’m so sorry about last night! I’m so sorry and ashamed! Say that you forgive me! Say that you do!’
    She pulled his head down and kissed him passionately before relating her tale.
    â€˜Gertie Fowkes went home and then came back with the bottles, and I only intended to have a single glass of wine, but they all pressed more on me and kept on calling more toasts to our marriage, and said I must drink the toasts and be making merry because I’d finally moved into my new home with my new husband, and it was only fitting to celebrate.’
    Again she pulled down his head and kissed his lips, then went breathlessly on, ‘I didn’t like to be so churlish as not drink the toasts to our marriage and our new life together. But I must have been so carried away with all the excitement of finally being here together with you, that the drink went to my head, and the next thing I knew I was waking up in our bed.’
    Her voice became a sob of distress. ‘But it was Maisie who was beside me, and not you! When I realized what I’d done, I wanted to die of shame! I swear it will never happen again! I swear it on all that I hold holy!’
    Witnessing her distress the sole emotion pulsating through Tom was the desperate need to comfort her. He clasped her close, cradling her in his arms, softly crooning to her over and over again.
    â€˜You’ve done nothing wrong, my darling! Nothing at all! There is nothing to blame! I’m not in the very least annoyed at you having a little party and drinking a few toasts with your friends. I’m only sorry that I wasn’t here to enjoy those toasts with you. It’s me who should be begging your forgiveness for going out and leaving you for all those long hours as I did. You’ve done nothing wrong! Nothing at all!’
    Snuggled against him, Amy’s eyes danced with mischievous delight, and in her mind she silently told him, ‘I’m going to be very happy with you, my darling Tom. Because I know that I’ll always be able to have you eating out of my hand. It’s one of the reasons I love you so much.’

TEN
Warwick City
Wednesday, 16th January
Mid-morning
    F or the previous hour Walter Courtney had been sitting in his hooded, two-wheeled gig some distance from the forbidding walls of Warwick Gaol, watching people entering and leaving through the small wicket gate set into the great main gates.
    The closed wicket opened again and a woman wearing the black veil, bonnet and clothing of full mourning emerged into view. Courtney grunted with satisfaction and waited until she had walked further away from him before he drove his gig to the gates, dismounted and rapped on the wicket.
    A small shutter opened and a face appeared at the barred grill, a gruff voice demanding, ‘What’s your business here?’
    Courtney held a gold sovereign up to the grill. ‘Tell me what you know about the woman who just left here, and this is yours.’
    Iron bolts squealed, the wicket door opened slightly and a grimy, black-nailed hand appeared through the gap.
    Courtney clenched the coin tightly and laid his closed fist upon the upward palm.
    â€˜Let’s be hearing what you know.’
    â€˜Her calls herself Mrs Peelson and her’s been visiting her man, Terry Peelson. He’s to be topped this coming Saturday for “bit faking”. Her said her hadn’t set eyes on him for the last ten years and never knew where he was or what he’d been a-doing until her read in a newspaper that he’d been sentenced. So her come here to see him, and make sure it was really him. Been here six days on the trot, so her has.’
    â€˜Terence Peelson, you say. I read of his case. From all accounts he must