Chapter 9 – Trial

Mary had not slept all night. Her body ached from trembling constantly. She shivered more so from fear than from the cold. Half-way through the night she was so overcome with fear and anxiety she could hardly breathe. She had felt as though the walls were closing in on her and she would be crushed. Once the episode had passed, no more tears escaped her eyes, but she found herself in a numbed state of being where time seemed to stop. It wasn't until the morning rays began to peak through the crack in the door did she break from her reverie.

They would come for her anytime now; all she had to do was wait. When she finally heard footsteps approaching, she slowly stood but had to lean against the wall for support. The door opened and she was momentarily blinded by the sun. Her eyes focused and she found four figures waiting. Two were the elders assigned as her escorts; one was the elder who had summoned them to the church who had with him… "Thomas!?"

"Mary! Are you alright! I've pleaded with them all night to let me see you." Thomas rushed forward and pulled Mary into his arms.

Mary's escorts started forward but the summoner motioned them back.

"How are you doing?" Thomas implored.

"Thomas," Mary said looking into his eyes and grabbing onto him like he would disappear, "I'm so frightened."
"I am too." He pulled her to his chest. "I'm going to fix this, I promise."

"Thomas, it's time to go." The summoner stepped forward.

"Mary I love you!"

"I love you Thomas!" then the summoner pulled Thomas by the arm out of the house and the closet door was closed again. Shortly after, the door was reopened. This time revealing Mrs. Hadley with the elders.

"Mary, I've brought you some water and a cloth to wash you face."

"I don't know how I'll every repay you Mrs. Hadley."

"Don't you worry." Mary quickly washed her face and tried to untangle her hair. Once finished they told her it was time to go.

The walk to the church seemed much shorter than it ever had before. Each step brought her closer and closer to her fate. When they entered, everyone turned to look at her. Their heads turned simultaneously to follow her as they walked to the front. They sat her in a chair in front of the pulpit, her escorts on either side of her.

From where she sat Mary could see every face in the church. She could see Thomas in the first row accompanied by an elder on both sides to restrain him if need be. His eyes seemed to be willing her to be brave. She could also see Elizabeth and her worried expression. Farther back she could just make out the disgusted look on her father's face.

A man stepped forward, she recognized him as Mr. Ashforth, he presided over any legal matters there were in Crawford.

He was a pious man and stern. Mary had never cared for him much.

"Mrs. Mary Martin." He began. "You are being tried today under accusations of being a witch. What say you to this?"

"I am no witch." She said softly.

"Well, we shall see about that." He paused as he took a moment to look at her before continuing on. "You are accused of bewitching a God-fearing man to commit sins against his will. But I believe it goes even farther than that. I spent much time thinking on the subject last night and I found many curious events in your recent past.

"I believe that this has been going on for a long time and all so you could have Thomas Martin as your own." Whispering spread along the pews.

"It all started when Rachel Martin became ill. She had never had a history of illness and no one else in the village became sick. But the late Mrs. Martin suddenly fell ill and died." Thomas was about to stand up but was held down. Mr. Ashforth went on, "At the time we had no reason to suspect witchcraft but under current circumstances I believe Mary Martin played some role in her death."

"No…" Mary shook her head, "Rachel was like a mother to me..." she was silenced.

"With the death of his wife Mary was one step closer to Mr. Martin. After a proper amount of mourning time she acted again. This time bewitching the affections of Elizabeth and James Bradley. After a very short courting time the two were married and Elizabeth was out of the house and out of the way.

"Mary Martin then bewitched Mr. Martin to offer a large sum for her hand in marriage that of which her father could not refuse."

"Listen here!" Thomas stood but was roughly pulled down and quieted.

"You see, he is still under her spell!" a few gasps were heard among the crowd.

"But it doesn't end there. I believe Mary grew jealous when Mr. Martin went away on business and willed him to fall ill and to be forced to return home. This provided the opportunity to send young Abigail away. Now Mary had Mr. Martin all to herself and could do with him as she pleased."

"You will not speak of my wife this way!"

"Mr. Martin if you speak up again you will be removed from the building!"

Mary began to feel sick. There was nothing for her to do.

"Mary Martin, do you confess to these sins against God?" the minister asked.

She looked around desperately for help but found none. "I am innocent!" she half sobbed.

"If I may sir," Mr. Ashforth cut in, "I have been told that the elders and the doctor inspected the body for the devils mark and found none."

Thomas Marti looked raged at the news of this but tried to keep silent.

Mr. Ashforth went on, "It is common knowledge that if a witch is thrown into a pool of water she will float. I suggest we put this test to use."

"I believe you are right. The only way to know for sure is by performing this test." The minister answered.

In a quick procession, the entire congregation went to the shore of the lake. Mary was placed in a small fishing boat and taken a short distance away from shore. The two men were unable to keep Thomas quiet any longer because they were too busy trying to restrain him. "This is ridiculous! You can't base a trial on old wives tales! Stop this! Let me go! You can't do this!" Thomas frantically tried to remove himself of the two men. "She can't swim! She'll drown!"

Unprepared Mary was thrown from the boat into the water. She could just make out the sound of Thomas yelling, "NO!" She tried to swim but was only able to surface her head once and catch a breath before the weight of her skirts began to pull her down. She kicked and reached out but was no match for the water.

On shore, all was silent. In the crowds realization that Mary had in fact sunk Thomas was able to free himself and he dove into the water.

Mary's lungs were screaming for air and finally she couldn't help but open her mouth and breathe in the water and all went black.

Thomas finally reached her and pulled her to the surface. He used all his strength to bring them both to shore. As he laid her on the grass he could see she wasn't breathing. He pulled her into a sitting position and began to shake her and hit her on the back.

"Breathe! Mary please! Please you have to breathe!"

Just when the doctor was about to step forward to stop him Mary coughed up mouthfuls of water.

Thomas pulled her into his arms and they both cried. "I thought I had lost you!" he whispered in her ear. He then remembered the crowd around them and his anger returned.

"Do you still believe she to be a witch? You have drowned her, is there any other tests you wish to try? You almost killed her! Her death would have proved her innocence and made you murderers. Do you realize that? Your crimes are far greater than any of those you have accused Mary of! All of you have come to hate her because she is accused of committing crimes out of love. I tell you, the devil does not dwell in acts of love but in acts of hate. Who are the sinners now?!"

With that Thomas scooped Mary up and carried her to the safety of their home.

The sun was sinking below the horizon when Mary opened her eyes. She looked about herself and fond she was in the bedroom she shared with Thomas. Her eyes fell upon the chair next to the bed and found Thomas fast asleep.

Had it all been a dream? Or did it really happen?

As she sat in bed and pondered these things, Thomas' eyes fluttered open. He slowly got out of the chair and into the bed with Mary.

"How do you feel?"

"I'm glad to be home at last."

"Oh, Mary I love you! I don't know how to apologize for what has happened."

She put both of her hands on either side of his face, "Thomas you have nothing to apologize for. You saved me I love you." She kissed him full on the mouth.

Once they parted Thomas studied her for a moment. "Perhaps you are a witch,"

"How could you say a thing like that?!"

"For you have bewitched my every waking thought. You have charmed me and enchanted me to think of only you. I want nothing more than to stay here in this bed with you forever."

"We may not have forever," Mary smiled, "but we do have tonight."

Thomas gave a wicked grin and laid her down onto the bed where they made love again and again.

Thomas and Mary along with Abigail, Elizabeth and James moved away from Crawford to start their own settlement. While their lives were full of hard work and weren't always easy, they loved each other and unlike many of their time they lived happily together for the rest of their days.

The End