So I know it's been a while but I've been really busy recently but I have some time right now so here we go.I know it's not very long but I'm sort of running on limited time here.
It took hours of demoralizing subjugation on Sarah's part to finally convince the officers of the court that Mary Gettys would be better off in the care of the Minister's Wife than in the jail but at the end of the day it still ended in tears as with a heavy heart, Sarah tried to pull Mary away from her mother in the jail.
"Be brave my girl" Naomi told her daughter after a final embrace as Sarah led the girl by the hand out of the jail. Word had gotten out among the Salemites and a crowd had gathered outside the jail expressing mixed feelings about the arrangement.
"Look at the ground child" Sarah whispered to her and picked the girl up for her own safety in case someone tried to grab her or harm her in anyway. She could feel Mary tremble in her arms and Sarah's own maternal instincts kicked in instantly, her grip tightened on her and her pace picked up until she reached the carriage and set Mary on the seat before pulling herself up.
Thankfully the crowd did not follow them as they took off. Mary sat on the seat like a little doll, traumatized by her ordeal. Sarah dearly wanted to hold the girl, to tell her everything would be alright and that she was safe. She wanted to mother Mary where her own mother could not.
They reached the house in silence and Mary followed Sarah in the door, grasping at her skirts with a single tight fist. Mary was still filthy from sleeping on the dirt floor of the jail and Sarah frowned.
"Let's get you cleaned up, huh?" she whispered and sat the girl at the table before filling up a pot with water to warm for a bath. Mary's little frock and apron were dirty as well and Sarah had her remove them and wrapped the child in a quilt to cover her as she washed them.
"When is mama getting out?" she spoke her first words since she left the jail.
Sarah froze, her grip tightening on the small scrub brush she was using on the wool of her skirt. "I'm not sure Mary, soon I think."
"My mama isn't a witch" Mary said with surprising firmness and a flash of anger in her young eyes. Sarah turned sharply.
"I know" She assured Mary, "I know she isn't Mary. Your mama is a very good person, I'm sure she is." Sarah wasn't sure. She hardly knew Naomi Gettys but she didn't want Mary to think that she didn't like her mama.
"Then why did they put her in jail? Mama didn't hurt anyone."
"I…" Sarah bit her lip. How could she explain this without contradicting herself "Sometimes, when people are afraid? When bad things happen, they want to blame someone. Someone blamed you and your mama for something, and that's why she's there."
"But she didn't do anything!" Mary sobs and Sarah's heart strings strained.
"I know, I know Mary and we must pray that the courts understand that." Sarah cupped her face with soapy hands. "And I'm sure that God will make everything right."
"Why did God let them but mama in jail?" Mary demanded. "Mama loves God, why did God let it happen?"
"That's not how it…" Sarah sputtered, her cheeks growing red
"Doesn't God love us anymore?"
"Of course he does but…" Sarah swallowed and blinked, her stomach doing summersaults inside of her before she straightened up. "Now look." She said firmly. "It is not for us to know why God does what He does. And getting all worked up like this will do no good. Now hush for a while."
Mary sealed her lips obediently as Sarah sighed with regret and poured the now warm water in the metal tub. "Alright, now come along." Mary sat in the tub as Sarah took a clean rag to her skin with plain soap and scrubbed off the grime and dirt from her young skin. She hung the girl's clothes out to dry but kept her underdress aside beside a fire in the hearth.
Mary didn't attempt to ask any more questions and part of Sarah was grateful for that much as she sat Mary in front of the fire in her little white dress and took a brush to her red mats of hair.
She tried not to pull too had but every so often Mary let out a small squeak until it was all brushed out and Sarah could braid two long red braids down her back.
There was a knock at the door and Sarah left Mary by the hearth to answer it.
"Abigail." Sarah blinked. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in court?"
The teen smiled a little "it is in recess for now. I wanted to check on Mary."
Sarah sighed and nodded. "Yes, come in." She was thankful for Abigail's arrival actually.
"Mary." She called. "There is someone here to see you."
Mary turned to look and for a second her blue eyes flickered slightly. A smile spread across Abigail's face that made the hair on the girl's arms stand up but was unseen by Mrs. Hale.
Abigail had watched them go from the jail and she had seen how Goody Hale held onto the girl with such protectiveness.
The sight had sent a thorn of anger into Abby's heart in the same way that she felt such indignation when Elizabeth Proctor had to gall to bring John and their brood into town or into church to flaunt before her.
It was a cruelty and an insult she just could not allow.
"Hello Mary." Abby knelt by the girl but still hovered over her like a shadow. "I wanted to come make sure you were okay."
At that moment there was a violently loud whine from the horse stable. "What on earth…?" Sarah looked out the window and could see the two horses rearing back in the stables and shaking their heads.
"You two stay here, I'll be right back." She told them and slipped out to check on the horses.
As Sarah retreated Abby turned to Mary with a much less cheerful look on her face.
Sarah ran for the stables and stumbled back as the horse kicked its front legs again. She tried to calm the animal before noticing a dark coil in the yellow straw.
Sarah gasped and jumped back as the serpent raised up defensively and hissed. With a hard swallow Sarah reached for the hay fork on the wall and with trembling hands managed to pick up the black snake and toss it out of the stable and into the brush.
With the serpent gone the beasts settled and Sarah nodded whilst breathing heavily. She returned to the house to find Abigail sitting in a chair with Mary stared at the fire with her back to the door.
"Abigail, you had better return to town in case the court starts up again my dear." Sarah informed the teen who blinked before nodding.
"Good day Goody Hale." She smiled and she and Sarah shared a friendly parting kiss on the cheek before Abby turned to Mary's lithe back. "Goodbye Mary."
Mary didn't say anything as Abigail left.
Once the house was out of sight Abigail looked ahead of her and saw Mary Warren waiting for her with a worried expression.
"Did you toss the snake in the stable?" the dark haired teen asked and the girl nodded.
"Yes, but Abby we really shouldn't have done that. Goody Hale could have been bitten!"
"She wasn't. It worked perfectly and Mary Gettys won't talk to anyone I made sure of it. Now remember." Abby shook her bony finger at Mary. "Not a single word to anyone, understand?"
Mary nodded with a fearful look in her eyes as they headed back into town.
"Good, now we'll meet back her after dark. And don't let anyone see you."