TIME MACHINE CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN
WARNING: Major character death.
The next day Ethan overheard something that changed his mind about his beloved Dagobert.
He was enjoying a late breakfast at the inn when he heard Dagobert speaking to young Tobias, who played Roderigo in the adjoining room:
Ethan didn't want his idol to see him stuffing his face and so he kept quiet and continued to eat. Dagobert's voice carried over to him:
"I tell you, Toby, anything I want and my little lapdog Ethan runs to fetch it for me."
"I hope he's no more to you than your lapdog!"
"Pooh, he likes the wenches; he already has one with him, and she's great with child. Now that pretty Benjamin is like myself, but he's in love with another… so no fun to be had there."
Ethan heard several bubbles bursting. Little bubbles of hero worship for Dagobert.
"Are you not well, Ethan?" asked kind-hearted Linda, when she came to remove Ethan's plate, which was usually empty by this time.
"Alas, Mistress Linda, I did not feel so well today but I think I shall shortly recover. I had trouble seeing but now my eyes are both clear."
"Well" said that kind lady, "Let me know when you have your appetite back and there will be a pie for you."
Zoe sat stroking Coriander when she heard a feeble knock at the door. She smiled; old Morag had come to call. Morag suffered from gripes in her belly that nobody had been able to cure for her, but Zoe had found just the right mix of herbs. Max had been furious when Morag had discovered the cave, but the old woman had been clear. If Max harmed Morag, she, Zoe, would leave him. She never charged the old lady a fee for her treatment, and Morag would often visit with treats in her apron pocked for Zoe and Coriander. Never anything for Max; the old lady resented the way he'd threatened her.
It was indeed Morag but she was weeping and shaking.
"Are the pains worse? Come and sit down, Morag, and let's see what I can do."
The old woman cut her off grimly.
"Zoe, your hiding place has been discovered! That worthless pair, Thomas and Scarlett, came into the forest for a tryst, and came upon your cave. Tom told Scarlett to forget what she has seen but the girl is spiteful and has told the villagers. They're coming for you, Zoe… first they'll take you to the pond, then if you don't drown, the stake…"
The old woman's voice dissolved into sobs, as Zoe hugged her.
"Come, little Coriander. Drink it all, every drop. There! Isn't that good?" Zoe cooed to the little cat as she stroked him.
Cal and the Queens' retinue rode to the village. As Cal dismounted and walked in front of the Queen out of courtesy – the Elizabethans constantly feared assassination – a furious, weeping Max, who had lost all sense of reason, ran at him, knife at the ready.
"You betrayed us to the mob and you'll get my knife in your gut for it!"
"Hold! Have you gone insane?" came Elizabeth's voice, "Lay one finger on Master Knight and die for it!"
Max backed off but still babbled in grief:
"But he told them where my Zoe was and now the mob have come for her and mean to drown or burn her!"
"How could he have betrayed her, you young fool, when he was brave enough to ask me to publicly pardon her? Now stop snivelling, you young hothead, and we'll intercept the mob. And you owe everything to Master Knight here!"
"Dear Heaven, Caleb, I'm sorry" Max began.
"Another time. All that matters now is saving Zoe!"
Cal was already on the horse he'd been given and motioning for Max to ride behind him.
Zoe, soaked and shivering, was dragged from the ducking stool by the mob.
"Witch! She did not drown! Let us burn her right now!" Scarlett crowed in triumph.
Her joy was somewhat dimmed by the fact that Zoe was acting as if she was in another world, her movements like those of an automaton, her eyes glassy. Fear in her belly, thought Scarlett, well, we will soon see her squirming in agony as she burns.
Zoe was tied to the stake, and had Coriander at her feet. The wretched animal seemed to be asleep, thought Scarlett, well, they'd prod it awake so it felt all the agony of burning.
She mentioned this to Thomas, who looked away from her, sickened. His betrothed had a cruel streak.
"Hold!" the imperious voice rang out.
The Queen. Master Thomas was the first one upon his knees.
Scarlett bit back her disappointment; surely the execution of a witch could only be entertainment for Her Majesty?
"Release this woman! She and her man have my lifelong protection! The next to lay an unfriendly hand on her will hang before sunset."
Scarlett crept quietly to Thomas's side; he pushed her away.
Zoe was released. Max was almost weeping in relief and joy, but Cal realised something was wrong.
He knew what it was when Zoe collapsed in Max's arms. Now he knew why the cat was so still.
"Forgive me, Max, darling… I could not face the flames, so I mixed some herbs into milk. I put some in Coriander's milk, too. They'd have burned my little cat alive…"
"No, Zoe! Don't leave me!" Max wept like a child. But her head fell on his chest and she was still. Cal, although unused to praying, began to say a prayer for them both. And for poor Coriander.
"I'll hang all this mob for what they have done today!" stormed Elizabeth. Cal, uncaring, nodded, then saw a terrified young woman trying to hush a sobbing baby.
"Please let them live, Majesty" he begged, "They are ignorant fools, no more, no less."
Elizabeth nodded.
"You may keep your lives! But know that this village has incurred my gross displeasure, and it shall be a long time before you receive another visit from your Queen!"
"Bring your lady and her little cat" she told Max, "They shall have a decent burial at Our expense, and the rules about suicide shall be forgotten for this time. Come, Master Knight. It seems your courage in speaking out for this poor lady have been but in vain."
The last Cal heard and saw of the mob was Master Thomas telling a snivelling Scarlett that they were no longer betrothed.
Later, as they left the freshly-dug grave, Cal put his hand on Max's arm.
"Friend, if you wish to travel with my companions and myself, you would be welcome."
Max, who seemed to have aged in just a few hours, shook his head.
"Thank you Master Caleb, but Her Majesty interceded for my Zoe and I shall never forget that."
He bowed to the Queen.
"Madam, if I can serve you I shall make it my life's work."
"We shall see what can be done for you, Master Maximilian."
Cal had to tell the others the heartbreaking news, and poor Lucius wept for a long while over the fate of the kind lady and her cat. Ben and Dylan comforted him as much as they could between them.
There was one happy incident before they all left in the time machine, however. Cal had wanted to say goodbye to Sir Jeffrey and the theatre company personally.
"Ah, Caleb, we are losing a fine actor" said Sir Jeffrey sadly.
"Ah, no, there are many young men in this village who would love to play the role of Cassio!"
Sir Jeffrey gladly let them all watch the rehearsal. Presently Dagobert purred:
"I am so hot! Prithee, dear Ethan, do fetch me some cool water from the pump!"
"Water from the pump! Of course!" Ethan smiled, making Cal want to punch him.
Ethan returned smiling with a pail.
"So Bag O' Dirt – beg pardon, Dagobert! – is hot, is he? I shall cool you down!"
Dagobert squealed long and loud as the icy water hit him.
"Your little lapdog has run mad!" Ethan cried out cheerfully.
He flung a coin to Sir Jeffrey on his way out:
"Sir Jeffrey, I prithee, buy Dagobert a new wig! The one the big poser has is all wet!"
It was the moment they had all needed to make them smile again. But where to now, and what fresh heartaches awaited?
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