Page 120 of The Armor of Light

She giggled. ‘Me, too.’

He lay down and looked up at her.

To his surprise, she stood over him and raised the skirt of her dress until it was around her waist. Her legs were white and shapely. He had wondered whether she might be wearing underdrawers, a risqué new fashion, but she was not, and the hair at her groin was a dark red-brown. He wanted to kiss it.

His erection made a bulge in the front flap of his breeches, and he felt embarrassed – which was silly, he realized, but there it was.

Arabella was far from embarrassed. She knelt astride his legs and unbuttoned his flap, freeing his cock. ‘Oh, how nice!’ she said, and she took it in her hand.

‘I’m about to explode,’ Spade said.

‘No, wait for me!’ She moved over him and slid it inside her. ‘Don’t push, not yet.’ When it was all the way in she bent forward, grasped his upper arms, and kissed him. Then she lifted her head, looked into his eyes, and began to move slowly. He held her hips and moved in rhythm.

‘Keep your eyes open,’ she said. ‘I want you to watch me.’

Not a difficult task, he thought, with her reddish hair flying and her orange-brown eyes wide, her mouth open and her wonderful bust rising and falling as she panted. What did I do to deserve this marvellous woman?

He wanted it to go on for ever, but he was not sure he could last another minute. However, she was the one who lost control. She gripped his arms so hard that it hurt, but he hardly cared because he, too, was carried away, and the end came for both of them. ‘So good,’ she said as she collapsed on his chest. ‘So good.’

He put his arms around her and stroked her hair.

After a minute she said: ‘I’m glad you have the keys.’

That struck him as funny, and he chuckled. She laughed too.

Then she gasped. ‘The things I said to you! The things I did! I don’t normally...I mean I never before...oh, damn, I’m going to shut up.’

After another minute she said: ‘I wanted it to go on longer, but I couldn’t wait.’

‘Don’t worry,’ he said. ‘There’s always tomorrow.’

*

At the assize court, the prosecution evidence against Joanie was the same, but the defence was better, Sal thought. Amos Barrowfield swore that Joanie had worked for him for years, and had always been honest and respectable, had never been violent, and would not have incited people to riot. Similar testimony came from other Kingsbridge worthies: Pastor Midwinter, Spade, and even the vicar of St Luke’s. And Silas Child admitted that Joanie had given all the money to him.

The jury was out for a long time. This was not surprising. The petty sessions jury had been deciding only whether to commit her to the assizes. This jury was making a life-or-death decision.

Sal talked to Spade. ‘What do you think?’

‘The fact that she gave the money to Child is a big factor in her favour. What’s against her is the mob that stoned the king’s carriage.’

Jarge, standing with Sal, said: ‘That wasn’t Joanie’s fault!’

‘I don’t say it’s fair, but the attack on the king has put them all in a mood to be harsh.’

By that he meant the death sentence, Sal knew. ‘Pray God you’re wrong,’ she said fervently.

‘Amen,’ said Spade.

For the spectators in the courtroom, the trial was not the only topic of conversation. Many were talking about the two engagements that had been made at the Assize Ball. Northwood and Jane werethe big news. Yesterday, Jane Midwinter had attended communion at the cathedral, rather than at the Methodist Hall, and had sat with Northwood, as if they were already married. Then Pastor Midwinter had invited Northwood to Sunday dinner at his modest house, and Northwood had gone. However, everyone was waiting for the reaction of Northwood’s father, the earl of Shiring. He would probably object – though in the end he could not stop his twenty-seven-year-old son marrying the bride of his choice.

Elsie Latimer and Kenelm Mackintosh were not so remarkable, though a few people were surprised that Elsie had said yes.

Both weddings would surely take place in the cathedral. Sal looked at Jarge and smiled wryly when she thought how different those weddings would be from hers. But she would not change anything about her own wedding even if she could.

If I said that aloud no one would believe me, she thought.

The jury came back in, and the clerk asked the foreman whether they found Joanie guilty or not guilty.