Page 49 of The Peculiar Incident at Thistlewick House

Mallory and Edward shared what they knew.

They suspected, but could not prove, that the first person to rise, after Mallory, had found themselves in the body of the blacksmith’s baby, but the tragedy of the infant’s death meant they’d never know who.

Perhaps one of the hands, perhaps Cupid, or even Zella.

Then they relayed the sad tale of Esfir, and finally how Samson had avenged them all by pushing Silas from the cliff.

‘A reckless man, very quickly to use his fists, but someone who would always defend his own,’ Hazibub agreed.

‘I am pleased he is being out there somewhere with the chance to have a few more years of living. Let us be hoping he can curb his temper and come up with a scheme not too fanciful that will make him enough money to survive. But I’m still not understanding why those village men wanted us dead.

To be giving us poisoned food and wine when we had committed no real crime. ’

‘Murder seems extreme,’ Sarah admitted, ‘but the village was full of talk about the terrible things you’d done, and what bad people you were, for weeks.

It was hard to know what to believe. Mother told everyone you’d all but kidnapped me, and I knew that wasn’t true.

But your lack of faith, questionable morals and lies about the Reverend Marsham meant everyone was glad to see you gone.

’ Edward knew from Mallory that the vicar really was a voyeur, but didn’t comment.

‘Apparently, you set your snake on Lord Felthorpe’s dog, stole the church silver and set the Tutters’ barn alight.

Then it came out that Mary had been assaulted by one of your men and was with child… ’

Hazibub and Mallory exchanged puzzled glances.

‘We weren’t guilty of those things,’ Mallory said.

‘For a start, my people were dead before nightfall. By the following morning, all traces of the circus had gone. The Tutters’ barn was either lit to hide the fact they’d set fire to our big tent, or purely as something else to blame on us and justify our persecution. ’

‘And the pig, too,’ Sarah added. ‘They accused you of stealing one from Lord Felthorpe.’

Three sets of eyes fell to the floor and no one commented on this particular accusation.

Sarah looked thoughtful. ‘Several local farms suddenly acquired new waggons and extra horses after you supposedly left. They were yours, I guess, although I don’t know what happened to the monkeys or your zebras…’

Monkeys were easy enough to dispose of, but zebras? Edward thought of the old doctor’s admission about eating zebra at Emma’s funeral. He said nothing. The ladies didn’t need to know.

‘Whilst I don’t believe the whole village was responsible for the deaths,’ Edward said, ‘I think they were so prejudiced that when it came to covering up the crime, they didn’t ask too many questions.

But it would have taken more than one person to bury the bodies and move all the equipment.

Jacob Palmer must be involved. He has a shed full of circus paraphernalia.

Maybe he simply couldn’t bring himself to destroy the items, but they rather point to his guilt. ’

‘Jacob and Silas were good friends,’ Sarah confirmed, and then pulled her face into a puzzled frown.

‘Mary Tutter’s child was born seven months after the troupe pitched up and, whilst I know babies can be born early, he was a healthy weight.

No one says anything, but Charlie Tutter has the same smile as Jacob Palmer – you only have to look at his teeth.

It makes me wonder if two young people, who were doing things they shouldn’t, blamed such an accident on people who weren’t there to defend themselves.

Her uncle, the old Dr Appleby, would have been livid if he’d suspected she’d been dallying out of wedlock, and her best friend at the time, Freda Drayton – or Mrs Drayton as she’s known now – would have been equally furious. ’

Edward hadn’t realised his cousin’s housekeeper was friends with the Tutter woman, but the village was small and they were about the same age, so it made sense.

‘It is seeming to me that we were blamed for a great many things,’ Hazibub said. ‘Considered evil because we were different. So, we must be using this second gift of life, however short it may be…’ Hazibub again looked at his ancient hands, ‘…to expose the truth.’

‘What do you need me to do?’ Sarah asked.

‘You’ve already been a great help by alerting me to the contents of Jacob’s barn and letting us in to see Hazibub today,’ Edward reassured her.

He thought back again to the ramblings of old Dr Appleby at the funeral.

‘Hazibub, I suspect the man whose body you now occupy was part of this. He certainly had something weighing on his conscience and, in his senility, may have shared it with his son. If you can keep up the pretence that you’re his father, perhaps you can find out what? ’

‘This outbreak has the doctor rushed off his feet,’ Sarah chipped in. ‘He’s left the care of the old man to me because he rightly believed there was little left that he could usefully do, so I can tell Hazibub everything he might need to know to carry out the deception.’

Edward nodded his appreciation. ‘In the meantime, we must speak to a man about some hidden tea chests,’ he said, and reached for Mallory’s hand, so angry about the revelations that were coming to light that he no longer cared if they were judged for their perceived adulterous relationship, and set off to have words with Jacob Palmer.