His hand tightened on my shoulder, a reminder of my earlier promise not to contradict him. “Selah, don’t try to protect me. He already knows what happened.”
Ely smiled for the first time since we entered the courthouse. “So, it is as I thought. Do you admit to coercing Selah into marriage?”
“Yes, I do.”
Ben let out a long breath.
“Why did you do it?” Martin asked, barely ahead of Ely.
“The day I met Selah, she was very upset about her fiancé’s death and the prospect of returning home unmarried.” Henry shot Nathan a disdainful look. “I decided to turn her misfortune to my advantage and convinced her to let me stand in her cousin’s stead. In return, she reduced the length of my contract to one year, at which time I would be free to return to England.”
I could hardly believe what he was confessing to. These were my crimes—how dare he take responsibility!
Martin snorted in disgust. Ely was still smiling as he pulled out a quill and a fresh piece of parchment. Dipping the quill into the ink, he quickly scratched the tip over the paper.
“Henry Alan, you are charged with deliberately deceiving a young lady into a fraudulent marriage and assuming another man’s identity for personal gain. I hereby command you to accompany us to Philadelphia on the morrow where you will receive fifty lashes in the public square. Your contract of indenture is hereby revoked from Selah Kilbrid, and will be put up for purchase to the highest bidder following your punishment.”
“I’m afraid that will be quite impossible,” Henry said calmly. “As your authority does not extend to me.”
The smile faded from Ely’s face. “Let me remind you that your contract for indenture was purchased in Pennsylvania, making you subject to all of the laws of this colony.”
“That contract was illegal from the start.”
“You don’t say,” Ely practically laughed. “I imagine you will tell me next that your name is not really Henry Alan.”
“It is not,” Henry confirmed.
Ely narrowed his eyes. “Be warned, another false statement will result in additional lashes being added to your sentence.”
“My name is Lord Henry Fitzalan, son of Richard Fitzalan, Duke of Norland. I was kidnapped and sold into servitude against my will.”
“Don’t listen to him,” Fletcher said. “He’s just trying to weasel his way out of working the brick ovens. Give me a week, and he’ll remember his name, all right.”
“He’s telling the truth,” James said. “I have letters from his father and the King verifying his identity.” He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a small packet, secured with a black ribbon.
Ely looked at James. “And who exactly are you?”
James bowed curtly. “Mr. James Roth, Lord Fitzalan’s personal secretary.”
“This is madness!” Fletcher cried. “You promised me the lad if I agreed to testify.”
“Please bring the evidence forward,” Ely said, purposefully ignoring Fletcher.
James walked over and dropped the packet on the table in front of the magistrate. Untying the ribbon, Ely opened the first letter. He scanned it quickly and then passed it over to Martin. By the time he read through the second one, his face had lost most of its original color.
“It seems you are correct,” Ely said with forced cordiality. “As a member of the royal family, you are not under my authority.” He paused and began to slowly tap his fingers on the table. After a minute, something like a smile returned to his face. Grabbing a clean sheet of parchment, he started quickly scratching out a revised edict. “This doesn’t mean, however, that you are entirely above the law. On the morrow you will still accompany us to Philadelphia where you will seek passage back to England to be judged for your crimes. I will grant you one week to leave Pennsylvania. If you remain after this time, I don’t care how many kings you can conjure up, I swear I’ll have you publicly flogged.”
I was stunned. One day to leave Hopewell. Seven days to leave the Colonies. This couldn’t be right.
“You are free to go for now,” Ely said, holding the new edict out to Henry. “We are staying the night at the tavern. I expect you to join us by nightfall to spare Selah’s reputation any more damage.”
Henry took the paper and turned to leave.
Unable to move yet, I stood stupidly in place.
Fletcher strode angrily over to the magistrates. “This is treachery!” he yelled, slamming his fist down on the table. “You promised I could have him!”
His cruel voice jarred me back to my senses. “Oh will you get off of it!” I cried. “Find another pair of breeches to chase and leave Henry alone!”
Someone snickered from the row of chairs, but I couldn’t tell who it was. My eyes were fixed on Dirk Fletcher’s, which were silently screaming murder.