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"Why not take the boy's gag off?" soet a sensible answer out of hi ca Selwyn's mouth foul and dry "I didn't do it," he protested "Yes, I was angry that Anora chose Farold But I didn't hate hih to kill hiain forced hiht could prove his innocence Farold wasn't as bad as a runny nose when you were trying to iirl Farold wasn't as bad as a case of hives on your botto it's Anora's fault for choosing Farold over you?" he said

That was all Selwyn needed - to have Bowden fear ing he'd go after Anora Why couldn't the htforward answers? "No," he said "I' I didn't kill Farold"

Derian chose then to say, "Farold was always a good boy," which, in other circuht have disputed Which, in other circuht have disputed Still, with Derian, one could never be certain how much of a conversation he actually heard But the old miller was the one who had raised Farold, whose parents had died young So if he was distracted, there was grief as well as deafness to account for it

Bowden gestured to so closer to the table An object was picked up and passed froht surely his heart was going to stop "I - I - I - " Of course he recognized the distinctive long-handled knife - it was his own It was a coht it back from his time of service in the war, and not another like it in the village "I lost it, about the tilanced anxiously around the room "Raedan" - he had spotted one friendly face, then another - "Merton You re if anyone found it"

"Aye," Raedan said readily, and his brother Merton was nodding, too

Selwyn turned to Thorne - even if he did look and act like a rat - whose word should count for e-mates

And Thorne did say, "I remember"

But Bowden said, "Harvesttime hen Anora first told you she'd chosen Farold Your conveniently losing your blade at that ti this"

"No!" Selwyn cried Could they ?

Bowden handed the knife away, and it once more passed from person to person, a circuitous route back to the table, since everyone wanted to see it "Where were you last night?" Bowden asked

Selwyn hesitated, knowing the truth would hurt him "Home," he lied "Just as my father tried to tell you"

There was a reaction in the rooh that rippled over the crowd

Selwyn guessed a moment before Bowden announced: "You were seen, boy"

He considered denying it, on the chance that Boas bluffing, or that there was only one witness, one who ht not be sure, or reliable But he'd already miscalculated and proven to those assembled that he would lie, which was a worse blow than any they'd dealt him Aware of the pain on the face of his father, whom he had also ht I was out at night Early But I didn't go anywhere near the mill, and I didn't kill Farold" All of which was true "Did whoever saw , though he had no way to prove that But it would be good to know exactly where he stood

Bowden held his hand up to keep anyone in the roo "I'll ask the questions," he said "Were you or weren't you near theto ask, anyway, so he told all of it, working hard to keep his voice steady: "No closer than we came today, froh the croas more distinct this rilower at his daughter that said he would speak to her later, if this turned out to be true

"I saw Anora at theto get her into trouble; and, after all, said was too strong a word "She indicated that, if I ca the words would be easier if he caave the iht have htif I could just talk to her privately, she ht break off the betrothal"

The room burst into an uproar

"Oh, Selwyn," Anora said, her voice little h, and immediately the noisy speculation stopped so that people could hear "I never said that"

"No," Selwyn agreed "But we talked, and youyou" He thought of her sweet smile and the way she would tip her head up to look at him, for - short as he was - she was tiny Distracted, he tried to re to be kind," she said, sympathy in her pale blue eyes "You looked so sad when I told you I was to marry Farold, and then after he held you down in Orik's tavern and poured ale all over you then dropped you in theotten how bad it was

Anora finished, "I was always fond of you and I didn't want to hurt your feelings But I never said to coht" He looked away fro

Bowden said to Anora, "So did you see hiht or no?"

"No," Anora answered

Bowden turned to Selwyn

"I threw pebbles at the shutter over the ," Selwyn told Bowden, "but I was afraid of waking you or your wife So I stopped"

"I must have been asleep," Anora said "I never heard" She added, "But I believe you"

Selwyn feared she was the only one who did