The business started blandly enough. Witnesses said they had seen Hicks the minister with Monmouth's troops. Dunne the baker was called, to describe how he had gone upon the Saturday and Tuesday to Moyles Court. But then something strange occurred. Instead of interrogating Dunne, the prosecutor suddenly said he wished Judge Jeffreys to question Dunne himself. Betty looked at Peter, who only shrugged with surprise.

At first Judge Jeffreys seemed rather gentle. His broad, rather skull-like face bent forward, he called Dunne 'Friend' and reminded him that he must take great care to tell the truth. Dunne, his watery blue eyes looking hopeful, began his tale and got one sentence out.

But then, at once, Judge Jeffreys interrupted. 'Take care, Friend. Begin again. When do you say you first set out?' Another sentence or two and another interruption. 'Sayest thou so? I know more than you think. How did you find Moyles Court?'

'With the help of a guide named Thomas.'

'Where is he? Let him stand up.'

To Betty's astonishment, William Furzey stood up. So this was the mysterious Thomas. But what did it mean?

Judge Jeffreys was in full flood, now, pausing for nothing. Dunne was asked a question, then immediately cross-questioned. Within minutes it was clear he was getting confused. Trying not to incriminate Furzey, whom he had not yet understood to be the one who gave him away, he foolishly said that Furzey had not brought them to Moyles Court the second time and was soon lost in a quagmire of contradictions.

'Alack-a-day!' cried Jeffreys with cruel sarcasm. 'Come, refresh your memory a little.' As the unhappy baker's watery eyes grew desperate, it seemed to Betty that the judge was like a cat, playing with a mouse. Increasingly confused, Dunne contradicted a tiny detail of something he had said before.

Jeffreys pounced. 'Wretch!' His voice thundered so that the whole courtroom seemed to shudder. 'Dost thou think the God of heaven not to be a God of truth? 'Tis only His mercy that He does not immediately strike thee into hell! Jesus God!' And for two entire minutes, glowering at the poor baker, the most powerful judge in the kingdom, with life and death in his hands, raved and bellowed at him until he was shaking so much it was obvious that nothing more could be got from him.

Betty herself was white. She glanced at Peter.

His mouth was open in astonishment. But he did lean down and whisper in her ear: 'He still has no evidence that could convict.'

Furzey was called, but only briefly, to relate what he saw. One thing he said seemed to interest Jeffreys.

'You say Dunne told you that Dame Alice asked him if you knew what business he had come upon?'

'That's right.'