James was shocked into action. He dismounted from his horse and the stable lad took it to the barn. “I’ll take the evidence here,” he said loud enough for everyone to hear. “Sir William and I will confer when he arrives.”

He tried to exchange a glance with Alinor, but she was looking away from him, at her daughter. Alys was white. She clung to Richard’s arm and her gaze was fixed on her mother’s face.

“Where’s the defendant’s brother?” James asked, thinking Edward would have a strong voice in this frightened community.

“We don’t need him,” Mrs. Miller interrupted. “He’s got no control over her at all. She does whatever she wants. He couldn’t even save his own wife. She has no father, and now she says she has no husband, though Zachary Reekie has no grave.”

“Just disappeared,” someone said from the back of the crowd. “Spoke against her one day, and the next day he was gone.”

“Mr. Ferryman is an important witness,” James overruled them. “Send for him.”

James’s calm voice, his tone of authority, was stilling the sense of panic. Mr. Miller, looking around the people crowded into his yard, felt the desire for excitement, for violence, was diminishing.

“Aye, that’s for the best. You go and fetch him, lad,” he said to the stable boy. He turned back to James. “You’ll want a table, and papers, sir,” he said, quietly deferential. “Best sit in the kitchen, if you don’t mind. It’s the biggest room, and we’ve got the table there and the Carver chair.”

James nodded and Mr. Miller led the way into the kitchen, ordered that the big kitchen table be dragged to the back of the room, set the high-backed chair behind it, and indicated that James should sit in justice, with Mr. Miller standing beside him as a makeshift clerk of the court.

“I have no authority,” James muttered to him as he took his seat.

“Know Latin?”

“Yes, of course.”

“That’ll do.”

James sat square in his chair and put his hands before him on the table as everyone crowded into the room, sweeping Alinor, with them, still holding the old coins. Mrs. Miller put a sheet of paper before James and Jane set a pot of ink and a pen before him. As if they were watching a mystery play, the wedding guests filled the room, pushing Alinor forwards, to stand isolated before the table. Alys would have gone to her, but Richard took hold of her hand and gently pulled her to his father and mother at the side of the room.

“I want . . .” she whispered to him.

“Better wait here,” he whispered back. “See how this goes. Why did she think I had an inheritance?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Alys said, silenced.

James dipped the pen in the ink, hoping that Ned would come soon and Sir William swiftly behind him. All he wanted to do now was play for time.

“Name,” he said as if to a stranger.