“In a way,” Kim said with a short mirthless laugh. ‘ “Thinking about finding it so soon after finding the portrait makes me feel weird. It gave me that feeling again that Elizabeth is trying to communicate with me.”
“Uh oh,” Edward said. “Sounds like you are having another attack of superstition.”
Kim laughed despite her seriousness.
“Tell me something,” Edward said teasingly. “Are you afraid of black cats crossing your path, or walking under ladders, or using the number thirteen?”
Kim hesitated. She was mildly superstitious, but she’d never given it much thought.
“So you are superstitious!” Edward said. “Now think about this! Back in the seventeenth century you could have been considered a witch since such beliefs involve the occult.”
“All right, smarty pants,” Kim said. “So maybe I’m a little superstitious. But there seem to be too many coincidences involving Elizabeth. I also found out today that the calendar in 1692 is the same as this year’s, 1994. I also found out Elizabeth died at my age. And as if that’s not enough, our birthdays are only two days apart, so we have the same astrological sign.”
“What do you want me to say?” Edward asked.
“Can you explain all these coincidences?” Kim asked.
“Of course,” Edward said. “It’s pure chance. It’s like the old cliché that if you have enough monkeys and enough typewriters, you can produce Hamlet.”
“Oh, I give up,” Kim said with a chuckle. She took a sip of her wine.
“I’m sorry,” Edward said with a shrug. “I’m a scientist.”
“Let me tell you something else I learned today,” Kim said. “Things were not so simple back then. Ronald was married three times. His first wife died, willing him a sizable fortune which was contested unsuccessfully by his wife’s child by a previous marriage. He then married Elizabeth within a couple of years. After Elizabeth died he married her sister in the same year.”
“So?” Edward said.
“Doesn’t that sound a little fishy to you?” Kim asked.
“No,” Edward said. “Remember life was harsh back in those days. Ronald had children to raise. Also, marrying within in-laws was not unusual.”
“Well, I’m not so sure,” Kim said. “It leaves a lot of questions in my mind.”
The waitress appeared and interrupted their conversation to tell them their table was ready. Kim was pleasantly surprised. She didn’t know they were planning to eat at the Harvest. She was famished.
They followed the waitress out onto the terrace and were seated beneath trees filled with tiny white lights. It was a perfect temperature after having cooled down considerably from the day. There was no wind, so the candle on the table burned languidly.
While they were waiting for their food, Kim showed Edward the copy she’d made of Ronald’s petition. Edward read it with great interest. When he was finished he congratulated Kim on her detective work, saying that she’d succeeded in proving Elizabeth had indeed been caught up in the witchcraft affair. Kim told him about her father’s comment concerning Elizabeth’s possible association with the occult.
“Which is what I suggested,” Edward reminded her.
“So would you guess that the conclusive evidence had something to do with the occult?”
“I don’t think there is any question,” Edward said.
“That’s what I thought,” Kim said. “But do you have any specific ideas?”
“I don’t know enough about witchcraft to be creative,” Edward said.
“What about a book?” Kim questioned. “Or something she wrote?”
“Sounds good,” Edward said. “I suppose it could have been something she drew as well. Or at least some kind of image.”
“What about a doll?” Kim suggested.
“Good idea,” Edward said. Then he paused. “I know what it must have been!”
“What?” Kim asked eagerly.
“Her broom!” Edward said. Then he laughed.
“Come on,” Kim said, but she was smiling herself. “I’m being serious.”
Edward apologized. He then went on to explain the background of the witch’s broom, and how it had originated in medieval times with a stick that had been coated with an ointment concocted with hallucinogenic drugs. He told her that in satanic rituals it had been used to cause psychedelic experiences when placed against intimate mucous membranes.