”Thank you, Mistress,” Andrew told Lucy, genuinely appreciative of what she had told him. Even as he did, he held up a hand, palm out, a gentle prompt to request that Doctor Lovelace halt where he stood.

Pointing at the ground in front of Lovelace, he said, ”Doctor, can you see the tracks in front of you? Some are from a man but others…they’re hoofprints, marks made by cloven hooves. But if you look closely, they’re only in pairs, as if whatever left them was walking upright.”

He pointed to one of the nearby graves. ”There was a scuffle there. You can see there’s been a clod of dirt pulled up and some running about. Then, the one who took the dirt ran, pursued by the…one with hooves.” He paused, then added, “Hooves that are too small to hold anything sizable upright.”

He pointed over to the church itself. ”Both went lefthandwise around the church.” He stood, careful not to disturb any of the remaining prints further, moving to see where the trail around the sanctuary led.

Lucy flushed a little at being addressed so gallantly by her friend's master, but bobbed a tiny curtsy to the doctor to show willing. "We were trying the better to see what was on the grave by the Devil Stone in the church, sir, so Tom went to fetch chalk, so that we might rub it over and see anything still scratched in."

"Why he went around this way I don't know, but that devil must have come after, else he'd have seen it - wouldn't you, Tom?"

"He was surely close, but he didn't catch it, no," she added, seeing as her brother was staring at the ground with a distracted expression.


[[which way are you following the tracks, Andrew?

The running seemed to start at the graveside, so you'll need a Track roll to make anything out from walking pace beyond that around the church, or else one to do some casting about near the path to the lychgate out front. Tom might be able to set you on the right path, however.]]
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:17, Tue 09 Aug 2022.

He tried to pay as much attention as he might, but was somewhat distracted by looking at Tom Bees, who was nearby and staring off.

Sam frowned after the service when Mercy had asked him to stay behind. He knew he would likely be scheduled to work in the fields today, and needed to confirm with Hugh where he would be working in the fields for most of the day.

"Aye, I know things have been afoot recently. I don't have a lot of time since I am out working today. Have you found anything new?" With that, he'd head over to where Andrew and Martin were standing.


[[GM edit: names.]]
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:16, Tue 09 Aug 2022.

"That we have, and a dire thing at that," Goodie Westcott said with equal terseness. "I'll be over in a minute, we just need the Vicar - you mind on thinking if there was anyone else went in the Wood."

With that, the midwife headed with determined stride back into the church to see what the Reverend was about. Finding the clergyman with the Durbins, she had the grace - or wariness of being blamed - to stand some way aside and wait, though she clearly wanted to speak with Cecil.

Back outside, Sam came upon Andrew scanning the ground whilst the Doctor and the Bees siblings looked on. Lucy Bees gave him a pleasant if uncertain smile, equally unsure of what was going on.

"Lord's light has never shied away from illuminating the truth, and this instance will not be an exception, I can give you my word..." Seeing Misses Durbin's spirit and hopes crumble before his very eyes, Reverend Palmer joined others in comforting the weeping mother. Despite not entirely being certain about the exact intricacies of Polly Durbin's fate, the cruelty of giving the bereaved parents sperance in regards to the situation would be akin to rubbing salt into an open wound he thought.

"Lord will be our guide, and we need to trust his path, no matter how foreign it may seem at times. As you know, every single member of this community is with you and understands your despair, and we will remain restless until we discover the culprit behind this." Vicar's gaze didn't miss the presence of Mercy Westcott, and with a nod, he signalled the mysterious woman that he will be with her, once the conversation with Durbins is done with.

[[GM edit: names]]
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:20, Wed 10 Aug 2022.

"Field work on Sabbath, Sam Hartman? No good will come o' that. 'Tis wicked." Maggie rather enjoys casting aspersions on someone else for a change. But when Sam scuttles away, she hurries over to catch Jim Stone on his own, taking his arm and dragging him away from any other.

"Jim," she says without greeting or preamble, but careful to keep her voice quiet, "Why did Polly give you her India fish? Was it a lover's gift or t'buy your silence about somewhat? Ye must tell me 'fore it rouses suspicion 'gainst you." Her eyes bore into his, brooking no denial or evasion.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:36, Wed 10 Aug 2022.

Jim had let himself be dragged aside and into the deep shade of the yew to keep the Devil out at the northern corner of the churchyard, not really understanding that he ought to object. Being gripped and stared at got him, though, every limb going tense and all aggressive power going into looking back when forced to it, like a badger planting itself whilst threatened in readiness to kill some baiting dog. His teeth showed in a pale line from under his upper lip. "..."

[[maggie used eye contact! It's super-effective! ...at escalation, at least. Give me an Insight roll, Maggie.]]

Margaret Yendale rolled 29 upfor Insight 45.

Maggie narrows her eyes, her voice quiet but hard as she says, "Don't you think you can frighten me, Jim Stone. I intend to have an answer from you here and now. And I won’t be fobbed off with lies. Tell me about that fish.”.

Maggie sets her own feet and leans her shoulders forward, her hands open and arms flexed a bit, ready for a tussle if it comes to that.

"She gave it me," Jim said, a statement without a note of complaint or excuse. He seemed to accept that Maggie intended to beat him and watched for her first move, loath to strike even a girl as big as that.

"Aye," says Maggie slowly and after a moment, "I didn't imagine ye'd stole it. But why would she--"

Maggie stops and thinks about who she's talking to and what she needs to discover.

"Why would a person just give something they treasure so much to somebody else? Why would Polly do that d'ye think?"

Thomas turned to his sister as she spoke of the chalk and added "Yes the chalk was ours from yesterday, as were the tracks I would add. I was chasing a Hare again and they probably go all over the place, here and there."


-

Andrew gazed at the track nearest the Doctor’s feet. ”You’re certain it was only a hare?” He shook his head, trying to understand what he saw. ”They don’t walk upright. Or have hooves.”

He looked back to Thomas. ”Did you learn anything? From the grave?”

His curiosity still disquieting him, he started for the church, looking to see if more inexplicable tracks encircled it.

17:46, Today: Andrew Sexton rolled 16 using 1d100.  Track - Track 40%.

"You'll get hexed, a-going on like that..." Lucy warned her brother.

Andrew wandered off to check around the back of the church. Tom - or someone equally towering - did seem to have walked up and down several times.

[[let me know if he's heading right to the other side at present - I'll hold the roll regardless, but Andrew's mother, Maggie and Goodie Westcott were trying to convene some sort of meeting...]]
This message was last edited by the player at 23:18, Wed 10 Aug 2022.

In reply to Margaret Yendale (msg # 25):

Jim proved calmer once let out from the immediate threat of that stare: not relaxed, perhaps, but not braced for violence in that same instant. His hands clenched, unclenched, swung back and forth at his side as he thought, looking off at the churchyard wall.

He shrugged as to why 'a person' would give gifts, not being difficult but the scope of the query too broad. Polly he knew about, but hesitated all the same, frowning over there. "Think she thought...as some secrets're...heavy. An' if she went away, only I'd have 'em, an' not her, so...'s her best thing. Her best thing." He reached into his shirt pocket and warily brought out his fist, opening it just a moment to show her the silver treasure within, the cunningly-jointed Indian fish surely warm from his body.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:36, Wed 10 Aug 2022.

Thomas looked to his sister as he said "Yes just a hare." he then turned back. "Here come look at the grave stone."

OOC: If our GM would be so good as to report the pic of the text from the stone.


-

"Oh, and the Vicar has written down what we saw on it, too," Lucy enthused.

Striding away back into the church, Tom found the Vicar extricating himself from the little knot of people around Sarah Durbin, and on glancing aside saw Mary Wescott waiting for the clergyman's attention. She met his eye but made no greeting to him one way or the other.

"Thank you, Vicar..." Mrs. Durbin was saying, sounding feeble and generally being fussed by her husband and relatives. "...I..I will do my best to put my trust in the Lord, but oh, I am weak sometimes..."


[[They won't be able to see it unless they cover it with chalk again.]]

"I trust your strength will prevail over this darkness when you least expect it. The Lord's ways may surprise you but his intentions for you are good." With a supportive hand placed on the Mrs. Durbin's shoulder, the vicar replied "As I have mentioned earlier, if you are in need of a counsel, some tranquility, or even the church's doors are and will be open for you whenever, and my ear will be yours solely." With a slight pause and a glance directed behind the Durbins, reverend continued. "I believe another partitioner is requiring my attention, it could be related to the ongoing investigation, so if you don't mind I will leave you in the loving, caring embrace of your family members and I hope we will see each other soon, and if we don't, I may stop by."

With a gentle caress and few kind words of support, Reverend Palmer left the company of the mourning Durbins, and approached the very...very patient Goodie Westcott. "Lord's blessing to you Goodie Westcott, your subtle glance made it known that my presence is required. How may I be of assistance on this lovely sunday morning."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:25, Thu 11 Aug 2022.

A mixture of curiosity and concern prompted Andrew to follow Thomas when he mentioned the gravestone, whatever he had discovered there clearly of great importance to him. The strange nature of the tracks hung in Andrew’s mind, there being no sign of a hare anywhere that he had seen, only the disturbing cloven prints of something that shouldn’t be able to move upright.

He drew close to his mother, doing his best to give her a smile, knowing that she could likely discern just how unsettled he was.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:11, Fri 12 Aug 2022.

In reply to James Stone (msg # 29):

Maggie regards the trinket. She exhales and looks back to Jim, nodding. When she speaks, her voice is gentle.

"Aye. I want ye to know, whatever secret you might carry, if it starts seemin' too heavy, ye c'n share th' weight with me, Jim. I'll be yer friend as much as ever I can. Believe me.

"So, where was Polly... Where'd she think she was going to?"

Polly was never her best friend. Still, it saddens her that she couldn't have helped her carry whatever weight she was laboring under.

Jim shifted attention to his knuckles, still swaying a little as he thought. "..."

"To colonies...or to Scotland, with the wild people. If Master Bees dint marry her." Jim closed his fist on the fish, but gently. "She'd...she'd have told me, though, if she went. If she was alive."

There was emotion Maggie recognised in that statement: mixed anger and grief that only intensified. "Only they said...you said's the...the man did for her."

He reached up and put the fist with the fish across the back of Maggie's neck to draw her down, the other hand unfolding to rest on her upper arm, not seeming quite aware that it might be taken as too familiar altogether with a girl. There was no attempt to kiss her, however, just a soft murmur in her ear.

He let her go and tapped a finger to his lips, sliding aside and hastily jogging a few steps before he could be caught, only then looking back.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:43, Fri 12 Aug 2022.

Maggie tenses a bit, but doesn't resist Jim's closeness. When he bolts away she straightens but doesn't pursue.

Maggie thinks: She'd surely have waited to hear Tom Bees' decision before she went away but did he give it that night? And anyhow, she never went. She died up there at the edge of the Wood.

In reply to Reverend Palmer (msg # 32):


"There's things afoot you ought know of, Vicar, and mayhap you can help deal with 'em. Widow Sexton and the Yendale girl have gathered up the rest outside, I wot. You too, Master Bees," she beckoned both outside; although Tom was loath to move Lucy was happy to come alongside the Vicar, giving him a bright smile from under her buttercup-trimmed bonnet.

"Tom was going to show Master Sexton and the Doctor the grave, but maybe you should tell them about the inscription first?" she suggested.

---

Outside, the path from the church was almost empty, only a few stragglers making their way out of the gate, Jim Stone lastmost. Widow Sexton was waiting off to the side a little with Robin Yendale, distracted from whatever she'd been saying to the apprentice by her son's approach.

Seeing Andrew looking lost and concerned his mother instinctively reached out to him, pressing her hand to his arm as though she could press reassurance into him by dint of being undeniably solid, undeniably there. Robin drew back a little from the moment of familial affection, unsure if he was welcome even to observe, but Widow Sexton put a hand on his shoulder, too, and it seemed as natural for him to reach out and offer his hand to Lucy as she came up.

Lucy took it and reached back for Tom's, grinning at this bit of gentle foolishness after a scouring day and a half. "?"

[[going to presume Maggie, Sam and Martin have drifted over at this point, else this turns into a catherding sim.]]

"Right, that's all of them. Mercy, I was going to have Lucy and the lad come prepare the Sunday meal with me, but Long Tom thinks you're apt to make off with Lucy, so we're not quite seeing eye-to-eye on that."

Goodie Westcott shot Tom an irritated glance. "Well, I'm here as ye might see with yer own eyes. Lucy, will you stay or go?"

"I..." Lucy cringed back, looking between the midwife and her brother, not understanding his quarrels. The memory of Tom running into the Wood and the fear of being entirely alone in the world reached her, however, and she swallowed, letting Robin go and edging nearer her brother. "...I'll stay."

"We'll all stay, then," Widow Sexton said, seeing Robin's hesitation. "-but Robin, this stays between the ten of us 'less it endangers anyone else, all right?"

"Yes'm."

"Right. Vicar, Gentlemen...Thomas, I've come into the knowledge that there is something abroad from out of the Wood as can mimic the shape of at least one man, an' maybe others such have been within the bounds of that place."

Maggie watches Jim go from the churchyard, uncertain how she could detain him, but sorry for his loneliness. She smiles to see Widow Sexton lay a gentle hand on Robin, glad that he is finding a place among his master's household. She drifts closer as the Sexton daisy-chain assembles and almost reaches out her own hand to Andrew.

Instead, she steps up beside Mercy. As the wisewoman begins to speak, she hods her head, her expression more grave than most have seen it.

edited by the player to replace a probably anachronistic term
This message was last edited by the player at 22:40, Sun 14 Aug 2022.