“Am I to cook anything for the prisoner?” she asked in a whining voice.
“Not unless he decides to talk. I’ll find out if he’s changed his mind.”
The man who had been called Aaron crossed the cabin to an adjoining room. He unlocked the door which had been fastened with a padlock, and went inside.
“Atherwald must be in there,” whispered Penny.
With one accord, she and Jerry tiptoed across the sagging porch and posted themselves under a high window. Glancing up they saw it contained no glass, but had narrow iron bars in keeping with a prison chamber.
Jerry lifted Penny up so that she could peep into the room. By the light of the oil lantern she saw a haggard young man sitting on the bed. Despite a stubble of beard and unkempt hair, she instantly recognized him as the missing bridegroom. She made another observation, one which shocked her. The man’s wrists were handcuffed.
“It’s Grant Atherwald,” she told Jerry as he lowered her to the ground. “They’ve treated him shamefully.”
Jerry held up his hand as a signal for silence. In the room above the men were speaking and he wished to hear every word.
“Well, Atherwald, have you changed your mind? How about a little supper tonight?”
“How can I tell you something I don’t know?” the bridegroom retorted wearily. “Kippenberg never confided any of his secrets to me.”