Matthew tells Edward that the Fier brothers are saints among men. He then asks his nephew who told such obvious lies. Edward must think he is lying as he doesn't come out and say Jeremy told the truth about their time in Wickham.

Before Edward can say anything, Mary bursts into the room and starts to tell Matthew that she must tell him something. It's amusing that she bursts into the room as if she realized now would be the perfect dramatic moment to do so.

Matthew doesn't sit back in his chair, he falls into it. Because I guess he's trying to chew up scenery? What non-dramatic words does he say? He tells Mary that it's more than likely 'he' will try to kill her before all of this ends. Mary then asks Matthew to explain himself.

Something about Mary must have triggered honesty in Matthew as he admits Jeremy told the truth. Edward is shocked and asks for his uncle to continue lying. But the uncle says that there is a curse over the Fier family and he can't in good conscience continue to lie about Wickham. Mary doesn't know what Edward had been talking about before and so he explains. He says that Susannah Goode was innocent of witchcraft and he blamed her for a crime she didn't commit. He was okay with her being burned alive.

THE CHAPTER