The morning came quickly, and the town was all abuzz with the first rays of the rising sun. The horn had been sounded, and the freemen gathered in the great hall. The mighty doors had been shut to the public, but it had not stopped the townsfolk from gathering outside to await the verdict of the controversial debate at hand.
Tess, however, had not been among those gathered. Her thoughts were heavy, so she took a walk near the coastline instead. Hanna and Marian had gone with her to keep her company. A gusty wind rolled inland from the icy waters causing the women to pull their cloaks closed tighter to fend off the cold. The winter sky was grey, and they had not seen the sun in days. The ships had been pulled up on to the beach except for two small fishing boats wh
