“This meeting is not finished.” The chairman spat the words. “I have not closed it.”
“Then by all means do so, but let the minutes show that the Beadle brought, by default, the suggestion of a criminal act on the part of the absconders, when, in fact, the law permits the inmates of the workhouse to self-discharge as long as they take nothing of the parish’s property on doing so. Let it also show that the indenturing procedure was irregular, and therefore, according to the legal advice I have taken, invalid. These boys have committed no offence, no offence at all.”
Stephen watched as the clerk scribbled in the minute book, his gaze followed by the chairman.
“Strike that out!” The chairman was beside himself. “Strike that out! I have not authorised any such record, nor will I!”
The other
