Old Habits Die Hard
Esther Jones wrapped the tiny lifeless body of her baby daughter Charlotte in some rags she had made from an old sheet, and placed her in a wicker basket by the front door in anticipation of a visit from one of the Searchers to confirm the death and arrange for her little body to be removed for burial.
Her husband Noah had already informed the local church of their tragic loss, and even though the church bell had tolled almost consistently for as long as Esther could remember, the Searchers were no strangers to their address.
A cup of Noah’s strong ale and a couple of groats in the hand was usually enough to convince the Searcher to say that the death was from natural causes and not because of the plague.
Otherwise their house would be locked up for 40 days and nigh
