Summary

DODO brainstorms likely locations for witches in 1601 London. According to Erszebet, witches are independent and free-spirited. They enjoy manipulating men, but tend not to form love bonds. Tristan notes that this profile could describe a prostitute, and Erszebet confirms that witches may take a protector in order to have children without the bondage of marriage. DODO aims for the brothels of Southwark, the theatre district. Mel realizes that Erszebet chose not to have children because she could not bear to outlive them.

They choose Tristan’s favorite beer maker, the Old Tearsheet Brewery, as a likely location: it existed in 1601 and boasted a large pub likely to have been a discreet brothel. Tristan practices Elizabethan rapier and behavior with the help of Shakespearean experts. Mel’s crush on Tristan intensifies as she prepares him for his dangerous mission. When Erszebet Sends...