Mary Surratt's Denial of Lewis Powell

[MaddieM]

I hope I have this in the right section, forgive me if I don't.

The night that Lewis Powell turned up at Mary Surratt's Boarding house masquerading as a labourer, I've always wondered why she denied knowing him so emphatically! Was she covering her own back? Trying to protect him? Bit of both? It seems an odd thing to do. Surely, she would realise the situation and admit hiring him? Or did she think he'd been picked up at random and was trying to deny knowledge of him to protect him? He seemed mighty protective of her. Did she betray him, or try to protect him?