‘But – but she’s a cunning woman, every person has turned to her at some time for a, a salve or remedy. Only healing and herb-knowledge.’

Even as he said the words he knew they were but a crescent of the whole, the other truth lying in unspoken shadow. The Haworth hag, up the cursed hill in the old plague village, with her brood of wild Devil-brats. Stories of crops dying if you crossed her, of starvation and suffering and maladies afflicting your children. Spells to wipe out your foe for the price of a coin. Sarah’s cursing of Gabriel. The demon seen in the village.

‘You know they all carry guilt of one kind or another,’ she said. ‘Every woman washing clothes at the beck tells of who lies with another’s husband, or which man beat his wife and then claimed she’d become possessed by a sprite and flung herself into the walls. They’re feared and they’ll hand her over to cover their own sins as sure as they beg her for cures and then spit at her on their way to church.’

The tap on his shoulder caused him to cry out. There had been no warning footsteps.

‘I’m sorry, my son,’ Parson Walsh said, hands lifted by way of apology. ‘I did not intend to startle, but I must speak with you both urgently.’

Sarah clasped his arm. ‘Seth, will you go to Mam? Please? Warn her?’

‘I will, rest assured.’ He patted her hand. ‘But I’m sorry to say I was mistaken in my confidence and now I have churned you both into the befouled workings of my mind. I have failed to convince Magistrate Wright of the Shaws’ innocence and I realise now the staggering arrogance of my belief that I would be chosen to bring your families together.’

This was unexpected. Daniel glanced at Sarah for explanation, but she looked upon the parson with pity.

‘You strove only to help,’ she said.

‘You are in a precarious position of my making. Why the Lord has burdened me with this corrupted soul I shall never know.’ His voice dropped so quiet that Daniel could hardly hear. ‘Though I do endeavour to bear it.’ The parson bent his head and wiped his eyes. ‘Oh, had I but counselled you with more caution.’

‘You weren’t to know,’ Sarah said.

He shook his head and spoke at pace, barely drawing breath. ‘You must see that now you cannot be wed, you cannot be discovered, Sarah, in such times as are coming. Magistrate Wright has spoken with me of his past achievements, as he sees them, of hunting down papists and witches, condemning them on no more than a mark on the skin and the word of a neighbour.’ He leaned in, whispered. ‘Should he learn who you are, I fear you will be condemned for bewitching young Daniel here.’

Daniel felt something run through her, though she made no sound.