Daniel looked around, as the crowd bayed its agreement. No familiar face to reason with, no one in a position to make them listen, and Sarah accused. He thanked God they would not know where to find her. It had always been the parson that Daniel turned to for a calming voice in situations such as these. Long gone was a magistrate who could be called upon to exercise fair judgement.

‘Surely this is no witchcraft?’ he shouted out, desperate to stall them. ‘This was an attack of force, we can see what killed him, there is no spell or curse here.’

‘Who else would kill a man of God?’ Gabriel said.

Daniel could not answer.

‘Look at the way he’s laid out,’ a voice came from the crowd. ‘A mockery of the church itself, of all the man stood for. It can only be those heathens.’

‘Still, my son speaks some wisdom,’ Father called. Daniel was grateful for this calmer, stronger voice of support. ‘No girl would have the strength for—’ He waved his hand towards the brutal scene laid out before them. ‘By my reckoning, it must be the son.’

Daniel’s heart jolted so hard that he gasped.

‘The boy has strength and fury enough, we’ve seen it before, and he has a demon in his power, the one seen running from Sam’s house. It’s him that’s done this wickedness. Who else could it be?’

‘Aye, and I’ve been telling you all these weeks past, was not I but him that thefted your belongings,’ Gabriel put in. ‘You see he is guilty of that and much worse now.’

Daniel ran, let their voices fade behind him, let the pounding of his blood drown out his own doubts. Knew only that he must reach Sarah. Did not let himself think of the question he could not answer.

Who else would kill a man of God?

She walked along the path, sun at her back, her expression calm. If he knew some spell, some word of magic to stop her at this moment, before all she loved and hoped for was swept away, he would barter his soul and save her the pain to come.

‘There you are,’ she said as she neared him. Glanced over her shoulder at the clear path. ‘Husband.’

She reached her arms around his neck. His heart broke for her fleeting happiness.

‘I came back to the house and no one was there, what’s happening?’ she asked.

Still he could not bring himself to speak.

She frowned. ‘What? What is it?’ Looked him up and down. ‘Is that blood?’

‘When you saw your family yesterday,’ he said, ‘was your brother there? Did you see him?’

He tried to stop her. Tried to reason, to persuade her that she should hide. She ripped off her coif, picked up her petticoat and ran. He followed.