The air had thickened around him and Daniel allowed Molly to thread her arm through his and lead him to the door.

‘It’s odd,’ Magistrate Wright had said from behind. ‘I must have been mistaken, but from my previous observations I would have supposed it to be the dairymaid that had taken your fancy.’

He had sealed his own fate. Not one filled with light as he had dreamed of with Sarah, but one that might atone for the pain he had unwittingly caused. Perhaps he could discard the shame that weighed so heavy.

His night visit to the river had left him walking home just as the tavern emptied. Someone whistled, hiccupped and then laughed. Daniel sighed, and turned to face his tormentor. Gabriel.

‘Been taking a drink, I see,’ he said.

Gabriel swayed before him, smirked. ‘Oh, do you, you see, do you? I’ve been where the men go, milksop.’

Daniel made to leave, but Gabriel caught his shoulder, shook it. Breath sour with ale. ‘Hear you’ll be cleaning up my filings, Danny.’

‘If you mean your cowardice in abandoning Molly, yes I shall step in where you had not the backbone.’

‘Dare a snivelling shrew like you call me coward?’ Gabriel’s voice rose, but he was so unstable on his feet that Daniel had no fear. Were he to raise a fist he would likely fall to the ground. ‘Take care yet, for the last to offend my honour came badly out of it.’

‘I am in no mood to hear of your brawls.’

Gabriel bent forward, leaning on Daniel’s shoulder with such unsteady weight that he almost fell. ‘And of this one you nor no one ever shall, for another has took the blame and can speak of it no more.’

‘Well, that’s not – wait, taken blame for what? Who has?’

Gabriel smirked. ‘Do not cross me. For I can do as I please and a ready-made villain shall bear the guilt and no one shall question.’

Daniel dared not breathe, dared not move. He must do nothing now to bring Gabriel to the ground beneath his feet, the stars above his head, and the truth he was about to utter. His heart drummed. He must know, and feared to know, what would be said next.

‘If I can stake out a church man and not be found, then there is nowt beyond me.’

Daniel staggered. ‘You?’ he said, voice cracked. ‘You killed the parson?’

Gabriel smiled.

‘But – surely not.’ Daniel’s mind raced, understanding then denying what he had been told. ‘Even you would not – you could not …’

Gabriel stepped towards him, lurching to the side and righting himself. He scrabbled at the pocket of his breeches. ‘You think I have not the courage? I am not man enough?’

Man, enough. Brute, enough. But not the demon it would take to commit such an act. Surely.

‘Then what do you think of this?’