Gabriel tipped his head back and smiled. Daniel looked from one to the other, unable to believe what he heard, so strong was his horror at this plan. So strong his rage. Despite Father’s temper, Daniel had always thought of him as honourable, in his way. But this. This was—

‘Despicable,’ he said, before realising he had spoken aloud. All three heads turned sharply to him. The scrape of the broom silenced.

‘What?’ Father asked. The quietness of his voice spoke of more anger than his previous shouting.

Daniel opened his mouth to apologise. And then thought again of the crowds and their flames marching to Sarah’s house.

‘Despicable,’ he said, clearer now. ‘To cover your own sins by blaming another? To shield yourself by offering up those without protection? And to scheme to do it?’

‘They has protection, and it’s of their own witchly making,’ Gabriel said.

Daniel watched the pallor spread over Father’s face, saw the set of his jaw and willed himself to stop. ‘You should look to better yourself, not turn blame to another.’

It was accidental, surely, that he met Father’s eyes as these last left his lips. Father’s mouth gaped, his fists curled and, Daniel was sure, tears gathered as he blinked. Behind him, Bett stared, making no pretence at work now.

Before anyone could stop him, he barged past Father and out into the daylight, aware that punishment would await his return. For now, he simply needed to be away.

He made for the river, running fast. The stone still hung in the tree.

He waited anyway. She did not come.

When at last he returned, the fist caught his chin as he stepped in, spinning him so that the edge of the door cracked his cheek. Even as he sank to the ground, dizzy and sick, Daniel cursed himself. He should have been expecting this. His mind had been lost in Sarah and he had forgotten the argument waiting for him at home.

Father’s breath was sour with alcohol. ‘Thought you’d got away with it, did you?’

Daniel pressed his head to the cool wall, eyes squeezed shut until the room settled. Responses flashed through his mind. Sorry was the correct one.

‘With what?’ he asked, wiping away the blood bubbling at the corner of his mouth and drawing himself upright.

‘Showing me up in front of Gabriel and Bett, insulting me and walking off. Thought you were clever, did you? Thought you’d get away with it because they were there?’

As Father bunched a fist and leaned his weight back to throw, Daniel straightened up. Standing eye to eye now.

‘Do not raise your hand to me,’ he said, clear and steady, as surprised as Father was by the fury rising inside him.