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Back The Darkest Shore Save as PDF
Chapters (76)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Also by Karen Brooks
  4. Title Page
  5. Dedication
  6. EXPLANATORY NOTE
  7. PART ONE
  8. One
  9. Two
  10. Three
  11. Four
  12. Five
  13. Six
  14. Seven
  15. Eight
  16. Nine
  17. Ten
  18. Eleven
  19. Twelve
  20. Thirteen
  21. Fourteen
  22. Fifteen
  23. Sixteen
  24. Seventeen
  25. Eighteen
  26. Nineteen
  27. Twenty
  28. Twenty-One
  29. Twenty-Two
  30. Twenty-Three
  31. Twenty-Four
  32. Twenty-Five
  33. Twenty-Six
  34. Twenty-Seven
  35. Twenty-Eight
  36. PART TWO
  37. Twenty-Nine
  38. Thirty
  39. Thirty-One
  40. Thirty-Two
  41. Thirty-Three
  42. Thirty-Four
  43. Thirty-Five
  44. PART THREE
  45. Thirty-Six
  46. Thirty-Seven
  47. Thirty-Eight
  48. Thirty-Nine
  49. Forty
  50. Forty-One
  51. Forty-Two
  52. Forty-Three
  53. Forty-Four
  54. Forty-Five
  55. Forty-Six
  56. Forty-Seven
  57. Forty-Eight
  58. Forty-Nine
  59. Fifty
  60. Fifty-One
  61. Fifty-Two
  62. PART FOUR
  63. Fifty-Three
  64. Fifty-Four
  65. Fifty-Five
  66. Fifty-Six
  67. Fifty-Seven
  68. Fifty-Eight
  69. Fifty-Nine
  70. Sixty
  71. Sixty-One
  72. Epilogue: Autumn 1706
  73. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  74. GLOSSARY
  75. LIST OF CHARACTERS
  76. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Seeing the man would not be moved and that Bailie Cook, if not Vernour as well, was inclined to support him, Patrick relented. ‘Very well. The constables can search for this waxen figure. But if they find it, then we proceed as agreed. We’ll send for the pricker and find out how much more Beatrix Laing is hiding. For I’ve no doubt she’s withholding information. There are more involved in this evil business than just her and Nicolas Lawson. One has only to see Peter’s suffering to know this to be true.’ He turned towards Beatrix, the other men following his gaze.

At that moment, Beatrix opened her eyes and raised her chin. She smiled; her missing teeth and bloodied mouth and lips made her look like she was wearing a devil-cast mask.

Patrick shuddered just as the other men recoiled. He stepped towards them and lowered his voice. ‘But think on this, gentlemen.

We’ve no need for Edinburgh’s involvement — not yet anyhow,’ he said quickly, before Bell could disagree. ‘The woman has confessed and that’s a grand start. We must handle this ourselves for as long as we’re able. Otherwise, we might never put an end to it.’

Beatrix continued to stare at them, not understanding the significance of what they were saying. The men studiously avoided her gaze and glanced at each other, undecided.

Patrick was fed up with their ambivalence. Much like the constables who’d beaten Beatrix Laing, he knew where to aim so it hurt. ‘After all,’ he said, waving a cavalier hand, ‘which of us can afford to pay for the presence of advocates from the city? Pay for lawyers’ advice? Their upkeep while they eat our food and drink our whisky? Is it you, William? Thomas? You, Robert? For I tell you now, gentlemen, I can’t afford the luxury of Edinburgh magistrates and neither can the town.’

That decided it. They all agreed Patrick was right. The bailies would rather see an old woman beaten bloody and pricked to uncover her accomplices than part with coin. A search would be mounted — first for the wax image and, if that was found, or even if it wasn’t, then, with the help of a pricker, for anyone else who might have aided and abetted Beatrix Laing.

Beatrix Laing who, of her own admission, was a witch in league with the devil.

Seventeen

SEVENTEEN

image

Duntit f’ae dowg tae devil.

(Pursued by misfortune.)

Sorcha stormed into her cottage, followed more sedately by a crestfallen Nettie and a resigned Captain Ross.

‘They won’t find it,’ said Sorcha, swinging around to face them. ‘Not in Beatrix’s house or Nicolas’s. How can they when, like this pact with the devil, a wax image is just something the men forced her to admit in order to justify arresting her?’

Nettie shooed Captain Ross further into the room and shut the door.