Chapters (76)
- Cover
- About the Author
- Also by Karen Brooks
- Title Page
- Dedication
- EXPLANATORY NOTE
- PART ONE
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- PART TWO
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- PART THREE
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- PART FOUR
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Epilogue: Autumn 1706
- AUTHOR’S NOTE
- GLOSSARY
- LIST OF CHARACTERS
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
‘Purge the village of sin, unite them in a quest to renounce the devil, that’s what the reverend said according to Alick,’ added Sorcha dolefully. ‘As if it’s only auld women or the likes of Nicolas who sin in the first place.’
‘What you both say might be true,’ said Captain Ross carefully, ‘but what if, like today, Mrs Laing and Mrs Lawson are… persuaded to name more women as witches? Women with more to lose — or, should I say, to give to the council?’
Nettie and Sorcha shared a look. Sorcha nodded grimly.
Nettie gulped. ‘It’s what we’re afeared of, laddie.’
‘They tried to wrest the boat and house from me once before, after mor died, and failed,’ admitted Sorcha.
‘What she means, captain,’ added Nettie, ‘is the reverend tried — by marrying her off to one of his sons, no less.’
Sorcha grimaced at the thought. ‘Needless to say, I declined the proposal. But surely, accusing any of us of witchcraft is a step too far even for the reverend and bailies.’
Sorcha looked around the room with an objective eye. There wasn’t too much of value here, though the garret was a different matter, filled as it was with nets, creels, ropes, iron and so much more. Memories to her, they’d make good coin if they were to be sold. And then there was the cottage itself, not to mention the boat…
Regretting he’d frightened them, the captain tried to change the subject. ‘Push it out of your minds for now. I could be wrong. In the meantime, don’t let the whisky go to waste.’
‘You’re right,’ said Sorcha, refilling their cups. She tipped some more into her own and waited for the other two to lift their quaichs to her. ‘Here’s to Beatrix and Nicolas. May God be on their side for a change.’
‘To Beatrix and Nicolas,’ echoed the captain and Nettie. They drained their drinks.
‘Now,’ said the captain, drawing his stool closer. ‘Let’s discuss our next step. We know from Alick that the reverend and bailies have no intention of informing Edinburgh at present. But what’s to stop me writing to my commanding officer and notifying him what’s going on? What’s to stop him letting the authorities in the city know?’
Sorcha felt a smile begin. ‘Why, nothing. The reverend’s made it clear you have no influence over what Weem people do. Which means, in essence, he has none over you.’
The captain gave an insolent grin. ‘My thoughts exactly. I’ll leave here shortly and attend to it at once. But if I might make a suggestion?’
‘Go ahead, captain, please. We need all the advice we can get, unlike the bailies or the reverend,’ added Sorcha.
‘I think it would be wise if you and Nettie, and perhaps some of the other fishwives, tried not to be seen in each other’s company for a while.’