BooksBarbecue
Back The Darkest Shore
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

Beatrix lowered her head. Her shoulders slumped and, if it hadn’t been for the two men holding her arms, Peter was convinced she would have collapsed to the floor. He wanted to feel sorry for her, but he couldn’t, not when she’d used her vile powers to turn him into this wreck. His body was no longer his own; his thoughts were in disarray. He hurt all over. She might look and act like a feeble old woman, but she was evil.

The reverend signalled to the men, who marched Beatrix out of the bedroom. She’d been there less than a minute.

As soon as she was gone, Peter’s breathing improved, his arms and legs co-operated and his stomach shrank back to its usual size.

‘As I told you, ladies and gentlemen,’ said Reverend Cowper, ensuring he scowled at each witness in the room. ‘Peter is badly affected by the mere presence of the witch. She is still, along with her accomplices, casting a terrible spell upon the lad. The devil is powerful in her.’

Peter snivelled.

Captain Ross detached himself from the wall he had been leaning against. ‘It proves nothing,’ he said, daring the reverend to contradict him.

Minutes before Beatrix was shown in, he’d forced his way into the bedroom. The reverend had tried to have him expelled, but the captain, who’d sought out Bailie Bell and handed him a letter with an official seal upon it, refused to move. The bailie had read the letter, frowned, and passed it to the reverend.

Casting his eyes over it, the reverend shrugged. He explained to all present it was from a city advocate, ordering the council to allow Captain Ross to bear witness to events in Pittenweem so there might be a party to record what occurred on Edinburgh’s behalf.

‘Makes no difference to me or anyone here who observes. Or to whom you report, captain.’ He stared meaningfully at the officer. ‘God is the authority here, not Edinburgh, not me, and not some army official, no matter what rank.’

After that, the reverend turned his back on the captain and bent over Peter before ordering Beatrix to be brought in.

When she was led away, her knees buckling so she was practically carried, the captain stepped forward and objected. The reverend swung towards him.

‘I don’t know what you expect, captain, but to me, this proves everything the lad said is true.’

‘Not if he is pretending to be afflicted, reverend.’