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
Before the reverend could respond, the portly man interrupted. ‘Sit down, Mr Smith, Mr Walker. All will be addressed in good time.’ He waited for them to resume their seats. ‘We came here with the express intention of hearing from the witches themselves to see if there was a case to be trialled. This includes hearing the unexpected, which must, in due course, be addressed.’ He turned to Sorcha. ‘Please, continue, Mrs McIntyre.’
Relief began to flood her body. Was Nettie right and this was to be a fair hearing? A just one? As yet, apart from Janet, they didn’t know how those below them had fared, or poor Beatrix who was still in St Fillan’s Cave.
‘Thank you, sir. I wish to recant my previous confession because it was extracted from me, as confessions were from the others, under duress. We were pricked, beaten, starved and made to endure night after night of sleeplessness. We all confessed not only to make our punishment cease, as was promised, but to please the reverend and the bailies.’
With each description of what she had gone through, the discomfort of the men grew. Some exclaimed. Others shook their heads. All cast looks of reproach at Reverend Cowper who simply sat, hands clasped in his lap, watching Sorcha. What he was thinking, she couldn’t tell.
‘I see,’ said the portly man finally, waiting for the outrage to die down. ‘These are terrible things, unjust and harsh indeed, and not what should be inflicted upon any Christian soul.’
It was all Sorcha could do to resist turning to the reverend and poking out her tongue.
‘A witch, however,’ continued the portly man, ‘is a different matter. For a start, she’s not in possession of a Christian soul.’
Any confidence Sorcha was starting to feel dissolved. It fled from her body faster than a dogfish from a net. The reverend sneered.
‘As God is my witness, good sirs, I am a Christian, and I deny I am a witch or have ever known one with every last breath in my body.’
‘Aye, well, if it’s proven you are one, Mrs McIntyre, then you may yet have to,’ said the portly man and, with a snap of his fingers, indicated she was to be taken from the room.
But not before she heard the order given that Janet Cornfoot, as punishment for retracting her statement in the first place and thus encouraging the other lasses to do the same, be placed in solitary confinement while the matter was thoroughly investigated.
‘It’s clear,’ said the portly man, addressing the others, ‘these arrogant, disrespectful women are as guilty as sin itself. What must need happen is —’
The door closed.
As the guards took her back down the stairs, Sorcha’s head reeled. While she’d never really believed in the myth of the first-footer, she started to think that maybe Nettie had been right.