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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

Aware he still hadn’t read the document from Edinburgh, the reverend took a moment to compose himself and stem his glee. The captain didn’t seem to notice. He was sitting still, his eyes focussed on the painting of the crucifixion. That was Patrick’s favourite. A reminder of the suffering good Christians must endure to earn a place beside their Holy Father. If nothing else, by the time Patrick had finished with the witches, they would not only have repented, but be cleansed of their sins and able to join God in heaven once more. And if not, well, they’d burn in hell.

The thought made him feel very warm; very satisfied.

Breaking the seal, catching the bits of wax and placing them on the sill, he unfolded the pages, noted the date — the twenty-first of July — and began to read. As he did, any joy he’d taken from the captain’s brief summary of the contents was staunched.

This couldn’t be right. Aye, the witches were to be tried, but not in Pittenweem as requested. Instead, the letter was most clear about it: Sir James Godtrees, the Lord Advocate, who was based in the city, was to initiate the process against the said witches. This could take some weeks. In turn, when notice was given that all was in readiness, Sir James had ordered the Earl of Rothes, the Sheriff of Fife, to organise for the women to be transported to Edinburgh. There was an offer to pay for transporting them there. But no more. That was it.

Weeks! Why, not only were the village and the local burgh officials, which included him, the bailies and other councilmen, to be denied justice, denied the right to try the witches themselves and pass sentence here in Pittenweem, but they must pay the cost of keeping the women in the Tolbooth for an indefinite period until Edinburgh was ready, never mind while they awaited trial in the city itself. It was more than the town coffers could bear.

Damn. Patrick thought he was to be rid of the women once and for all. He believed this letter would give him the permission needed to conduct his own trial, ensure God’s justice, and have everyone in Pittenweem see it served. Everyone in Pittenweem and all the visitors…

He returned to the letter. There was mention of what happened to Thomas Brown — his death while in custody and how it didn’t reflect well on the local burgh. Ha! What would those city gents know, locked away in their fine offices, mutton and oysters for breakfast and dinner, whisky and ale by the barrel? They didn’t understand what it was like living here, thinking about little but where your next meal was coming from. Eating fish, mussels, neeps, slurping kale soup and munching brittle bannocks day after day. Didn’t reflect well? They didn’t see Peter Morton, what had been done to the lad.