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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

Sorcha looked at the women. Nettie’s mother had been one of the very few to try and befriend her mor, which had brought Nettie into her sphere. Despite the dozen years between them, Nettie had been her friend for as long as she could remember — nay, not just a friend. Over time, Nettie had become the older sister Dagny had never been and Sorcha had always wanted. Not even Nettie’s marriage to Thom and the birth of their daughter Rebecca had changed that. There wasn’t much they didn’t know about each other and hadn’t shared. Likewise old Beatrix, a wool-spinner married to William Brown, a fine tailor, had been a great friend of her da’s mother. When Grandma McIntyre died, Beatrix had stepped in and been like a mother and grandma to all the McIntyres, even though she had her own daughter and granddaughter to think about. Astrid had rejected her efforts, but it didn’t stop Beatrix. Then there was Nicolas. An incomer from nearby Crail, she was married to Alexander Young, a farmer who leased a small block of land between the Weem and Anster. Raised to be a fishwife, whenever Alexander was called away to help with harvesting on his laird’s land, Nicolas would come and stay in the Weem and resume the work she knew best. A bit older than Sorcha, she’d been a boon to her when Andy died, not to mention everything afterwards.

Perhaps seeing where Sorcha’s thoughts were taking her, Nettie refilled their drinks, and raised her quaich again. ‘To old friends and new beginnings.’

‘To old friends and new beginnings,’ the women said in unison, almost shyly, touching the lips of their cups and drinking solemnly. Smiles were exchanged that filled the eyes and made Sorcha’s soul melt.

God, she’d missed these women.

‘Welcome home, Sorcha,’ whispered Nettie, her eyes brimming with those unasked questions before she rested her cheek briefly on Sorcha’s knee. Sorcha stroked her hair.

‘It’s good to be back. Better than I hoped.’

‘And better than those soldiers intended,’ added Nicolas.

‘I hope they’re enjoying their celebrations,’ said Beatrix drolly.

‘I’ll drink to that too,’ said Nicolas, and with shrieks of laughter they all toasted the men.