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
The Stuarts eyed each other and shrugged.
‘Sure,’ said Gerard. ‘What harm can it do? We can leave the horses in Mr Murray’s stables. But keep your distance, you hear?’ he said to the women. ‘Mrs Cornfoot is our prisoner and you can’t frat her eyes.’
Angus regarded him strangely. ‘Frat her eyes? You mean fraternise, you great dozie.’
‘Aye. That’s what I said.’ Gerard poked him in the ribs with the butt of his musket.
Sorcha eyed the weapon with distaste. Why on earth were they carrying them? Janet wasn’t dangerous. Her thoughts flew to the crowd outside the Tolbooth. Try convincing those in town that was the case.
She looked at the brothers, turned into custodians for the sake of the reverend’s and bailies’ fear of women. Some women. It didn’t suit them. It never had. ‘We won’t fraternise, Gerard and Angus, but we will walk with our friend. I pray you to at least allow that. The poor woman is old and frail.’
Nettie bit back a laugh.
Sorcha mouthed ‘Sorry’ at Janet, who waved her apology away.
‘She weren’t so frail when she was resisting arrest,’ muttered Angus.
‘Resisting?’ said Janet, turning towards him. ‘I was trying to keep my balance while you dragged me across the minister’s flagstones. Which I couldn’t do with my hands tied.’
It was only then that Sorcha realised why Janet hadn’t returned their hold. Her wrists were bound.
Angus glared at Janet and might have been ready to change his mind about allowing her to get some extra clothes, when Nettie, one hand gently upon Janet’s back, encouraged her forward.
‘At least untie her, Angus. How can she fetch anything like that?’
By the time Janet was unbound and with Angus breathing down her neck the entire time, had fetched a shawl, Sorcha, Nettie and Nicolas weren’t the only ones accompanying her to the Tolbooth. Word flew around and more and more people ran up the hill from the tavern, the shops and the harbour, spilling out of their houses, lanterns raised, pikes, shovels and other instruments in their hands. Whether it was to defend or attack Janet, Sorcha couldn’t be sure, but she liked it not.
Some ran back towards the centre of town and soon a cry went up that made Janet stop in her tracks.
‘The witch has been found! The witch has been found.’
‘Dear God,’ whispered Janet, pulling closer to Sorcha and Nettie. ‘Get away, lasses, while you still can. I don’t want you tarred with the brush they’re going to feather me with.’