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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

The closer Sorcha and Angus came to the waterfront, the louder the clamour became. There were shouts, taunts and mocking laughter. Dogs barked frenetically; somewhere, a horse whinnied. A scream rang out before it was abruptly cut off. Rounding a corner, Sorcha almost collided with the rear of the crowd. Leaping up and down, she saw what had slowed them.

Seumas Cowper and a couple of other men she didn’t know appeared to have taken charge and had not only caught up with Janet, but herded her towards the seawall, the crowd forming a tight circle around her. One of them darted forward and punched her in the head, knocking her down. A great cheer resounded. Two men grabbed her by the ankles and began to drag her over the wall and down towards the water.

‘Nae!’ screamed Sorcha, but her cry was lost in the melee.

‘Lynch her!’ the crowd began to chant.

‘Throw her in the sea.’ ‘Cuck the witch!’

Trying to lever her way through the press of people, blocking her ears to their bellowing, Sorcha forgot all about Angus as she tried to squeeze her way between the furious, excited men, but it was impossible. Unable to reach Janet, she could hear her terror-stricken howls as she was dragged over the seawall and dropped onto the sand.

Much to Sorcha’s relief, a contingent of soldiers appeared, led by none other than Sergeant Thatcher. With weapons drawn, they tried to prevent the rabble joining the men on the beach. But it was as if they weren’t there. Townsfolk simply barged past, pushing them aside like brushwood. Weapons were wrenched from hands. A thickset man snatched a gun from a soldier and levelled it at him.

‘This doesn’t concern you,’ he yelled. ‘Keep your distance, or else.’ He wasn’t even a local, but English.

‘Do as he says, lads,’ barked Sergeant Thatcher, palms outstretched in a gesture of peace. His features were twisted in fury, but with so many against them, he had no choice. He had to protect his men.

Throwing their hands up in surrender, the soldiers backed away. Sorcha’s heart deflated. If the soldiers couldn’t do anything, who could? Skirting past, she heard Sergeant Thatcher issuing instructions to two of his men who, waiting until the bearded Englishman left, bolted up another wynd. Where were they going? Surely they were needed here, even if it was only to protect the other villagers?

She hoped Nettie and Gerard had reached the bailie’s house and alerted the council. It was their only hope to stop what the reverend had started.