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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

Before she could put her plan into action, Sergeant Thatcher grabbed her by the elbow. ‘Nae, lass. Your involvement ends now. Here. I promised the captain I’d look after you. Both of you.’ He silenced their objections with a sharp wave of his hand. ‘My men and I will do what we can to try and restore order, but as we’ve seen, it won’t be easy. The mob is of one mind and not even soldiers carrying weapons are a deterrent, let alone pleas from the likes of you lasses.’ His eyes were compassionate, despite his words. ‘I ken you’re brave and Mrs Cornfoot is your friend. But you’re not to go near that unhinged lot. Take the advice you gave these lasses. Go to the Tolbooth, to your cottage, theirs —’ He indicated the older men loitering by the wall. ‘Just don’t go anywhere near Janet Cornfoot be she at the Tolbooth or not.’

Sorcha knew better than to contradict the sergeant. She pinched Nettie’s inner arm to prevent her from saying anything.

Assuming he’d be obeyed, Sergeant Thatcher released her into Beatrix’s care. With a thin attempt at a confident expression and a touch of his cap, he strode off, his remaining men falling into step behind him, weapons drawn. It was as if the town had gone to war.

Once the sergeant was out of sight, the fishwives and Beatrix wasted no time. With pointed looks and guarded smiles, they quietly parted ways. They’d a friend to help and no incomer, certainly no man, well-meaning as he might be, was going to stop them.

Praying Nicolas was right about where she thought Janet would go, Sorcha and Nettie ran up a nearby wynd. It was dark, the cobbles slick and oily in the patches of moonlight. A cat yowled; a dog growled and a baby coughed piteously. There were raised voices in one cottage, the sound of glass breaking in another; even while madness possessed the Weem, life continued. Rising above it all were the distant shouts of the mob. The women pressed on, chests tight, legs tremulous as they forced themselves to keep moving.

Sorcha was the first to round the next bend. As she did, she saw a figure darting from shadow to shadow. Patrick Cowper.

With a finger to her lips, she pointed towards him. Nettie snarled as they held back, only resuming their pace once he had scarpered around the corner. They were just in time to see him go back into Bailie Cook’s house. What was he up to now?