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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

Not wanting to stop, but understanding they had to if they were to learn what was going on and be of any help to Janet, the women squeezed themselves into the porch of a shop, eyes fixed on the Cooks’ front door. They didn’t have to wait long. Soon the councillors, along with Peter Morton and his father poured out, flinging on coats and hats.

‘Listen to them,’ said Bailie Cook grimly. ‘You realise if they find her, they’ll likely kill her. There’ll be consequences.’

‘Why do you think I came and fetched you, Robert?’ grunted Cowper. ‘Not even that sergeant and his men could contain them. This has got out of control. If we’re to salvage anything, we need to make it appear as if we expended every effort to stop the townsfolk taking matters into their own hands. The Mortons here will bear witness to our response, won’t you, lads?’

So, thought Sorcha, that’s where Peter Morton disappeared to — reporting to his allies in this madness.

Peter and his father nodded.

‘What about those who aren’t so obliging and who heard what you said, reverend?’ asked Bailie Bell. ‘There were hundreds outside Robert’s house earlier. No wonder they tried to drown the woman. You gave them the permission they sought.’

With a swiftness that belied his age, the reverend grabbed the man’s collar. Thrusting his face into Bailie Bell’s, he hissed, ‘I only said what you all knew I would. What you endorsed while we were dining, in case you’ve forgotten.’ He pushed the bailie away in disgust. ‘You fucking coocher. You’re all piss and wind, prepared to have others make the hard decisions.’ He looked at the men with righteous fury, daring them to disagree. ‘Well, I did what was needed. Or would you rather the mob turned on us?’

‘We don’t have time for this,’ said Bailie Cook with revulsion. ‘The reverend’s right. We have to be seen to be doing something. And now.’ Turning towards the house, he called out. The Stuart brothers appeared, looking worse for their earlier encounter.

It was all Sorcha could do to stop Nettie flying at them.

There was a low conversation and then they all left, heading towards the Tolbooth. Once they were out of sight, Sorcha and Nettie emerged from the darkness.

‘I was right to doubt those Stuart lads,’ snarled Nettie.