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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

Ever since Janet died, sleep had evaded her as she tossed and turned, reliving that night, wondering what she could have done to prevent what happened. What any of them could have done. The rational part of her knew there was nothing. The townsfolk had behaved as if possessed, driven by an unnatural hunger. Like ravening beasts, they’d stalked their prey, wounding her over and over until she could defend herself no more. And yet, when that Sunday dawned, they’d shaken off their weariness, washed their clothes and hands and presented themselves at kirk as if naught had occurred. According to those who’d attended, the reverend made no mention of what had transpired, but delivered his sermon for all the world as if it was just another Sunday, not one that would be marked forever in their consciousness.

Sorcha hadn’t gone to the kirk that day nor the following Sunday. Neither had Nettie. But they’d been told to show their faces today lest rumours start. God forbid that should happen, thought Sorcha.

Sitting beside her, Nettie bunched her hands in her lap, her eyes staring straight ahead while people prayed, listened and responded with beatific smiles on their faces.

Sorcha was irrevocably changed. She’d gone to bed one person and woken up another. All her friends felt likewise. The billeted soldiers, who had not only borne witness to events but been physically hurt by them, described similar feelings. One of Sergeant Thatcher’s men had to have his shattered leg set by the Anster doctor; the following day he was carried to Edinburgh in a cart, along with a couple of other men who also had serious injuries, one a terrible knife wound. The sergeant said he doubted he’d see them again.

‘One can’t fight with a broken body or a broken spirit.’

Sorcha knew he was also thinking of Janet.

The sergeant’s words made her determined not to let that bloody night and the days that followed break her. Someone had to ensure justice was served; that Patrick Cowper and the bailies answered for what they’d done. As she discussed with Nettie, Beatrix, Nicolas, Sergeant Thatcher and Janet’s grieving relatives and friends in the aftermath, they’d done the worst thing they could have: nothing. Just as they’d done naught to staunch the growing rage towards Janet and passively endorsed whatever action the townsfolk chose to take.