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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

In her heart she knew that whatever started this whole series of tragic events, it was still there. Waiting, biding its time. Whether it would bring everything to a conclusion or envelop them in more misery, she was uncertain. All she knew was that she could feel it, a great black mass with gnashing teeth that threatened to blot out the light, to burrow into her soul.

There were lights on in the manse, too, as she walked past. Through the window she spotted a fire blazing. It was the reverend’s study. The flames cast a lambent glow, revealing an unoccupied desk stacked with neat piles of paper and a glass decanter half-filled with umber liquid. Where was the reverend, she wondered. She’d feel safer if she knew. Perhaps he was watching her even now.

She picked up her pace, lifted her chin, and searched the darkness more thoroughly. The bell tolled the hour, making her leap in her skin and flatten herself against a wall. Eleven of the clock. It was that instinctive reaction to a loud noise that not only covered her approach, but meant she saw him first.

Propped against the door of the Tolbooth, the reverend was in a huddle with five wretched figures.

On the other side of the road, Sorcha stayed as still as she could. Who was the reverend talking to at this time of night? And outside the Tolbooth?

The clouds parted, and the moon’s luminescence shone upon the scene. Sorcha sucked in her breath. Reverend Patrick Cowper was not only in hushed conversation with the men who’d been arrested for Janet’s murder, but he was cutting their bonds. As they rubbed their wrists, she watched him place a coin in each fist. Then he pointed first towards Routine Row, then the High Street and, finally, Cove Wynd.

With terse nods and a few grunts, the men bowed and left one by one. Two headed towards her and Sorcha prayed they wouldn’t sense her. Adrift in their own thoughts, they passed swiftly, their stench lingering long after they’d gone.

Only after the men had well and truly departed did Sorcha breathe again. Now it was her turn to bring a tale home for Nettie. For if she wasn’t mistaken, Reverend Cowper had just set free the prisoners. Prisoners, if she understood correctly, the Privy Council in Edinburgh had demanded be sent to the city for trial. Patrick Cowper was breaking the law by letting the felons go. Or had he found others to blame for Janet’s death? The thought made her feel sick. She wanted to be home, safe in her cottage; she wanted to share what she’d just witnessed, try to unravel what it meant.