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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

It was all Patrick could do not to crow. Beatrix Laing was considered a knabbie woman for a spinner of wool. By Weem standards she was very wealthy indeed, with a fine house, a husband who was a tailor and had once been town treasurer. And what about her daughter? Wasn’t she married to a fisherman who crewed on an Anster ship? Didn’t Beatrix help look after the wee bairn? What was her name? Elise? Emma?

‘Does not Mrs Laing have a reputation for cursing and making charms?’

Peter frowned. Patrick could tell he was reluctant to name her. Never mind, they’d time.

‘And what about those she regards as her friends?’ continued the reverend. ‘Janet Horseburgh, the one they call Nettie, was she not once labelled a witch?’

Peter’s eyes widened. He nodded. ‘Aye. She was. Once. Years ago. But da told me it was never proven.’

The reverend made a scoffing noise. ‘What of Nicolas Lawson who dabbles in potions? And what about the auld scold, Janet Cornfoot?’

Peter’s eyes rolled in his head. ‘I… I don’t know, sir.’

‘Well, I do. Though it was never official, there were those who made accusations. About both of them. Many times.’

Peter pressed himself into his pillows. His face had grown even paler. Sweat poured down his forehead, his hair stuck to his temples.

‘They are workers of malice, Peter. They’ve a history of it — the lot of them — and there are others will tell you it’s so. They got away with it before and they seek to do so again. They’ve set their sights on you, lad.’

Peter began to shake.

The reverend laid a comforting hand over his. ‘We have to put a stop to it.’

Peter fixed his eyes on the reverend. ‘You’ll help me, sir?’

‘Aye, lad, me and God.’

‘Thank you, reverend. Bless you, sir.’

‘But, Peter, in order to stop these women working their evil, in order to rid your body of the demon that’s been conjured, we have to identify all the witches involved. If we miss even one, then your torment won’t end. The entire village will remain at risk. Do you understand?’

‘Sir,’ said Peter, terror pinching his face.

‘Can you think of anyone else who might have worked malice upon you, lad? Apart from Beatrix Laing?’

Peter’s brow furrowed. He half-lay, knees drawn, hunched, quiet. The reverend remained silent. Peter hadn’t corrected him when he mentioned the Laing woman. Good.