Chapter 14 #2
He gave a pitying smile. He was mocking me.
I felt anger increase in the pit of my stomach.
I sensed this man had been waiting for a reason to persecute a second member of my family.
Wasn’t one unnecessary death enough? Hadn’t the abject loss that death had caused been enough to satisfy his cruel nature? Clearly not.
My vision blurred once again. I struggled to keep my legs from buckling but wasn’t managing well. I focused on trying to control my breathing and keep it steady but my panic was getting the better of me. I was going to pass out and make a fool of myself.
Strong hands took hold of my elbows and led me a couple of steps backwards until I felt the cool edge of a wooden seat against the backs of my knees.
‘Sit, Mistress Underwood,’ Theo said, his voice gentle, his concern obvious.
I did as he asked, unable to do much else. Then, resting my elbows on the arms of the chair, I lowered my face into my right hand to gather myself.
‘You are unwell, mistress?’ the Witchfinder asked. I heard satisfaction in his gravelly voice.
I inhaled slowly, recalling what my grandmother told me to do when I was younger and had almost passed out after cutting my finger on the sharp point of a knife. I exhaled gently through my slightly parted lips and wished I had a sprig of lavender to calm me.
Not wishing to appear any weaker than I already had, I braced myself to stand up. I felt the pressure of Theo’s firm hands on my shoulders.
‘I believe my father will understand if you wish to remain seated,’ he said, his warm breath against my cheek calming me slightly.
The Witchfinder’s thick grey eyebrows lowered briefly before he looked over me to Theo and gave a begrudging nod.
‘You may sit.’ He lowered his hands and rested them on the desk. ‘As I said, you have been accused of sorcery.’
I forced myself to ask a question. ‘Are you arresting me?’
He stared at me, clearly enjoying my discomfort. ‘Not at this moment. Despite what you may think of me, Mistress Underwood, I am a lenient man.’
It was all I could do not to laugh at such nonsense. The next moment I was horrified to realise that tears were threatening to overwhelm me. I cleared my throat. I needed to remain in control, as far as I could muster, while I found out more about why I was in this foreboding office.
‘Then may I ask why, if only one person has made this terrible accusation against me, I have been brought here before you’—I let my eyes slide to my left and glared at Theo—‘in a most rushed and undignified manner?’ I dragged my attention back to the Witchfinder.
‘Are you making a complaint against my assistant?’ he asked with clear enjoyment.
I immediately regretted my words. I didn’t want to give him any cause to keep me here longer than necessary.
He wanted an answer from me, so I thought back to Theo’s treatment of me.
The only thing he had really done to offend me was reappear at the manor house when I had thought myself safe from his attention.
I swallowed to moisten my dry mouth. ‘I am not.’
I heard Theo exhale quietly and realised I wasn’t the only one finding the situation a strain.
‘Good. As only one person has come forward against you, Mistress Underwood, I wish you to know that my assistant will be required to carry out further investigations against you.’ His skin crinkled at the sides of his eyes and I struggled to understand what he could find amusing.
‘I wanted you brought before me so I could make up my own mind about this accusation. Having looked you in the eye and’—he raised an eyebrow—‘now I’ve seen you for myself, I believe I can guess how this situation may have come about. ’
Was he saying he didn’t believe the person who had accused me?
I dearly hoped so. Although now I knew there was someone nearby who wanted me tried as a witch, I would be on constant alert.
Had he done this specifically to torture me, by making me suspicious of everyone around me?
He must know that I would now be compelled to wonder whether each person I came across could be my accuser.
I realised the Witchfinder was still speaking and concentrated on what he was saying.
‘Naturally, with one accusation against you I must be alert to others against members of your family.’
My hand flew to my chest. I was horrified at the thought of my aunt or grandmother being arrested. ‘No. Surely no one would do that?’
Why was I so certain, when someone had done this to me? Maybe it wasn’t me personally that the person wanted to hurt but my entire family, or what remained of us? Could there be someone who disliked us that much?
He ignored my protest. ‘I know where you live, Mistress Underwood. Do not forget that. I am also well aware of your family history.’
The reference to my mother unnerved me further but I pressed my lips together to keep from reacting.
He seemed satisfied with how my interview had gone.
Was it possible that the Witchfinder had decided not to have me taken there just yet?’
‘I … I’m not going to the castle today then?’
He smirked, clearly enjoying the power he had over me. ‘Not today. However, you will hear from my assistant soon.’
Relieved, I began to get up, certain he had finished.
The Witchfinder’s hand shot out towards me and his expression darkened.
‘One moment, Mistress Underwood. You haven’t been given leave to go yet.
’ I immediately sat back in the chair. ‘I must also add that I am aware of your two cousins and where they reside. I feel compelled to warn you that if you or any other members of your family feel the urge to leave Thistlebury, there will be dire consequences for them too. Do I make myself clear?’
Only too well, I thought, hating him even more than before. ‘Perfectly.’
As I got to my feet, he addressed Theo once again.
‘Take her home. Advise the others on the estate what I have said.’ The Witchfinder looked at me.
‘We will be in contact with you as soon as our investigations have been concluded.’ When I frowned, confused about what that meant, he continued: ‘Either to arrest you or to advise you of that alternative outcome.’
I nodded, exhausted from the traumatic experience and unable to speak. When he didn’t say anything else, I walked to the door, my shaking legs barely able to carry me there. I opened it and left, relieved when Theo didn’t follow.
There was a lot to consider. I needed to calm down before arriving home, though, if I didn’t want to frighten my family and friends.
Theo closed the door to the office, and I immediately heard angry voices. I listened for a moment, hoping to glean more information, but they were speaking too quietly for me to make out what was being said.
Wanting to make my way home alone and give myself time to think through all that had been said, I gathered my skirts and ran to the front door.
I needed to hurry home to the relative safety of those who loved me and show them I was unharmed.
I also wanted to warn them. Not that I had any idea what we could do about the situation, apart from find somewhere to hide our spell books and ingredients so they couldn’t be found and used against us, should the Witchfinder decide to prosecute us.
What I did know was that I had little time to discover who was behind the complaint made against me, and that once I had found them I must somehow persuade them to retract their claim.
How I was to do that, I had no idea.
Relieved to be outside again, I lifted my face to the sun and closed my eyes.
Now the Witchfinder was aware of me, all he needed to do to prove me and the women around me guilty was to find our grimoires or other witchcraft paraphernalia.
I shuddered. That, and searching our bodies for a witch’s mark or checking that we didn’t keep familiars.
Not that most of the women in my coven had those.
There were other tests that Witchfinders used and most of them I didn’t like to think about, since they were pointless and cruel.
I sighed. I had a fight on my hands, one way or another, if I wasn’t to end up being tried and found guilty like my mother, or if I was going to somehow protect my aunt and grandmother.
Especially now that Theo had seen my sigil.
I hoped he believed what I had told him but, given time to think about it further, he might realise I had lied to him.
I just hoped I had the strength to see this battle through to a satisfying conclusion, because the alternative was too horrible to contemplate.