Chapter 49
Chapter Forty-Nine
THEO
Istood in the centre of a circle of witches, marvelling at how only a day ago I could not have imagined agreeing to something this strange. The attic was as it had been the last time I had visited, only this time I was trusting the women and their practices rather than investigating them.
Everyone seemed to know what they were doing.
They spoke to each other, then repeated a chant.
I was transfixed by Rue and how she concentrated on what was happening.
She stood facing me wearing the ribbon I had seen in her bedroom that day.
She seemed at ease with these women. It occurred to me that this might be the only time I would experience her private world of magick.
An older woman lit two candles and another approached Rue and me.
Rue turned her right palm upward. The woman, who I now knew was named Appoline, took Rue’s hand lightly in hers and drew a small, sharp dagger across her skin, drawing blood.
Rue didn’t even wince, but watched as Appoline held a tiny spoon against Rue’s palm to collect her blood before she dripped it neatly into a glass phial.
It was my turn. I raised my hand, turning it palm upwards, and looked at Rue. As I stared into those turquoise eyes that had bewitched me from the first time I lost myself in them, I hardly felt Appoline take my hand and run the blade across my skin.
‘Thank you,’ Rue mouthed and I knew that whatever else I did in my life, this moment would be a turning point for us both: the Witchfinder’s assistant giving his blood to the witch’s coven. Willingly.
Appoline took the phial containing our blood and inserted a small cork into it. She gave the phial a swirl, murmuring something I didn’t understand.
The witches closed their eyes and held hands. Rue stared at me before taking my hands in hers. Then she, too, closed her eyes. I did the same and waited, wondering what would happen.
The scent of lavender and roses filled the air, then something else I couldn’t identify for a moment.
It was rosemary, I realised. I recalled from my Witchfinder training that witches favoured rosemary for protection.
It was something we were expected to look out for among other herbs.
I assumed the coven were trying to protect us from any evil my father might unleash at us.
‘Concentrate, Theo,’ Rue whispered, her voice barely audible above the women’s as they began to chant once more.
I pictured her wearing the blue ribbon, guessing it must have some significance to the spell. I thought, too, about my love for Rue, and longed for the freedom to love her openly and without risk to her.
I sensed a sudden change in the room’s atmosphere, and a sound almost like a woman’s sigh. The scent disappeared and Rue gave my hands a gentle squeeze. ‘You can open your eyes now.’
I blinked a few times to reaccustom myself to the light. ‘Did it work?’ I asked.
‘We do not know yet,’ Appoline said, her gaze taking in our hands still clasped together. ‘But I sense that it will.’
Rue let go of my left hand and turned to face the other women, who were now standing in front of us.
‘How will we know, though?’ I asked, impatient for answers.
One of the women took my hand and began wrapping a long piece of linen around it.
I hadn’t noticed it was still bleeding slightly.
Another woman was covering Rue’s wound. I noticed her slip something into Rue’s other hand, but she secreted it into a pocket in her skirt before I could see what it might be.
‘We have no way of knowing until we see your father’s attitude towards Sorrel. Perhaps that is something you can do for us?’
Eager to find out, I gave a nod. ‘I’ll leave immediately.’ I stepped away as soon as the woman finished binding my hand.
‘I’m coming with you,’ Rue insisted with such determination that I didn’t bother arguing with her.
We raced on Warrior back to Stanthorpe, Ophelia Tredwell and Pierre following some way behind.
This time Rue didn’t mind riding with me.
I was comforted to feel her arms tight around my waist as we galloped across the fields, taking the quickest route from Thistlebury Manor.
I laid a hand on hers, enjoying the touch of her skin.
I wanted so much for the spell to have worked, for us to have a chance to be together, to make a life together.
I wasn’t yet sure how that could happen, but from now on I would not let anything stand in our way, even if it meant distancing myself from my family.
Most importantly, though, we needed the spell to have worked, because if my father’s memory of Sorrel Norman had been wiped from his mind, then surely he would leave the Underwoods to get on with their lives.
I had to hope, too, that my father’s attitude towards Rue’s family had changed.
In any case, I could not expect to have anything to do with Rue if I continued in my role as assistant Witchfinder, because there would still be a chance of someone discovering her to be a witch and placing her once again in danger, and I had no intention of letting that happen, even though the thought of never seeing her again pained me greatly.
No, I decided as we rode, the wind in our hair and our bodies pressing against each other; if the coven hadn’t managed to alter my father’s mind, then I would resign and leave Stanthorpe, never to return. To be close to Rue and not be with her would be unbearable.
‘We’re nearly there,’ I shouted, wishing the journey were longer and that I had more time to feel the warmth of her chest against my back.
If this was the last chance I would see her, touch her, then I would need to imprint it on my mind so that I could take the feeling with me wherever I journeyed next.
We reached the outside of the building and dismounted.
‘I believe it will be safer for you to wait for me here, Rue,’ I said, concerned that if the spell hadn’t worked my father would have her arrested.
Rue stared into my eyes for a moment, appearing to contemplate something. Then, she handed me the small pouch from her pocket. ‘Take this. The powder inside needs to be cast over your father.’
‘You expect me to do this?’
‘I need you to do it, Theo,’ she said, desperation in her eyes. ‘It doesn’t matter if it falls on his back so he won’t see you throw it, but it must make contact with him to ensure our spell works.’
I had agreed to help her and like Rue, wanted this obsession of my father’s gone. ‘I will do what I can but must go in alone.’
‘I need to see my aunt and I can’t come all this way and not do that, Theo. You must know me well enough to expect that of me.’
I did. ‘If you want me to scatter this powder for you, I need to go alone. Give me a few minutes to do what I can. I will fetch you as soon as I feel it safe to do so.’
She seemed reluctant but nodded.
I made my way to the dungeon, eager to do as Rue had asked and entered as quietly as possible.
I found my father standing near Sorrel. He was staring down at her but I was relieved to note that he didn’t seem to have heard me. She had her eyes downcast and appeared to have been tortured. My father was alone in the damp room apart from Garnier who gave me an enquiring look.
Recalling how his cousin had been arrested as one of the witches, I raised a finger and pressed it to my lips.
He frowned but said nothing as I walked up behind my father.
I took the pouch, opened it, and held it near his back.
Then, shaking the bag until all the powder held within sprinkled lightly over the back of his coat.
My father didn’t move. He was always highly alert, but didn’t sense my presence behind him.
Taking the opportunity to do all I could to help the women, I made for the door and motioned for Garnier to follow.
Once alone in the corridor, I said, ‘I can’t explain why, or how, but I have a feeling my father might change his stance on Sorrel Norman.’
Garner gave me a doubtful look. ‘And why would he do that?’ he scoffed.
‘Does that matter to you, when your own cousin is one of the women arrested with her?’
He frowned suspiciously. ‘What are you planning?’
‘If he does release Sorrel for any reason, I need you to help me persuade him to allow the others to go too.’ I watched as he considered my request.
The sound of footsteps came closer from the other end of the corridor. ‘I will do as you ask,’ he said angrily as if he would much rather not be in this position.
‘Good. I doubt any of the other militiamen who were there during their arrest will care what happens to these women,’ I said aware that my father will have already sent them to investigate other poor souls. ‘You had better go back in. Do not mention having seen me.’
He glowered at me but didn’t argue.
I raced back to Rue, surprised she had done as I asked and was waiting for me.
She grabbed hold of my sleeves. ‘Did you manage to do it?’
I heard the desperation in her voice and wanted to pull her to me to comfort her. ‘I did.’
She closed her eyes and rested her head against my chest. ‘Thank you, Theo,’ she said sighing wearily.
I held her tightly, relishing having her in my arms once again and wishing we could stay that way for longer.
‘If you must come inside, please follow my instruction.’ I took her by the shoulders, held her slightly back from me, and kissed her cheek.
‘We don’t know whether the plan has been successful.
If I tell you to run, or hide, or anything, you must do it. ’
Her only response was to lean forward and kiss me on the mouth.
I glanced around in case one of my father’s cronies saw and, unable to help myself, pulled her into a dark doorway.
Taking her in my arms, I kissed her with all the passion I dared show, my heart racing when she responded with equal eagerness.
Hearing voices from somewhere inside, we parted and stood back, ready to head for the door that led to the dungeons.
‘Do you promise?’ I said, for she hadn’t answered me.
‘If I must.’