Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
RUE
‘You can come out now, Rue,’ I heard Pierre call from the kitchen.
Relieved to be able to step out from behind the cupboard with the false back, I quickly made my way out of the basement spell room to where Pierre, and now Jem, my grandmama and aunt, were waiting for me.
Their faces were ashen, and I could tell the news I was about to hear wasn’t good.
I exhaled sharply trying to remain calm.
‘He’s definitely gone?’ I knew he would be if Pierre was calling for me but felt the need to double-check.
‘He has, but promised to return.’
‘What?’ I asked, a sense of dread washing over me. ‘When?’
He rested a hand on my shoulder. ‘Do not fret, Rue. I told him you were away for a few days. It will give us time to arrange for you to go and stay with a friend.’
‘What friend? We both know I have none.’ I stopped short of adding, Thanks to my family keeping me hidden here as I grew up.
‘Hmm.’
Hearing Jem’s reaction, I realised my comment had stung him. I gave him an apologetic smile. ‘I meant friends who don’t live at the manor.’ It was a feeble attempt to rectify what I’d said, but he accepted it.
‘You also have your cousins,’ Aunt Sorrel reminded me. ‘My son and daughter will both put you up in their homes if you wish to stay with them.’
‘Thank you.’ I decided to watch my words a little more carefully so as not to offend those closest to me.
No one spoke for a few seconds, each of us lost in our thoughts.
‘What was he like?’ Aunt Sorrel asked. ‘Theo Le Cerf? I heard his voice, which was deep and not unpleasant, but couldn’t see him from where I was hiding.’
Pierre considered her question before answering.
‘It is difficult to say. The other night at the inn I was too busy trying not to show my eagerness to leave. Today all I wanted to do was make sure he didn’t force his way into the house and find Rue.
All I do know is that he came on behalf of his father. ’
My grandmother’s hand went to her collar, under which I knew lay the crystal amulet she wore for protection. ‘Just as we feared.’
Theo had come looking for me. I was horrified.
Maybe I had antagonised him by running off without a word?
Was he that insecure of a man that he would hold that against me?
I hoped not. If he was here on his father’s behalf then he wasn’t trying to find me to charm me.
If only. I thought of the way he had looked at me.
If he was attracted to me I might have a chance to persuade him to be kind and not take me to his father.
But then I thought of how I had run away from him and then ignored him when he tried to acknowledge me at the market. What a fool I had been.
‘But what could he want with me?’ I asked, hoping I might be wrong.
If the Witchfinder had sent his son to find me, then he must suspect me of witchcraft.
Or could it be that he hoped I had information about other witches that might help him in his quest to rid the populace of people like me and the women in my family?
No, I was my mother’s daughter and he must know I would never be persuaded to inform on other witches.
‘He wouldn’t say.’ Pierre frowned. ‘I believe you must leave here as quickly as possible before he returns.’
‘But I don’t want to leave Thistlebury Manor. I’ve only ever lived here.’ I glanced at the faces of the people I loved and trusted above all others. ‘I only feel safe here. Safer than anywhere else, that is.’
I saw by their expressions that none of them knew what to say next, and I felt badly for causing them this distress.
My thoughts went to Theo and why he had come to find me.
Grandmama rested her hands on her hips. ‘I agree. Rue must go while she has the chance. We must remain calm and carry on with our work while I consider our next step.’ She waved for us all to leave and do as she had instructed.
I accompanied Aunt Sorrel, Jem and Pierre out to the yard, deciding that the best way to stop fretting was to harvest a few vegetables for our next meal.
Pierre returned to the barn and my aunt to her cottage.
Not wishing to go back to the kitchen to listen to Grandmama’s concerns about Theo, I pointed to Jem’s home.
‘May I borrow a basket for the vegetables?’
Knowing my thoughts, he glanced at the kitchen and smiled. ‘I’ll fetch you one.’
He had just disappeared into his family’s cottage when I heard the sound of horse hooves coming swiftly down the drive. Surprised at its urgency and assuming someone needed my grandmother’s help, I ran the length of the house to see who it was – realising too late that I had made a huge mistake.