The Witching Tide by Margaret Meyer

Author:Margaret Meyer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scribner
Published: 2023-09-05T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

They waited. Jennet’s face was blanched and a blue vein bulged at her temple. She was young but there was a new wariness in her face, a dignity also, that made her look older. The small room seemed to close steadily in. Martha was afraid and sweating, batting away the discomfort until it was overwhelming and only then went to the window and forced it open. New air surged in, bringing a blunt recognition. Father Leggatt preached that Satan could take many forms. Until today she’d doubted, never fully believed the village could hold such a variety of evils—not in the way the priest described. Surely there could be no foothold for such things. Not in Cleftwater. Not in her own small and ordinary life. But now: the spider the size of her hand, Jennet’s blood. The spitting fire, the too-large lips. They couldn’t all be discounted.

All her knowledge—a lifetime’s experience, its facts and truths—truths she had assumed were sound and inviolate—all were now strained, on the cusp of corrupting. Was Jennet a witch? She fingered the poppet through the worn leather of her pouch while her mind searched out a prayer, a time-worn plea for protection, and began to recite it.

“Martha? Look at me. We ain’t got much time.” Jennet was standing by the incriminating gown with the fire-iron at the ready. “I got a thing to say to you that I didn’t want to say in front of that pricker-woman.” Her voice was sharp. “Thing is, Martha, we both know it’s you as should’ve been brought here to be pricked. Not me.” Colour flooded her face. “I’ve done nothing. I ain’t harmed any babes. You know I got no Devil-imps. I’m innocent as the driven snow.” Her tone was bitter. “You know it, Martha, but you don’t tell. You could, but you don’t. And don’t plead—” she hissed, her tone rising, “that you got no voice to say it with. You got means enough when you need it.”

Martha’s hands hung down, useless as leaves.

Jennet went to the door and covered the keyhole. “So now you’ll do as I say. You tell them the truth, the actual facts. I been loyal to you. Now you be loyal to me. Say that you’ve known me all my life, and that you’ll swear on yours I’m no witch. Put your hand on the Bible if you need to. Swear that you never seen me do what they say I did.” Her eyes flicked to the dress and back. “You’ve had a goodly portion of your life, Martha, but I got plenty left of mine, and I want to live it. I’m askin’ you to tell the truth, even if it puts you on this table, with your skirts hitched up and that pricker-bitch needling at you.” She went over to her dress and considered it. “I’m minded to get rid of that big old spider. Give it a whack with this and then put the whole lot on the fire.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.