Page 64 of Witchbane

I was stunned by his words. But then I saw the cruel darkness in his eyes. ‘I think we can both perceive why your visit has been in vain, Lord Thistlebury.’

Rue’s father gave a sharp intake of breath and rose to his feet. ‘I … I don’t understand.’

‘Lord Thistlebury,’ I began, hoping to calm him before he lost his temper further.

He gritted his teeth. ‘Am I to believe this isn’t exactly what you intended?’

I hated him thinking this of me. ‘No. I promise you, Lord Thistlebury, I am not a man who plays games with people’s emotions.’

He sniffed, ignoring my father and focusing all his disgust on me.

I stepped forward. ‘I beg you to believe me, sir. That is not at all what I have done, what I intended to do.’ I shot a furious glare at my father, then addressed Rue’s father once again. ‘I was hoping to do exactly what I explained to you.’

Conscious that he did not believe me, and desperate to right the situation, I decided to appeal to whatever reason my father still held. ‘Sir, I see now I have made a mistake in bringing Lord Thistlebury before you. No malice or insult was intended by me, and I assure you none was offered by His Lordship. If you will permit us to leave, I shall escort Lord Thistlebury to his home and continue with my investigation of his daughter as before.’

Her father and I waited, both of us barely breathing, as my father contemplated my request. After some time, his mouth drew back into some semblance of a smile, though there was nothing friendly about it.

‘I shall be one moment,’ he said leaving his office and closing the door behind him. I exchanged confused glances with Lord Thistlebury and was about to apologise to him once more when my father walked back into the room.

‘Is there something else?’ I asked concerned about what he might plan next.

He didn’t look me in the eye. ‘I decided before this meeting to have Thistlebury Manor searched and have sent militiamen ahead of you to wait for your arrival.’ He held up a folded piece of paper, his seal in red wax on the outside. ‘Present this at the manor. Arrest anyone who refuses you entry and bring them to me for questioning.’

His announcement horrified me. How had I misjudged my father this badly? ‘Isn’t this rather extreme?’ I asked, forgetting in my shock to use his title.

‘You dare to question me?’ He practically threw the order at me. I wanted to give it straight back to him and tell him to do his own dirty work, but knew that he would only send someone else. If I had any chance of helping Rue and her family, I needed to remain calm and do as he ordered.

I slipped it into my jacket. Content that I wasn’t about to defy him, my father gave a satisfied nod. ‘Escort His Lordship to his home in High Marcham. Then return to the manor where my three representatives will be waiting for you. The four of you will enter the manor house and search every last corner. Any incriminating evidence against the girl, her aunt or her grandmother is to be brought back to me immediately.’

‘My daughter has done nothing to warrant your ire in this way. This is a disgrace.’

‘Lord Thistlebury, if you do not leave here quietly, I shall have you arrested and taken to Mont Orgueil Castle where you will await the result of your family’s investigation. Do I make myself clear?’

‘Perfectly,’ Lord Thistlebury responded, his voice tight and low.

My father is enjoying this, I thought angrily. It turned my stomach.

I considered his instructions. I needed to think quickly. Whatever I decided to do must be without my father’s knowledge. I had already offended him enough to almost be taken off the case, and if I was to help Rue, that couldn’t happen. At least if I was still involved I would be kept abreast of my father’s plans for them.

I decided to reassure my father that I was willing to do his bidding. After that, I had no idea.

My father gave a satisfied sigh. ‘You may both leave now. I shall arrange for a group of my men to meet you at the crossroads of High Marcham, Merryvale and Oakley, Theo. From there you will lead them directly to the manor and carry out my orders.’ He gave me a pointed stare. ‘I want no room missed, do you understand?’ I nodded. ‘Every corner of that manor house is to be checked for evidence.’ His dark eyes bored into mine waiting for me to answer.

‘I will see that it’s done, sir,’ I said, hoping I was right in my instinct that Rue did not dabble in witchcraft. A slight doubt that she might unnerved me for a moment but I immediately pushed it away. Damn my father and my own stupidity, believing I had influence to change his treatment of suspected witches.

‘You may leave now,’ my father was saying.

I walked to the door in a daze. I opened it for Lord Thistlebury to leave. The poor man appeared as stunned and desolate as I felt. I hated that I was responsible. I had to do something to put right my error, but I was only too aware how little time I had to do it.

Chapter Thirty

RUE

Yet again the coven was assembled in our attic and we finally had everything in place to cast this spell once and for all. The tension was palpable. Each of us had cast a protection spell over herself. I wiped my palms on my skirt then held hands with Clarice and Iris.

This needed to work. We had to rid the house of any dark forces that might be working against the coven to give my mother the best chance of helping us. I looked across the circle at my grandmother, then my aunt, to gauge what they were thinking, but both stared down at the black candle in the silver holder, its flame upright in the still room. Next to it was a small mirror, tilted to reflect the energy of the black mass on the wall behind me. I needed to dismiss my fears that this might not work, and concentrate as they were doing. This thing affected me more than anyone else and even though the strain of the past few weeks had exhausted me and thus lessened my powers, I had to give this spell every ounce of energy I still possessed.

I thought of Theo and his attempt to help us. He had no idea about this. I wondered what he might think if he knew what really went on in this house. If he thought practising witchcraft was dangerous, how would he react to seeing a circle of witches?