Page 26 of The Witch

“For as long as I can remember,” Ethel continues, “I have always felt Caroline’s presence in this house—even when I was a little girl.” She narrows her eyes at me. “And you’re lying if you say you can’t feel it too.”

I keep my mouth shut.

“But,” Ethel says, “in all my years, I have never felt her this angry.”

With those words, the bulb in the living room starts to flicker as well. My heart leaps into my throat.

“Just remember, Julia.” Ethel’s gaze is trained on my face. “Lock your door at night, and whatever you do, do not come out of your room.” She drops her voice. “You have no idea what she’s capable of.”

18

1692

CAROLINE

I make my way back to Pemberton. It’s dark now, and I wonder if Archie is home. It is not his turn on night watch, so he should not be out late. Surely Molly told him where I have gone, so he will not worry. I do feel regret that I will not be home to make my husband dinner, especially since I have failed him in other, more important ways. But I must help Judith through this.

The wooded path between the Hatches’ house and my own is very dark. If I had started out when it was this dark, I would have brought a lantern, but right now, I do the best I can to navigate this familiar path in the darkness. It has been a spell since I wandered about after dusk, and I forgot the disturbing way in which the shadows of the moonlight play against the woods. I quicken my steps to keep pace with the thudding in my chest.

And then, just as Pemberton comes into my sight, a shadow moves out from behind a tree.

It’s not Gideon this time. The figure cloaked in darkness is much larger than any feline—it is a man. Or at least, it is somebody the size of a man. A man moving toward me with purposeful steps.

I try to push Dr. Shaylor’s thoughts out of my head, but I can’t keep out his final words of warning:

’Tis no natural illness your wife has. ’Tis the work of the devil!

Could this creature arising from the thicket be the devil that Dr. Shaylor spoke of? Perhaps Judith truly is possessed and I ought not to have dismissed her plight so easily. I have always regarded such tales as fables, but I could have been mistaken.

Or even more likely, it could be the Night Reaper. He still lurks in the dark corners of Woodhaven, despite our best efforts to catch him. What a travesty it would be to save Judith’s life and then meet my own end by the Reaper’s hand.

And now he draws nearer, bridging the gap with each step. I freeze, deciding if I should flee.

“Caroline? Is that you?”

My heart slows in my chest. It is not a creature of the night coming toward me. ’Tis Archie.

“Yes, ’tis I.” I clear my throat. “You frightened me!”

As Archie grows closer, his features form a mask of displeasure. “I frightened you? Caroline, I asked you not to roam about after dusk.”

“Yes, but⁠—”

“I was very worried.” His brow knits together and I feel a surge of guilt. “I knew not your whereabouts, and there is a madman roaming the town, taking the lives of women. If harm befell you…”

“I was with Judith Hatch,” I say. “She is quite ill. I thought Molly would have told you.”

“She did tell me.” Archie lays a hand on my shoulder, and I am comforted by his touch. “Verily, she told me quite a strange story about Judith being possessed by the devil. And still, you stayed.”

“She was not possessed by the devil,” I insist, even though I worried that very same thing only moments earlier. “’Twas a simple fever, nothing more.”

“Molly said her body shook.”

“Yes. Shook with chills.”

“Are you very sure of that?” Archie blinks at me. “After all, there is a witch amongst us.”

“A witch amongst us?” I repeat incredulously. “Where did you hear such a thing?”