Page 48 of Witchbane

‘Leave me be. I’m more than capable of taking care of myself,’ he snapped, seating himself and taking another drink.

I recalled my mother saying that my father had been disappointed in love. Is this what she meant? This terrible, unnecessary vengeance? ‘I’m sorry. I had no idea about any of this.’

He set his glass down on the table next to him, his expression softening slightly. ‘I’m sure you don’t. I also suspect from your reaction that you’re nothing like your father. At least I hope you’re not.’

I was used to people hating my father, fearing him even, but I had never come across anyone with such deep loathing for him. Not that I blamed Lord Thistlebury for feeling this way. I shifted in my seat, embarrassed to witness the consequences of my father seeking revenge on this innocent man and his family.

I needed to know more. ‘Might I ask what happened?’

He gave a shuddering sigh and stared at the flames dancing in the fireplace. ‘Martha and Sorrel were very beautiful. Sorrel probably still is. But they were both of a lower class than me. When I met them I was unaware that Sorrel had rejected a man shortly before.’ He looked at me. ‘I gather she was unsure of him, having met the man who was to be her husband, and confided her feelings to Martha. My dear wife admitted she had always felt uncomfortable in Elias’s company and persuaded Sorrel to reject his proposal. When your father told Sorrel she was making a grave mistake, she said she wasn’t alone in sensing they weren’t right for each other. Martha agreed with her.’

I was barely breathing I was so shocked. ‘I know my father can be harsh, but this is beyond my comprehension.’

Lord Thistlebury nodded. ‘I’m told your father was not the cruel man we know today, but I believe he must have always had that in him.’

I had no wish to argue. ‘Please, carry on.’

‘Sorrel and Jarrod were very happy together,’ he added, his voice quieter as he reminisced. ‘I still recall the desolation Martha and I felt to hear he had died all those years ago.’

I recalled the joy I felt holding Rue in my arms as we danced that one time and felt deep sorrow for her father’s loss of the woman he clearly still loved.

‘Martha was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen,’ he said staring into the flames. ‘I was transfixed by her. Not only was she pretty, but clever and witty too. Perfect, utterly bewitching.’

I waited as the silence dragged out. Then he looked at me again.

‘Martha and I married, had a son. Unfortunately, he didn’t survive more than a few hours.’ His voice trailed away. ‘But then we were blessed with our precious daughter.’ He fell silent again. Then slowly looked in my direction. ‘If you are here to tell me, sir, that my daughter is the reason for your visit, I will kill you on the spot.’

I tensed. I hadn’t expected the conversation to turn so abruptly. I raised a hand hoping to calm him.

‘I am here because of your daughter,’ I admitted. ‘She needs your help. I mean her no harm.’

He narrowed his eyes. ‘The Witchfinder’s assistant has sought me out because of my daughter.’ His tone was cold and sneering. ‘The girl I love beyond anyone and anything else, the reason for me leaving my home and my dearest child.’

So he did love her after all.

‘Are you presuming to tell me that my distancing myself from Rue and my home these past ten years, living alone in this purgatory, has been for nought?’

I was still confused about his reasons for leaving Rue and needed to delve further into his past. ‘Do you expect me to believe that you abandoned Rue to save her?’

‘You don’t believe that to be the case?’ he snapped. ‘You think I could leave my child and break off contact with her for no reason?’

‘I, er, I don’t know.’ Could I have got this terribly wrong? ‘I would like to understand why, if you’re willing to tell me.’

He looked at his hands, his shoulders slumping and his eyes watery from unshed tears. Clearly I was opening painful wounds.

‘I left for several reasons. First, shame at not being able to defend my wife and protect her from that man’s wrath.’ He looked at me. ‘If I couldn’t protect her then how could I protect my own child?’

I clenched my fists, enraged at my father for causing this man to lose his wife and Rue to lose both parents. As much as he was my parent and I wanted to do a good job, I could never believe that all witches should be destroyed, or that they were the scourge of the earth. I had heard talk of wealthy men with far more dangerous beliefs than any of the witches I had come across. Men who used women for their own despicable vices – far worse than these witches making up concoctions to help others in their community, or casting love spells.

Worst of all was that no proof seemed necessary to find a woman guilty of witchcraft. Where was the fairness in that?

‘It wasn’t only that, but it is well-known that your father has a penchant for persecuting entire households once he believes he has enough to prosecute one of them.’

I had heard this but didn’t say so.

‘He took me to one side after Martha’s execution and told me in no uncertain terms that he intended investigating me next, certain I was complicit in her crimes of sorcery.’ He sighed wearily, looking broken, and I hated that I was causing this man further pain. ‘I’ve only known of one man being found guilty of sorcery, but I didn’t wish to be the second. I was not, of course,’ he said, anger in his voice. ‘In fact, I was oblivious to my beloved wife practising anything of a supernatural nature until she was found guilty. Even then I found it almost impossible to believe, and now, after all these years, I suspect those who tried my dearest Martha convicted her only to appease your father for some reason.’

I waited for him to elaborate, but he seemed to think better of it. ‘You believe my father forced them to do what they did?’