Page 59 of Witchbane

She had a point.

Grandmama turned to my father. ‘We did receive monthly stipends from someone called Stephenson, but only for the first three years. After that, it stopped and we’ve had to do our best to grow whatever produce we can to eat and sell, likewise with our salves, tinctures and herbs to keep body and soul together for ourselves and what’s left of our servants, whom we regard more as friends than employees.’

‘I daren’t send you anything in my name, hence no letters or contact.’ He looked at Theo briefly before addressing us again. ‘Witchfinders have been known to persecute entire families, and I was informed that he didn’t believe I could be ignorant of the practices Martha was accused of.’ He shrugged. ‘I therefore arranged for my lawyer, a trustworthy but elderly man called Stephenson, to make payment to you in his name.’

My grandmother’s expression towards my father softened. She nodded. ‘Which he did for that time only.’

I was stunned to learn not only that my father had given us a thought, but that he cared enough to make provision for us. It was a revelation and one that warmed my heart. I would need to reconsider my opinion of him.

I noticed him frown, he seemed confused. ‘You might need to speak to your lawyer about this,’ I suggested.

He groaned. ‘I would but Stephenson died seven years ago, which was when his nephew took over the firm. Stephenson always insisted my instructions would continue after his death, but it seems his nephew wasn’t the man I took him to be.’ His look hardened. ‘It appears I have more than one fight on my hands.’

Shocked as the three of us were to see him alive and back here in the house, and anxious to learn what had happened to him in the past decade, we had recovered enough to remember the coven members still hiding in our attic. I needed to bring this reconciliation to an end somehow.

I chewed my lower lip. We couldn’t leave them there much longer. Most of them had families and should probably have been elsewhere by now. One thing I did recall about my father was that he could speak at length when talking about himself. I needed to get the women out of the house before Theo discovered them up there. He might not have reason to go upstairs, but I knew, whatever he professed about wanting to help me, he was still loyal to his father. I couldn’t take the chance of my father inviting him upstairs for some reason.

What could I do? It was a pleasant shock to discover that my father had done his best to care for us behind the scenes. I reasoned that my mother, as good-hearted as she was, would have chosen a kindly husband. My anger towards him had been misplaced.

My grandmother studied her hands for a little while. ‘It seems that your father has suffered far more than any of us assumed.’ She looked at him. ‘I believe it’s only right that we give him a second chance and, maybe after we’ve all had time to reconnect, we can think about how we might change things for the future.’

Did my grandmother mean to invite him to return to what was, after all, his home?

I hadn’t expected her to be willing to give my father a chance after all this time but found that I wasn’t opposed to her idea.

‘What do you say, Aunt Sorrel?’ I asked, eager to hear her answer.

My aunt smiled at me and then at my grandmother. ‘I believe it’s what Martha would have wanted.’

A wave of emotion rushed through me making me want to cry. The highs, lows and fears of the day had been exhausting. I rose to my feet, needing space to gather my thoughts.

Theo was the first to notice. He stood. ‘Mistress, are you unwell?’

The concern on his handsome face would have been touching if he had been anyone else. For a moment I revelled in his anxiety.

‘Rue?’ my aunt asked, reaching out and taking my hand.

I gave her a reassuring smile. ‘We haven’t yet offered any refreshment,’ I said, turning my back to Theo and my father and raising my eyes to the ceiling twice. I touched the base of my throat lightly. ‘I thought I would fetch some. I certainly need a cool drink after such a surprise.’

She didn’t show any reaction, but I knew she understood my meaning. She looked at my grandmother. ‘Mama?’

My grandmother seemed to sense I needed a reason to leave the room and changed her mind. ‘Maybe a camomile tea to soothe my nerves.’

Glad they had both deciphered my intention, I turned back to the men. ‘Would either of you care for something? Water, perhaps? We do not have much of a choice here anymore.’

‘Water would be most welcome,’ my father said gratefully.

I looked at Theo for his response. ‘That would be most gracious of you.’

I wanted to say that he did not deserve our hospitality after causing us all such upset. ‘I shall fetch the drinks now.’

I left the room as gracefully as I knew how, walking along the tiled hallway at my usual speed since I didn’t want the men to hear me run. Once in the kitchen, I quickly placed a pan of water to heat on the range. Then, concerned in case Theo thought I might be doing something suspicious, I looked out of the back door for Pierre, willing him to be somewhere near so I could ask him to go up and help the women leave the house discreetly by the back door. But he was nowhere to be seen.

Frustrated at my bad timing, I tore up the backstairs to the attic. I opened the door slowly, not wishing to frighten the women by bursting into the room. I raised a finger to my lips and took a breath to tell them to follow me – and was shocked to find no one there. How had they left without me knowing?

‘Rue?’ someone whispered behind me.

‘Iris? Is that you?’