Page 8 of Witchbane

He reached out and rested his free hand on my forearm. ‘Thank you for helping me.’

The heat from his hand on my skin, his earnest look and deep voice made my stomach flip. If only he wasn’t Elias Le Cerf’s son and didn’t follow the same vile profession. I concentrated on hiding my reaction to him. ‘As I said—’ I stopped. My voice sounded so tight and high pitched. I cleared my throat and began again. ‘As I said, you are injured and I would do this for anyone.’

He gave a wan smile. ‘I don’t recall you saying that.’

I pressed my lips together, embarrassed. ‘Maybe you’re suffering from delirium due to the bump to your head.’

He laughed, then winced.

Serves him right, I thought, hoping he’d keep his teasing to himself. I went to stand but he held me there.

‘Please, stay with me, just for another minute or two.’

I stared at him, confused. ‘Why?’

He sighed. ‘Because I’ve been searching for you ever since you ran off from the festival.’

Damn, so he had been looking for me after all. I might have known he would be tenacious. ‘And look where that led you.’ I knew it was beneath me to say such a thing, but I hoped he would take it as a warning not to try and trace me again.

He stared at me silently for a moment. I wanted to ask what he was doing but sensed that’s what he was hoping I’d do. I tried to stand up again but he was still holding my arm.

‘If you don’t let me go and fetch something to bind that cut, you could bleed to death.’

He gave me a doubtful smile. ‘I don’t think it’s that bad.’

I was reluctant to leave him but knew that by staying I would be betraying myself and everything I stood for. I wrenched my arm away from his hand and rose to my feet. Brushing dust from my skirts, I stood up straight and looked down at him. ‘I will be as quick as I can.’

‘Will you not tell me your name before you go?’

I looked at him in disbelief. ‘We are not friends, nor I imagine will we ever be. I am merely here to help an injured man.’

His face fell and I stepped passed him to go to Clarice Coutanche’s cottage.

I knocked on the door a couple of minutes later and waited for Clarice to open it. Instead, her daughter-in-law Aggie was the one to greet me.

She beamed at me as she dried her hands on her apron. ‘Rue, what a lovely surprise.’

Horrified by how loudly she said my name I quickly put a finger to my lips. ‘Shush, I don’t want him to know who I am.’

She peered over my shoulder. ‘Who?’ she whispered, stepping back into the dark room and gesturing for me to follow. She closed the door behind me and listened as I explained my reason for being there.

‘You’re helping the Witchfinder’s son by choice?’ Clarice asked, aghast as she came to join us.

Why was everyone so surprised that I was doing this? ‘I would do the same for anyone in need,’ I snapped, embarrassed to admit what I had done to two women who loathed the Witchfinder as much as my own family did. I wasn’t exactly sure why I was helping the man I had spent ten years planning to hurt in revenge for my mother’s death, but I had no intention of admitting my shame. ‘Surely as witches our intention is to care for every living thing?’

Aggie grimaced. ‘Including the Witchfinder’s son?’

Clarice pulled a face. ‘She’s right, Rue. This man isn’t just anyone, is he?’

She was right, he wasn’t. I understood her reasoning but couldn’t not help him now that I had committed to doing so. I was weary from all that had happened and wanted to get back to him and help him so that I could return home.

‘I admit to being surprised to find myself in this situation, if I’m honest, but if you can give me the things I need to tend to him so that he can be on his way home, then I would appreciate it.’

They exchanged glances and Clarice’s expression softened. ‘Of course we will. What do you need?’

I relaxed slightly. ‘Thank you. I think some yarrow to help stem the bleeding and also a cloth to bind his head to tide him over until he’s back home,’ I said. ‘I presume you have some I can take?’

Clarice rested a hand lightly on my shoulder. ‘No need to fret, Rue. We’re only jesting.’ She pointed to a table at the back of the room. ‘Aggie, you’ll find crushed yarrow over there in one of the jars. Fetch some in a cloth bag and bring a long strip of linen with you.’ Addressing me once again, she asked, ‘Will you need either of us to come and help you, or are you comfortable to see to him alone?’