Page 80 of Witchbane

Aunt Sorrel pulled out a chair and slumped heavily onto it. ‘I fear you’re right.’ She closed her eyes and rubbed her face. ‘Maybe if I had been a little more understanding towards him when I rejected him, all this pain might have been averted.’

I hated hearing her sounding so guilty and felt compelled to say something. I stretched out a hand and rested it on hers. ‘Aunt Sorrel, please stop blaming yourself for the Witchfinder’s choices.’

She gave me a sympathetic smile. ‘We all know I was the one to start all this madness.’

I shook my head vigorously. ‘You had no way of knowing what it would lead to. You were perfectly entitled to turn down his proposal.’

‘Rue is right, Sorrel. Most men would have taken it with grace, regardless of how they truly felt. This man is too full of pride and, unfortunately for us, holds the power to hurt us.’

I gave my aunt’s hand a gentle squeeze. ‘And what’s more, I believe now is the time for us to come together and do something about him once and for all.’

‘Kill him, you mean?’ my aunt asked snatching her hand from mine in shock.

I hadn’t killed anything in my entire life. ‘What? No, of course not.’

She frowned. ‘What are you suggesting we do then?’

My aunt and grandmother peered at me, waiting for my opinion. I rather enjoyed the experience for a change. Bolstered by their trust, I explained an idea that had occurred to me.

‘If he began all this retribution against our family after you rejected him, then surely all we need to do to stop him carrying on is to cast a spell to wipe his memory of knowing you back then.’

They didn’t speak but stared at each other in a stunned silence. I guessed they were thinking how best to carry out my suggestion.

My grandmother was the first to speak. She rested her chin on her hand and tapped her lips a few times. ‘I can’t believe we never thought of this, Sorrel. Why don’t we create a banishing spell specifically for him. One strong enough to make him forget a memory that’s tormented him all these years.’

‘Hmm,’ my aunt nodded. ‘We need to ensure the spell holds for the rest of his life.’ She raised an eyebrow. ‘I wouldn’t trust him not to remember a few years later and resume this campaign against us.’

We definitely didn’t want that to happen. ‘Would a binding spell work for that?’ I asked, desperate to find a permanent solution.

They smiled.

‘I do believe it would,’ my aunt said.

My grandmother gazed at me thoughtfully, which was a little unnerving.

‘Is something the matter, Grandmama?’

She gave me a wistful smile. ‘Nothing is wrong, young Rue. I was just thinking how like your mother you’ve become.’ She took a handkerchief from her sleeve and dabbed at her eyes, then her nose.

Touched at her heartfelt sentiment, I asked, ‘In what way?’

My aunt laughed and, putting her arm around me, drew me to her in a sideways hug. ‘You’re so like Martha with your bravery, the way you don’t give up until you find a solution.’

‘Yes,’ Grandmama nodded sagely. ‘You are as determined in everything you do, just like my sweet daughter when she was still with us.’

‘And not only then,’ I reminded them, thinking of our experience seeing her again in the attic.

At the mention of her contacting us we fell silent, each lost in her memories of the woman we had adored. I doubted we would ever truly recover from her loss.

My aunt looked at Grandmama. ‘Are you thinking the same thing as me?’

Intrigued, I waited for my grandmother to answer.

Grandmama took my hand and, drawing it to her, clasped it between both of hers. ‘Your dear mama would be very proud of you and how strong you are, Rue.’

I loved to think she was right. ‘Do you really think so?’

‘We both know she wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t how she felt,’ my aunt said.