we have a claim to fame.’
‘What’s that?’ I smiled.
‘The witch trial, dear. It took place in the city, naturally, but the accused was from this very village.’
‘Really?’ I felt Luke close by, prodding me in the back and quietly snorting.
‘And the case was all the more chilling because the woman who was hanged was condemned by her own daughter … who was only a child herself at the time.’
I deliberately refused to look at Luke. ‘So … she had her own mother put to death?’
‘Yes, and the rumour was that
she
was really the witch but was far too clever to get caught. Her disguisewas perfect, you see – she inhabited the body of a beautiful child, but evil always comes through in the end.’
It was impossible to think of a suitable reply. ‘Er … OK. Thanks again … for the tea and everything.’
Luke strode on ahead as an arm suddenly reached out and pulled me closer. The skin that touched mine was the colour and texture of parchment and a pair of lips whispered into my ear, ‘You have the gift, but you don’t realize it yet. You must find her flaw.’
I pulled away with fright and caught up with Luke, who finally gave vent to his anger. ‘What’s she doing riding a bike if she can’t see? And she is clearly nuts. You know what she’s getting at, don’t you? Making out that Grace was some sort of reincarnated witch.’
‘I didn’t see that connection,’ I fibbed. ‘Besides, it’s just a story.’
‘They thought anyone was a witch back then. I mean, look at you, Katy – red hair, green eyes, and you have a cat … you’d have been first on the bonfire.’
‘Thanks for that vote of confidence,’ I drawled.
‘And what about the other stuff?’ he complained. ‘A seven-year-old couldn’t walk through flames unharmed.’
‘She kept talking about her eyes,’ I said softly. ‘No one who’d ever met Genevieve would forget those eyes.’
‘So you think it’s her?’
‘I just don’t know.’
‘She said the girl had family outside the city. If Genevieveused to be Grace, then she wouldn’t end up on the streets if she had relatives to look after her.’
‘Maybe she spooked them as well.
‘Does she have any scars you’ve noticed?’
‘No,’ I answered bitterly. ‘She has gorgeous peachy skin.’
Luke’s mouth set in a determined line that I recognized. ‘I think it’s a false lead … much too far-fetched.’
As we got into the car I bit the inside of my cheek, resolving not to tell him about the old lady’s final words to me.
‘There’s still something odd about all this, Luke. She warned us to stay away from Grace as if she’s frightened or there’s something she’s not telling us.’
‘She’s probably lonely and eccentric and just wanted someone to talk to.’
I felt crushed and couldn’t hide it. ‘You don’t believe it’s Genevieve?’
Luke smiled sadly. ‘No, it’s too fantastical … the suspicious villagers and the fire that didn’t burn her and that strange old woman and her superstitious warnings.’
I reached out one hand to stop him from driving off and impulsively flung open the car door. ‘I’ve left my scarf behind … won’t be a second.’
I ran back to the cottage, my heart thumping, overcome by a compelling urge to question the old lady about her strange advice. I banged on the door, but no one answered and I peered in through the tiny windows, figuring that shemust be hard of hearing. I looked again, rubbed my eyes and looked for a third time, but I wasn’t imagining it – the warm cosy room we’d just left looked cold and bare; no crackling stove or lazy cat warming itself. I banged again and then gave up as Luke tooted his horn. I made sure that my face gave nothing away as I got back into the car.
Luke started the engine. ‘Ready to go?’
I nodded and we moved off, both of us relieved to be on the only road out of here.
CHAPTER
FOURTEEN
She was the most beautiful child that I’d ever seen –
‘What’s that?’ I smiled.
‘The witch trial, dear. It took place in the city, naturally, but the accused was from this very village.’
‘Really?’ I felt Luke close by, prodding me in the back and quietly snorting.
‘And the case was all the more chilling because the woman who was hanged was condemned by her own daughter … who was only a child herself at the time.’
I deliberately refused to look at Luke. ‘So … she had her own mother put to death?’
‘Yes, and the rumour was that
she
was really the witch but was far too clever to get caught. Her disguisewas perfect, you see – she inhabited the body of a beautiful child, but evil always comes through in the end.’
It was impossible to think of a suitable reply. ‘Er … OK. Thanks again … for the tea and everything.’
Luke strode on ahead as an arm suddenly reached out and pulled me closer. The skin that touched mine was the colour and texture of parchment and a pair of lips whispered into my ear, ‘You have the gift, but you don’t realize it yet. You must find her flaw.’
I pulled away with fright and caught up with Luke, who finally gave vent to his anger. ‘What’s she doing riding a bike if she can’t see? And she is clearly nuts. You know what she’s getting at, don’t you? Making out that Grace was some sort of reincarnated witch.’
‘I didn’t see that connection,’ I fibbed. ‘Besides, it’s just a story.’
‘They thought anyone was a witch back then. I mean, look at you, Katy – red hair, green eyes, and you have a cat … you’d have been first on the bonfire.’
‘Thanks for that vote of confidence,’ I drawled.
‘And what about the other stuff?’ he complained. ‘A seven-year-old couldn’t walk through flames unharmed.’
‘She kept talking about her eyes,’ I said softly. ‘No one who’d ever met Genevieve would forget those eyes.’
‘So you think it’s her?’
‘I just don’t know.’
‘She said the girl had family outside the city. If Genevieveused to be Grace, then she wouldn’t end up on the streets if she had relatives to look after her.’
‘Maybe she spooked them as well.
‘Does she have any scars you’ve noticed?’
‘No,’ I answered bitterly. ‘She has gorgeous peachy skin.’
Luke’s mouth set in a determined line that I recognized. ‘I think it’s a false lead … much too far-fetched.’
As we got into the car I bit the inside of my cheek, resolving not to tell him about the old lady’s final words to me.
‘There’s still something odd about all this, Luke. She warned us to stay away from Grace as if she’s frightened or there’s something she’s not telling us.’
‘She’s probably lonely and eccentric and just wanted someone to talk to.’
I felt crushed and couldn’t hide it. ‘You don’t believe it’s Genevieve?’
Luke smiled sadly. ‘No, it’s too fantastical … the suspicious villagers and the fire that didn’t burn her and that strange old woman and her superstitious warnings.’
I reached out one hand to stop him from driving off and impulsively flung open the car door. ‘I’ve left my scarf behind … won’t be a second.’
I ran back to the cottage, my heart thumping, overcome by a compelling urge to question the old lady about her strange advice. I banged on the door, but no one answered and I peered in through the tiny windows, figuring that shemust be hard of hearing. I looked again, rubbed my eyes and looked for a third time, but I wasn’t imagining it – the warm cosy room we’d just left looked cold and bare; no crackling stove or lazy cat warming itself. I banged again and then gave up as Luke tooted his horn. I made sure that my face gave nothing away as I got back into the car.
Luke started the engine. ‘Ready to go?’
I nodded and we moved off, both of us relieved to be on the only road out of here.
CHAPTER
FOURTEEN
She was the most beautiful child that I’d ever seen –
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