Witchfog

by Isobel Robertson

  He still looked uncertain.

  “Don’t leave me alone, Theo,” I whispered, letting all my fear and exhaustion show. “Stay with me.”

  He sighed as if he was in pain, then crushed me to his chest, his arms wrapped tightly around me as he breathed into my hair.

  “I’ll stay,” he told me.

  I spent that night lying in the arms of the man I loved. But even as I drifted off to sleep, I knew he was right. Things had to change.

  Recovery

  I tried to insist that Theo went on ahead and left me to begin the process of clearing the house, but he would have none of it.

  “I’ll not let you see what’s lying in the kitchen,” he said bluntly. “And for all we know, there are other horrors lurking. I can’t guarantee this place is in any way safe, so you’ll come with me.”

  I did not argue too passionately. In truth, the thought of being left alone in a house filled with human corpses and dead witches frightened me far more than I would ever admit. So we set off together, limping along the winding country lanes towards Elspeth’s inn.

  This time, at least, I had been able to access my own wardrobe, and so I was neatly dressed, with my hair brushed and pinned up. I craved a bath, but Killston Hall did not seem the place for such luxuries. It now felt more like a tomb than a home.

  It was strange to walk along the road with no fear of attack, with no strange fog growing up around us. The morning was crisp and fresh, despite the chill of oncoming winter that hung in the air, and I soon grew warm as we strolled. Theo offered me the use of his horse, retrieved from Sir Philip’s stables, and whose reins he clutched in one hand, but I declined. It was perhaps not proper for a young lady to walk, but it seemed wrong to ride while Theo walked alongside me like a common servant. He meant so much more to me than that.

  Elspeth greeted us in the inn courtyard, her tears soaking out to cover Theo’s shirt as she simultaneously clutched him close and berated him for being a fool. To my surprise, I received just as warm a reception, finding myself wrapped in a tight embrace.

  “I’m so delighted to see you both,” Elspeth said, wiping her eyes with a large handkerchief as she sniffed back the last of her tears. “After you didn’t come back… well, I feared the worst. I came up to the cottage in search of you, but the place was empty.”

  “You were up on the moors by yourself?” Theo demanded.

  “I was,” Elspeth said, tilting her chin up. “I am more than capable of defending myself, as, it seems, is your Lily here.”

  She should not have said his Lily, but I did not bother to correct her. I was far too tired for the discussion I knew would ensue.

  Instead, I let her bustle me back up to the comfortable bedchamber. Theo disappeared, no doubt vanishing into the family quarters. Once again, I found myself enjoying a warm bath, although at least this time I did not require the loan of a clean gown. I felt a little guilty about how poorly I had treated the last dress given to me by Elspeth.

  By the time I readied myself sufficiently to descend to the common room, Elspeth and Theo were already taking tea together. I almost laughed at how awkward Theo looked, crammed into a tight corner as he poured tea, but at least his manners seemed more than adequate. They both greeted me warmly, moving aside to make me a place at the table. Elspeth poured me a cup of tea, then grasped my hands before I had a chance to even begin drinking.

  “Theo has told me what became of your cousin,” she said, her eyes brimming with tears again. “My deepest condolences. He was a good man, and well-respected by everyone in these parts.”

  “I’ve sent a man out to take his body back to the Hall,” Theo said. “The funeral will be in a few days’ time.”

  “And the servants?” I asked.

  Elspeth broke into fresh sobs, and I instinctively laid one arm around her shoulders, offering her what awkward comfort I could manage.

  “They will be buried as soon as possible,” Theo said grimly. “They all had family. This is a day of mourning for the entire district.”

  I bit my lip, holding back my own tears. I had barely known any of the servants, could scarcely conjure their faces in my minds. Yet I was sure none of them had deserved to die. What manner of monsters had these witches been that they could destroy lives and rip apart families so easily? No wonder Theo dedicated his life to eradicating them. And Mrs Pender! How could she work alongside these people for years, hiding her true self, and then sacrifice them to her dark cause? My heart and mind ached to even think of it.

  “You’ll want to write to your guardian, no doubt,” Theo said. “And I imagine that you will stay for the funeral?”

  “Yes, of course,” I said distractedly. How long would it take Daniel to reach me up here? A few days, at least. The request for his presence would not come as a surprise, though. He had sensed my fear and uncertainty in that last dream we shared. For all I knew, he was already on his way.

  “We’ll leave you to your tea and letter-writing, then,” Elspeth said, getting to her feet. I did not miss the sharp glance she sent Theo over the tea-table. He rose as well, a beat behind her, and bowed to me politely before exiting the room. Elspeth returned in a few moments with paper, pen, and ink, then she too was gone, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

  Rejection

  After an afternoon spent mostly alone, I had a cheerful enough supper with Theo and his sister in Elspeth’s private parlour. As the innkeeper, she frequently had to come and go, assisting the servants and dealing with her guests. She tried her best to be a gracious hostess to me, regardless.

  Still, there were moments when Theo and I sat alone together, the silence stretching out between us. I became increasingly aware of all the words we had not spoken, the topics left undiscussed. He kept the conversation light, inconsequential, but I felt the deeper undercurrents hovering below his words. If only I could interpret those hidden meanings.

  “May I walk you to your room?” he asked at last, after Elspeth had vanished to deal with yet another troublesome guest.

  I hesitated for a moment. Was that a request to join me? Or simply the polite offer it seemed to be?

  “Very well,” I said, gingerly taking his arm so he could escort me up the stairs. Even this level of intimacy was perhaps not acceptable in a public place, but it was unlikely that any patron here should recognise me and carry tales back to London. It was even less likely that I should care if such tales were spread.

  As I went to open my bedroom door, Theo caught at my hand, raising it to his lips to gently kiss my knuckles. I watched him, gentle shivers running through my veins.

  “May I come in for a moment?” he asked, his voice low enough that no guest would hear us from their own rooms. “I only wish to speak to you in private.”

  What was so private that he could not discuss it in his sister’s own parlour? Still, I inclined my head graciously and swept into the room, allowing him to enter and close the door behind us. I settled onto the single chair, waiting as he hovered awkwardly in front of me.

  He cleared his throat once, then again. I watched him in bemusement as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, never quite meeting my eyes. What on earth did the man wish to say?

  “Lady Lily,” he said at last. “I understand that our relationship has been… unusual. I hope I have not entirely misunderstood the situation, although I would not blame you if the fear and excitement encouraged you to take actions you would not otherwise consider. If you wish to continue as if nothing ever happened between us, then I would be your loyal servant in accepting that road forward.”

  I waited, saying nothing.

  “Nevertheless,” he continued. “It is my dearest hope that you can see these recent events as a beginning rather than an end.”

  He stepped forward, clutching my hands desperately. I saw something wild and afraid in his eyes. He took yet another deep breath.

  “Lily Gabriel, will you marry me?”

  I stared up at him in shock. I had nev
er thought to hear those words on his lips. My love for him soared up to dizzying heights - even as the reality of the situation brought me tumbling back to earth. I pulled my hands away from him.

  “Mr Amberson, while I am honoured by your request… I have no option but to decline. I am only nineteen; my parents’ will specifies that, until I reach my twenty-first birthday, I may not marry without the consent of my guardian. And I regret to say that he is unlikely to approve of you.”

  It hurt me to say those words to him, hurt me to even consider that someone else would not value Theo as I did. But how could I convince Daniel of everything that had happened? It already seemed like a distant dream to me, and I had experienced it. And I suspected that Daniel would not approve of my marriage to even the greatest hero in England if the man had no title and no wealth.

  “Lily, there is a lot I still have to tell you,” Theo began, crouching down to bring his face level to mine, but I turned away.

  “I am tired, Theo. Please let me sleep. We can continue this conversation tomorrow.”

  “Last night you begged me to stay, and now you send me away?”

  “You were right,” I whispered. “Things have to change.”

  I felt his gaze on me a moment longer although I did not turn to face him. Then he stood, brushing past me to wrench the door open and slam it again behind him. I sat there on the chair for some time longer, gazing blankly into the growing darkness as the fire faded.

  I realised everything I should have said. I love you. I will speak to my guardian on your behalf. I will make him understand. My words had sounded like weak excuses, as if I had discarded him already. I had to speak to him.

  But when I yanked open my bedroom door, ready to rush impulsively into his arms, I realised that I had no idea where he might be sleeping. I could hardly barge into every room, demanding that my suitor present himself. Reluctantly, I returned to my room and prepared for bed. My words would have to wait.

  Alchemy

  “Most of the necessary work at Killston Hall has now been carried out,” Theo said the next morning over breakfast. He didn't meet my eyes as he dipped a soldier of toast into his boiled egg. “Did you wish to retrieve your possessions? Or perhaps another item?”

  “I suppose that would be best,” I said. “I think I will go after I have finished my meal.”

  “It would be my pleasure to escort you,” he said, his voice as formal and distant as my own. Why could I not find couragthee for the words I most wanted to say? I cursed myself even as my face forced itself into a polite smile.

  “Thank you kindly, Mr Amberson. I trust that the funeral arrangements are proceeding well?”

  What was I doing? What was I saying? I wanted to discuss our future, and yet the words would not rise to the tip of my tongue.

  “All the arrangements are in place,” he said politely. “The funeral will take place tomorrow, as planned.”

  I knew all of this. I cursed myself silently, but I still could not bear to meet his eyes. Where had our old easiness gone? Was that friendship and camaraderie lost forever?

  We set off as soon as I tidied my hair after breakfast. Theo had a different cart this time, although the route we took was much the same. I wondered if he had left his own cart at the Hall, but I did not ask.

  We sat in silence as the hedgerows and gateways skimmed past. Autumn truly had advanced into early winter now, the bracken changed to a rich golden brown, red berries dotting the trees that edged the fields. The air was cooler, too, and drier than before. No risk of fog today, either natural or - unnatural.

  The Hall looked much as we had left it, but I felt the change. The rose window seemed emptier, somehow, as it reflected the darkness of the lake. This time, the lack of servants to greet us was a cause for deep sadness rather than alarm. I fought off tears as I descended from the cart and made my way to the front door. No one in this place had deserved the fate that found them. Perhaps not even Mrs Pender. Who could know what had shaped her into such a cruel creature?

  But I could not dwell on these thoughts now. I let myself in through the unlocked door and drifted along the dark corridor as if in a dream. Theo followed behind me, his footsteps gentle in the echoing silence. Where to look? My sense of urgency had fled, leaving just a numb acceptance. Monsieur Lavelle was dead and buried. It seemed futile to ignore that truth.

  “What exactly are we looking for?” Theo asked at last.

  I turned to face him. “A stone, about the size of my palm. I am not sure about the colour, but it should have several small engravings.”

  “And its abilities?” Theo asked.

  I swallowed. “Not unlike the famous philosopher’s stone of which you have no doubt heard. But it seems that its powers are far greater than previously known. It can perform alchemy far beyond turning base metal into gold. You should notice nothing unusual about its appearance, however.”

  Theo nodded. “Shall we split up to search the interior of the house? I have men posted around the perimeter, so you need not fear for your safety. We can then re-join to search the rubble outside, if such an action becomes necessary.”

  I had seen no men as we rode in. They must be discreet indeed. I gave my agreement to Theo’s plan, and we split up, my own feet carrying me upstairs, leaving him alone downstairs.

  I tried the storage closets and spare bedrooms I had not explored before, poking about in every corner. Sir Philip’s own bedchamber turned out to have a dressing chamber off it, a small room set behind the rose window that dominated the drive below. It was almost empty, the stone walls starkly bare, with only a single chair as furnishing. A dressing gown still lay draped over it, made of warm woollen cloth, and I bit back tears as I touched its soft folds. If only Sir Philip would come striding back into his house, ready to resume life as usual. He had deserved none of this, whatever mistakes he might have made.

  I poked about at the stone walls, looking for loose sections, but to no avail. I tried the fireplace, sticking my head in to look, even as I coughed at the soot. To my excitement, the wall of the chimney stepped up in a way that could mean only one thing. A staircase wound up over this shaft. Of course! Why had I never stopped to find a way into the attic? It was only natural that a house of this scale should have an attic level. And might there not be a basement as well? What a fool I was.

  I raced out into the corridor, seeking for the entrance to this attic staircase. It was not as well-hidden as it might have been, simply concealed behind a section of wall panelling that swung open at my touch. I pattered up the stairs, noting how thick the dust lay on them, and how many cobwebs tangled in my hair. It seemed that this attic did not see regular use.

  The door at the top, a heavy slab of wood, was locked, but I expected this, and my lock picks rested in the generous pocket of my skirts. It was not a sophisticated lock, although stiff, and I did not have too much difficulty easing it open.

  I half-anticipated a treasure-trove of ancient family secrets, but I found myself deeply disappointed. This huge room, its ceiling supported by heavy beams, spanned the entire length of the house, yet it contained almost nothing. Just a few large wooden chests which, upon closer examination, contained only old wall-hangings and moth-eaten sheets. No unnecessary trinkets, no piles of nearly forgotten books or paintings. Mrs Pender must have been a much neater housekeeper than I had given her credit for.

  I spent a while longer exploring the attic, testing each floorboard and looking for secret panels in the supporting beams, but I eventually admitted defeat. I made my way back down to the ground floor, calling out Theo’s name as I brushed cobwebs from my hair.

  It took few moments for him to appear, his equally cobweb-festooned head emerging from the kitchen door. He smiled at the sight of me.

  “I found the attic,” I said, half in explanation for the terrible fright I must look. “But it seemed empty of anything I might find useful. Perhaps the basement?”

  He shook his head. “I have only just come from the b
asement myself. Hence the cobwebs.”

  I smiled at him in return. Of course he had anticipated the basement as a possibility.

  “Shall we try outside, then?” I asked. “If you have exhausted the rest of this floor, that is. I admit that the abandoned wing always seemed the most likely place for such a secret treasure to be hidden.”

  Theo frowned. “I am not sure that you should visit the abandoned wing,” he said slowly. “It's not yet fully cleared. It may not be safe.”

  “I can be the judge of that myself,” I said, perhaps a little sharply, and swept out through the back door.

  The pile of rubble that greeted me came as a jarring shock, no matter how ready I thought myself. Where a heavy building had once stood, now I could see only the remnants of one wall, propped up by mounds of stone and dust. In the harsh light of day, it somehow looked even more shocking than it had by moonlight. I drifted towards it, reaching out one hand to touch a fallen chunk of masonry - and then recoiled, turning to Theo in sudden horror.

  “Theo, the witches - were their bodies removed?”

  I could not bear to stumble across them, to see those beautiful faces frozen in the agony of death.

  “There is no sign of any witch, alive or dead,” Theo said grimly. “My grandfather once said that a witch would vanish upon true death, in contrast to that suspended death you saw inflicted upon their queen. I never quite believed him, but it seems he was correct.”

  I frowned at him. “You mean to say that you had never actually killed a witch before?”

  He shrugged and turned away, obviously regretting how much he had said. Wonderful. I had entrusted my safety to a witch-hunter who was not just reckless but inexperienced as well.

  We picked our way through the rubble, occasionally pausing to shift a slab of stone. The remnants of the abandoned wing were full of all kinds of broken items. Scraps of paper lay alongside fragments of smashed vases, shards of mirror glass and lonely books hidden amongst the mess. How would I ever find one stone in such a place? And yet, this corner of the house could no longer protect its hiding places. Everything was laid bare to us.