Charms of a Witch Read online

  'It is not nonsense,' Lucy answered gently. 'A neighbour of hers came to give me a message. She recognised me yesterday while we were out gathering herbs, because I am so like my mother. I rode over to Brookley today to discover the truth of the story, and I found my grandmother.'

  'So! Now you know the truth! You know, I suppose, that you are no kin of ours, and your mother was a strumpet who imposed upon a weak old man?'

  Lucy drew herself up. 'I do not accept that last,' she said with dignity. 'No one knows my mother's story, not even my grandmother. She does not know who my father was. '

  'I suppose she fed you the tale that Sir Humphrey Anstey was your father?'

  'She but mentioned the possibility, she did not know.'

  'It was more likely some village lout. Why Sir Humphrey felt he had to be responsible for you, I know not. '

  'Whether he is my father or no, I am grateful to him for what he has done. Grateful to you too. It could not have been easy for you to accept a strange infant into your household. '

  Mistress Francis, a little taken aback, did not answer.

  'My grandmother is ill after a fall. I mean to visit her now I know her, and hope you will permit it.'

  'Indeed! You should know better than to suggest it, wasting the efforts I have made to turn you into a lady!'

  Despite Lucy's pleading, Mistress Francis refused to countenance her visiting Mistress Dean. Lucy determined to pay secret visits, and for the next few weeks escaped whenever she could to go to Brookley.

  Mistress Francis had forbidden her to tell anyone of her discovery and Lucy obeyed her in that, for she realised that if Sarah knew of her secret the visits would be more difficult to contrive successfully.

  Mistress Dean grew worse, and Lucy was horrified to discover, about a month after her first visit, that Mistress Smith herself was ill with ague and her grandmother was receiving only the occasional attention of another village woman.

  Lucy returned to Delmead, confronted Mistress Francis with a confession of her visits, and before that lady had recovered from her angry astonishment that her orders had been disobeyed, Lucy asked for permission to go and stay at the cottage until her grandmother was recovered.

  At this, Mistress Francis recovered her speech, and turned her full fury onto Lucy.

  'Disobedient, ungrateful wretch! If you dare to set foot in that disreputable woman's cottage again, you can leave Delmead for good!'

  Lucy bowed her head.

  'As you will, Madam. I shall be sorry to leave here, but I must look after my grandmother.'

  After another furious onslaught, Mistress Francis escorted Lucy upstairs where she supervised her packing, forbidding her to take more than the barest necessities. Then Lucy was sent off with a groom, who was ordered to take her pillion to Brookley.

  *

  Sarah was away visiting friends, and Peter was studying in London at the Inner Temple, so they did not witness her disgrace and departure, and Mistress Francis refused to pass on Lucy's farewells to them.

  'Do not think to worm your way back through them,' Mistress Francis told her. 'I will ensure they have nought to do with you.'

  Lucy was thankful she did not have to trudge the miles to her grandmother's cottage. It was an easy journey on horseback, but to walk it, carrying her bundle of clothes, would have been a tedious task.

  Arriving at the cottage, Lucy went in to her grandmother.

  'I have come to stay now, Grandmother,' she explained.

  'How is this? How did Mistress Francis allow you to come?' Mistress Dean asked anxiously.

  'Be not concerned. I shall stay here to look after you until you are better. Now, where shall I sleep?'

  'There are two bedrooms upstairs. I have not been able to climb the stairs for some years. You will find the rooms in a sorry state.'

  'Then I had best set to and make one of them ready for me,' Lucy said cheerfully, and bustled about preparing a meal for her grandmother.

  She found bread, cheese and a couple of skinned rabbits in the larder.' Where did these come from?' she asked, puzzled.

  'Young Jem Perkins brought them. He brings such often.'

  After the meal Lucy went upstairs to clean out one of the bedrooms. She set to with mop and dusters, flinging open the casements and filling a bowl with sweet-smelling flowers from the garden.

  Lucy spent the next few days cleaning the cottage thoroughly, for her grandmother's rheumatics had made it very difficult for her to do much. When it was fine Lucy worked outside, trying to restore order in the garden.

  She made the acquaintance of several villagers who came to enquire about her grandmother. Lucy encouraged them to visit the old lady, thinking it would cheer her.

  It was on her third day at the cottage that Lucy met Jem Perkins. It was evening and she was clearing away the supper things when there was a knock on the kitchen door. Surprised, for no one had yet approached the cottage that way, she went to open it and found a tall muscular young man outside, dressed in homespun, but contriving to look prosperous. He was dangling a couple of rabbits, and he held these out to her, smiling a little bashfully.

  'I brought these for Mistress Dean,' he said abruptly.

  'Why, thank you. She is most grateful,' Lucy answered.' Are you Jem Perkins?'

  'Aye,' he nodded.' Your grandmother has spoken of me?'

  'Yes. She said you often brought rabbits or suchlike for her.'

  'So you are Lucy, the old woman's granddaughter?'

  'Yes.' Lucy nodded briefly.

  They stood there for a few moments not knowing what to say, then Lucy, made uncomfortable by Jem's steady gaze, thanked him again and Jem hastily backed away.

  *

  After this he appeared on the doorstep almost every night, offering rabbits or birds that he had trapped, and asking if he could do aught to help. One evening he suggested he might buy provisions on his next visit to Chelmsford. Lucy had discovered her grandmother had a large hoard of gold coins and she had little hesitation in giving Jem a lengthy list of the items she needed.

  'Can you remember everything?' she asked anxiously.

  'You had best write it down. I will call for it tomorrow. The market is the next day, but I must leave early and I doubt you'll be awake.'

  He did as he had promised, and Lucy received her supplies thankfully. Now she could make much more interesting and appetising meals for her grandmother, who was not recovering from her fall.

  'Should I not fetch a surgeon?' Lucy had asked a few days after arriving at the cottage.

  'It would be no use, child. 'Tis bruising and old age, and time will cure it. But if you are expected home, you must not remain here. It surprises me Mistress Francis allowed you to come.'

  'Do not be concerned. I can stay as long as 'tis necessary,' Lucy answered, and quickly changed the subject, for she did not wish her grandmother to worry if she knew Mistress Francis had turned her out, and she had no other home.

  It was an unexpected visitor who told her grandmother the truth. It was exactly two weeks after Lucy's arrival, when she answered a knock on the door one morning to find Peter Francis outside. She smiled at him with pleasure.

  'Peter!'

  'May I come in?'

  'Of course! Will you wait here while I tell Grandmother you are here?'

  Smiling happily, she whisked into the parlour. 'Grandmother, 'tis Peter Francis. I have told you of him. Shall I bring him in here to see you?'

  'Of course, Lucy dear.'

  She opened the door and beckoned, and Peter strode in. He was a slim young man, not so tall as Jem, goodlooking and most elegant with his blue riding suit with silver buttons, and a grey hat encircled with a blue feather.

  'Your servant, Ma'am!'

  He bowed to Mistress Dean, and she smiled welcomingly at him.

  'Lucy has told me of you. 'Tis kind of you to visit us. Will you sit down?'

  'I wished to discover what had become of Lucy. I returned home but yesterday,' he explained, 'to
find Lucy flown, and my mother most reluctant to talk about it. Sarah knew nothing, so I determined to discover it for myself. Sarah did not know where you were, but my mother could scarce refuse to tell me.' He stared anxiously at Lucy as he spoke, and she flushed slightly at being exposed in her deception of her grandmother.

  Mistress Dean had been listening to this in some puzzlement, but Lucy answered quickly.

  'Why, yes, but you see Peter, all is well. Grandmother does not improve, but I hope that soon she will be able to start sitting out of bed.'

  'Young man,' Mistress Dean began, but Lucy turned to her with a bright smile.

  'Grandmother, is it not fortunate? There is a shelf in the kitchen that needs a nail in it. Peter was always helping the carpenter. He could do it for us. That is, if you would not in mind such a task?'

  'Of course not. When would you like me do it? Immediately?'

  'Why not?' Lucy jumped up, but her grandmother, who had been eyeing her carefully, spoke sharply.

  'Lucy, sit down and be quiet.'

  Reluctantly, Lucy subsided, and Mistress Dean turned to Peter.

  'I understand your mother is angry at Lucy's being here?'

  Lucy vainly tried to signal to Peter not to answer, but he ignored her.

  'She was most upset at Lucy's determination to come. I appreciate why she has done so, but I fear my mother does not. She did not illtreat you, I hope?' he continued, turning to Lucy.

  'Why, no, of course not. She was most kind.'

  'But she says you are not coming back? What will you do?'

  Mistress Dean looked quickly at them both.

  'Mistress Francis turned you out, Lucy?' she asked, and Lucy, trapped, nodded.

  'I beg you will not think harshly of my mother,' Peter said, turning anxiously to Mistress Dean, 'I think that in time she can be persuaded to change her mind, but I was anxious Lucy would have a home in the meantime.'

  'She has a home here as long as she wishes it,' Mistress Dean answered, 'and the cottage will be hers when I am gone, so there will never be need for her to look for another home.'

  Peter smiled. 'I do not imagine she would have much trouble in finding one if she needed it,' he said, 'but I hope you will come back to Delmead one day. Now my visit must be brief, as I must go to Chelmsford. Lucy, you look as though you have been working hard with no rest. Will you come for a walk with me? May I escort her?' he turned to Mistress Dean.

  'Of course you may. As you say, she has worked hard, and it will be good for her to go out for a while.'

  *

  Lucy smiled and kissed her grandmother, and then went out with Peter. They turned away from the village, and soon came to a small patch of woodland, with a track winding through it.

  'How is Sarah?' Lucy asked.

  'Well, but fretting that Gavin Anstey's visit has been postponed. He is to come in December now.'

  'Poor Sarah!'

  'She can bear it, but you, Lucy, I do apologise for my mother's actions. If I had been at home she would not have treated you so.'

  'It is no matter. As you see, I have a home. I could do nought else but come and look after my grandmother.'

  'I see that, but mother was harsh. She should have understood it was your duty, and not rejected you I because of it.'

  'Peter, did you know aught of my mother?' Lucy asked tentatively.

  He shook his head. 'No, I was but six when you came. I understood you were a distant cousin, but that is all. But my mother has told me about it.'

  'I think she was shocked and hurt I had discovered the truth,' Lucy said slowly. 'That accounts for her actions.'

  'It is a curious story.'

  'It is most wonderful for me to find I have someone truly belonging to me,' she said, smiling happily up at him. 'Grandmother is a dear, and though your family has always made me very welcome, I did not feel I belonged, as I do here.'

  Peter looked at her in silence for a moment, then caught her hand in his.

  'Lucy, perhaps I should not ask you yet, but I think you know how I feel about you?'

  'Why, yes, you have always been a big brother to me,' Lucy said quickly. 'I have always been thankful for your company and friendship.'

  'It is more than friendship. In the last two years I have grown to love you very dearly. I hope that you will marry me.

  'Oh, Peter!' Lucy stared at him in dismay. 'I knew you liked me, but I did not think you liked me so much. Peter, your mother would be horrified.'

  'Why should she be? You are very well fitted to be my wife. Having been brought up by her, she must admit this.'

  'Peter, she is ambitious for you. Your father is not a wealthy man, and she wants both you and Sarah to marry well. I have nought to bring you.'

  'Fortunes!' Peter exclaimed scornfully.

  'Why not? You could do a lot for the estate if you married a girl with money. Your mother would never agree, and besides, Grandmother needs me. I could not desert her.'

  'I would not ask that of you. Either I will wait, or she could live with us.'

  'No, Peter, it would not do. I cannot marry you.'

  'I have startled you,' Peter answered gently. 'I am patient, I can wait.'

  'It would be of no avail.'

  'But I may come and visit you whenever I have the opportunity?'

  'If you promise not to ask me again, I would be glad of your visits,' Lucy told him, smiling at him. 'I confess I am somewhat lonely here, and if I had your visits to look forward to, I would be happy.'

  'I will not promise not to ask you again to be my wife. 'Twould not be fair for me to come here under false colours, so I must say that.'

  'I pray you do not. Ask me, I mean.'

  'I will endeavour not to, for the first few times, but you are so lovely I may forget! Will that suffice?'

  Lucy laughed. 'It is the best I can hope for, obviously. Now, as you are for Chelmsford, and I do not like to leave Grandmother alone for too long, we must return.'

  Peter slipped his arm round her waist and hugged her closely, then they started back to the cottage, where they parted with promises of another visit soon.

  *

  Chapter 3

  Life went on placidly, October became November, and Lucy gradually came to know some of the villagers. Apart from Church on Sunday, she did not meet them very frequently unless they visited Mistress Dean. They were withdrawn, and Lucy assumed it was because of her strangeness, and the fact that she was better educated than they. She tried to be friendly, not to seem above them, but while her overtures were met with politeness there was little warmth in the response of the villagers.

  Except, that is, for Jem Perkins. He continued to bring presents of game to the cottage, and Lucy, glad of someone young to talk to, used to invite him into the cottage. Sometimes he would chat with her grandmother, but seemed ill at ease, and had little to say. He much preferred to sit at the kitchen table with a mug of ale and one of Lucy's cakes, which he praised extravagantly. He began bringing small presents for Lucy herself whenever he had been into Chelmsford. There were ribbons, combs, trinkets, then, late in November, a length of material, rich soft velvet.

  She protested it was too much.

  'You must not give me so valuable a present,' she said, but her eyes lingered on the lovely stuff, a deep golden yellow. 'I could not accept it, Jem.'

  'But you have accepted my other gifts,' he said plaintively.

  'Oh, yes, ribbons and suchlike. But they did not cost you much. This must have been very expensive. No, Jem, I must not take it.'

  'It is for Christmas,' he urged her. 'Though the preachers tell us 'tis a pagan feast, 'tis still a special time. I wished to mark it with a special gift. And I can well afford it. Do not count the pennies, and insult me. Please, Lucy.'

  She would have continued to refuse, but he looked so downcast she was sorry for him.

  He continued. 'Besides, if you do not take it, what shall I do with it? My mother would not wear such a colour, and I could not give it to my sis
ter Betty. She has yellow hair and will not wear this colour, for she says it makes her look ill. That is why I thought it would suit you, as you are so dark.'

  Lucy relented. 'Very well, Jem, I will accept it, and thank you, 'tis most beautiful. But you must not bring me aught like this again.'

  He smiled, having achieved his object, and refused to promise.

  'In spring, when the roads are better, I will take you to Chelmsford on market day. I am sure there are things you would like to buy there. Will you come with me?'

  'If Grandmother can spare me, I would like that. Thank you, Jem, you are most kind.'

  *

  So the time passed. Peter called at the beginning of December when he came home from London. He was chafing to join the King's army.

  'He needs everyone he can get,' he complained bitterly to Lucy. 'The Parliamentarians are getting stronger, and he needs many more soldiers before he can overcome them.'

  'Why do you not go to join him then?'

  'My father has forbade me,' Peter answered resentfully. Essex is strong for Parliament and Father fears that if I were to join the King some of the hotheads here would destroy his property, and that is more important to him than who wins the war. I am minded to disobey him, but I have no money of my own and I could not afford to go without support from him. Do you despise me?'

  Lucy shook her head. 'No. We can none of us do exactly as we would wish, but I sympathise with you.'

  Peter then urged Lucy to consider marriage, but she was adamant in her refusal, making the same objections as before, and unable to persuade her he left somewhat despondently.

  Mistress Dean observed his sad demeanour and questioned Lucy on it.

  'Have you been unkind to the poor boy?' she asked.

  'Why, no, Grandmother.'

  'He had the look of someone who had been refused something.'

  Lucy glanced at her grandmother. The old woman was far too astute for comfort.

  'Can you not tell the boy is in love with you?'

  Lucy sighed. 'He has told me so,' she confessed, realising that until she told her grandmother of the situation, she would have little peace.

  'Has he asked you to marry him?'

  Lucy nodded.