Witch from the Sea

My mother, being aware of this, was delighted. I was pleased too to notice that Colum had an admiration for her. She would always be a very attractive woman, not so much because of her features and figure which were still quite good, but because of that spirit in her, that vitality which I was sure had attracted my father in the first place and still did.

My mother told Colum that she and my father thought it would be an excellent plan if they took me to Lyon Court a little later so that she herself could care for me at the end of my pregnancy.

“You ca

“I want her to have the best care.”

“Think you that I ca

They compromised and it was arranged that in August, that month when my baby was due, my mother should come to Castle Paling. It was the only way, for she was determined to be with me when my child was born and Colum was equally determined that the birth should take place in Castle Paling.

It was mid-May when my mother went home promising to return at the begi

The weeks began to pass very quickly. I was preparing for my child and my mother sent Je

I had always been fond of Je

Je

It was not long before she had made friends with one of the serving-men. She talked about him a great deal. His name was Tobias and the ma

“He be in Seaward,” she told me, so I knew that he was one of those men I had seen going in and out of that tower and about whose occupation I had wondered.

One June day I needed Je

On this occasion I made my way towards Seaward. I crossed the i

I came down into what seemed like a stable yard. I was amazed at the number of horses and there were some donkeys too. I realized that the voices I had heard had not come from here. It was a strange place. On one side of the courtyard was a door and opening it, I was on a path which wound upwards to the coast road. On the shore several small boats were moored to stakes.

The tide was low and I could see the sharp points of the Devil’s Teeth protruding from the water.

I decided Je

I pushed it open and walked in. There was a large chamber with a big table in the centre of it. Seated round it were several men and a few women. Je

I heard Je

They shuffled to their feet and looked uncomfortable.

I said: “I came to look for you, Je

“Why yes, mistress,” she said, blushing a little.

“I do not wish to disturb your meal,” I said.

One of the men who appeared to be a leader of them mumbled something.

I said: “Come, Je

She came at once.

I did not know why but I felt uneasy. These were my husband’s retainers and I was the châtelaine of the castle. Why should I feel that there was something strange about them, that they were not ordinary servants? They were respectful enough and yet in a way they seemed a little shocked to find me here. Why? Wasn’t the castle my home?

The man who sat at the head of the table came over to me and said: “You should be careful, mistress, of the stairs here. They can be dangerous, like. ’Tis easy to trip.”

I said: “I went down them. I had no idea there were so many horses and that there was a path up to the road.”

“Aye,” he said. “But the master would not wish you to use they stairs.”

“I’ll be careful,” I said.

I had a feeling that I had met this man before. There was something familiar about his movements.

I was very conscious of so many eyes upon me. Why should I feel so uncomfortable? Why should the fact that I had disturbed my husband’s servants at a meal—in which my own maid was sharing—make me feel so uneasy, and that I was in the presence of something rather strange?

It’s my condition, I told myself. Everything that seemed a little strange could be put down to that.

Je

I said: “You have soon become friendly with your fellow-servants, Je

She giggled in that girlish way of hers. “Why yes, Mistress Li

“And your friend … ?”

She blushed. “He be a very fine man, Mistress. He did take a fancy to me from the first. All that time ago …”

“All what time ago? You have not been here so long.”

She clapped her hands to her lips. A silly habit of hers when she had said something impetuously; she had always done it, I remembered from my childhood.

“Well, Mistress, he did see me long ago … when I were out with you and the mistress.”

“I know,” I said, “it was when we were returning from Trystan Priory.”

She looked so embarrassed that I knew I was right. So she was aware that the plot had been made in this house and that the band of robbers who had beset us on the road were Colum’s men.

I felt angry that she should be aware of this; then I shrugged my shoulders.

“It’s all right,” I said. “I know what happened. My husband … confessed.”

Je