Witch from the Sea

It very early became clear that she was going to be a beauty. It seemed impossible that it could be otherwise with such a mother. Her hair was of the same black and silky texture as that of Maria; her eyes were long and dark; her skin of the magnolia petal kind, her nose was straight and perfectly formed and she had a lovely mouth. I wondered whether she would be as beautiful as her mother—it was too soon to say, but there was a sweet i

When Maria had left and there was all the talk about her being a witch I feared that some harm might come to Senara. She was, after all, the witch’s child. Some of the servants would not go near her and I talked seriously to Je

“Je

“On Hallowe’en which was when she came,” said Je

“They are saying she’s a witch no doubt.”

“She be a witch, Mistress. How did her come, and where be her to now?”

“We know how she came. She was shipwrecked. Where she has gone is a mystery. People often go away discreetly.”

“To a lover, like as not,” said Je

I stopped her. I knew she was going to say she had bewitched the master. Je

“It is Senara who worries me, Je

“Senara!” Je

“Nothing wrong with her health. You have been like a mother to her.”

“It do make you feel young again, Mistress, to have a little one in your arms.”

“Make sure no harm comes to her.”

“What should, Mistress, a baby … little more?”

“They will say she is the witch’s child.”

“They wouldn’t harm a baby.”

“Make sure they don’t, Je

“My dear life, Mistress, no one’s going to harm that pretty creature while I’m there.”

“What of those nights when you’re at Seaward with your lover?”

Je

“Watch the talk, Je

“And in good time,” said Je

I knew she was thinking of Colum. Je

So the time began to pass, and although the servants refused to go into the Red Room and crossed themselves when they passed it, I was sure that there was less talk of witchcraft in the kitchens than there had been.

It was not until August of that year that my mother came. It was wonderful to see her. I told her in detail of Maria’s departure and she was pleased that she had gone. “A woman like that is unsettling in a household,” she said.

She loved the children and Tamsyn was her favourite. There was something very appealing about my grave little girl.

My mother had all the latest news from London where, she told me in hushed tones, twenty-eight thousand people had died of the plague.

“These terrible epidemics,” she sighed. “Is there no end to them? How I wish some means could be found of stopping them!” She went on: “You must come to Lyon Court and bring the children with you. Your father complains that he sees you rarely.”

“He should come here with you.”

“He is always engaged on a voyage or preparing for one.”

“Is he getting along amicably with the Landors?”

“As well as can be expected. You know your father. He is not the easiest man to work with. He wants all his own way.”

“And Fe

My mother looked at me sharply. She sensed that something had changed at the castle and I knew she was wondering if I were regretting my marriage. I was not sure whether I could truthfully say that I did. I could confess to myself that now and then I thought of Fe

Did I regret? How can I say? At times, yes. But then my children would not have been Co

“Fe

“And his son … ?”

“He is at Trystan Priory with his mother.”

“You see them now and then?” I asked.

“Oh yes indeed.” I wanted to ask what Fe

“And … his son? Are there any other children?”

“There is a girl besides young Fe

“What is she called?”

My mother hesitated a moment and then she said: “Melanie.”

“I see. After Fe

“Yes. It is a quiet household. Of course Fe

“I am glad,” I said, “that the trading business is proving successful.”

“You are lucky to have a husband who does not go to sea, Li

I was silent, thinking of Colum battling with the waves in his small boat, luring men to their deaths for the sake of their cargo.

I was on the point of telling my mother, but as was to happen so many times, I did not.

Time was passing and Maria was hardly ever mentioned now. I often wondered whether Colum thought of her. There were my mother’s visits, but Colum raised objections when I wished to go and stay with her. I had the feeling that he believed I should never come back. There would always be an excuse when my mother wanted me to go. He had heard that there were robbers on the road and could not himself spare the time to take me. He wanted to take Co

“Vagabonds and robbers are being driven out of the big cities,” he told me. “And where will they come? Into the country! There are so many of them in the cities that the mayor of London and the Star Chamber are determined to rid the capital of them. They beg constantly and make a nuisance of themselves, and because they persist they are hanged on the gallows in London as a warning for all to see. And what will they do? Come to the country. They will beg by the roadside and if you do not give they will take—and like as not murder you for good measure. Do you think I am going to allow my children to make a journey in such conditions!”