The Libertine (Taskill Witches 2)

“In his study.”

Chloris did not want to go in there again, but it seemed that she must. Perhaps he had come to his senses and was about to let her go, which would be a mercy. Then the sound of men’s voices reached Chloris from beyond the stairs, where the scullery was. As Mary had indicated, something was amiss.

She knocked on the door and entered the study. When she saw who was in there with Gavin, she was staggered beyond belief.

Tamhas stared at her with a frown. The boots he wore were muddied. His clothes were dirty and he wore no hat or wig. He looked as if he had traveled hard and arrived here recently, as if he had not even had time to refresh himself.

The implications rushed in on her fast. Tamhas must have followed Lennox. There was no other conceivable reason for his hasty arrival so soon after Lennox. Chloris felt dizzy, suddenly sick to the gut. Tamhas had become so obsessed with Lennox that he had followed him here. What had he said to Gavin?

“Ah, and here she is.” Gavin looked at her from hooded eyes. He pressed his lips together as if he were containing a smile.

“You know what this is about, I wager,” Tamhas snapped at her.

Chloris held her head high. “No, I do not. Would you care to enlighten me?”

Tamhas looked enraged by that and he strode over to her, stepping between her and Gavin. When he glowered at her there was a warning in his eyes. “I know that Lennox Fingal has come here, and you would do well to reveal his whereabouts and quickly, lest you get dragged down to hell with him.”

Chloris glared back at him. He could rant at her all he wanted, but she was not about to reveal Lennox’s whereabouts.

“Speak out, Chloris,” Tamhas urged when she did not respond. “Your husband has already summoned the witch finder general.”

A rushing sound filled her ears and her mouth went dry, her heart hammering in her chest. The witch finder? Visions of what they might do if they found Lennox or Jessie filled her thoughts. It could not happen. She would not let them harm her lover or his sister. The very thought that they might get their hands on either one of them made her want to warn him and send him on his way. It was her fault that they had come here. She had to stand between them and their persecutors, there was no question about that. Chloris vowed she would because she loved him and it pained her deeply to think that he’d come here for her and put himself in such danger.

From behind Tamhas Gavin emerged, approaching her. “Tamhas has told me what happened to you in Saint Andrews. Now I understand why those dreadful changes I discovered in my wife have occurred. You’ve been consorting with witches, you have been subject to their evil ways.” He looked her over with disgust. “I will hand you over to the witch finder general without a qualm, for I would rather forfeit my wife in order to have your soul redeemed.”

Chloris fought the mad urge to laugh. How well this had played into his hands, she realized. He did not want her to leave him, for that would show him up, but he could play the martyr in front of the whole burgh if it suited him. People would talk about his brave sacrifice and his position would be maintained. “You can do what you want with me. I will never reveal his whereabouts.”

“So it is true, you are in league with a witch.” Gavin scrutinized her calmly. “Well, the witch finder will get the information from you. They have some canny tools for the task.” He flashed her a brief smile. “Once he puts his thumbscrews on you, you will plead for mercy. When you get none, you will tell him everything he needs to know and then you will sign the confession with your bloodied and broken hand.”

How he relished the prospect.

“I will die before I reveal anything,” she replied.

Gavin inclined his head. “Your choice.”

“Don’t be a fool,” Tamhas interjected, and raised his hands in a gesture of disbelief. “You cannot sacrifice yourself for one of the Devil’s slaves. How could you even think this way?”

“They have stolen her soul,” Gavin said, apparently delighted.

Chloris decided she hated him. She had never before hated anybody, but now she did.

“I told you to come back here for your own safety,” Tamhas continued. “I warned you to stay away from them.”

To her surprise, Tamhas looked aggrieved and disappointed. Could it be that her cousin cared more for her survival than did her husband? The reasons for that were manifold, but still it surprised her. It was ironic that she found out her value to them both now. Chloris felt strangely as if she wasn’t really there, as if she were looking in on this room from far away. She wished it were so.

She looked away from their arrogant, aggressive faces in disgust.

It was then that she saw Gavin’s pistol had been set out on a table and prepared for use. It was a fine French weapon he had bought several years earlier. She had only seen him use it once and that was on a game hunt, but she knew he would not bring it out now if he did not believe it would be needed.

Shocked that a weapon had been prepared, her blood began to boil. She turned to Tamhas. “You promised me you would leave the people of Somerled alone, and yet you have pursued their master here.”

Tamhas lifted his brows. “He’s clearly set on having you, and I could not let you fall into the hands of such a blackguard.”

She was fast losing control of her tongue, but she could not help it. “How easily you judge something you do not understand.”

It was Gavin who responded to that, and he fixed her with a bright-eyed stare. “You really have consorted with these witches. Your soul is as black as the Devil’s eyes.”

Chloris could only offer her honest answer. “Believe what you want. They are decent people and I would rather be with them than you.”