“Come sit over here, child. I’m too old to stand about this long.” Elspeth motioned to a pile of rocks. “This used to be a wall,” she said, settling herself on one of the rocks. Frances climbed up next to her, swinging her feet. She had forgotten Harriet back at the inn. Hopefully, Joshua would look after her doll.
“Where is Papa? You said he would be here.”
“Och, he will be here soon. I have no doubt,” Elspeth said. “But ye asked about my sister.”
Frances nodded.
“I loved her verra much, even though she was not always nice or kind.”
“Was she sad?” Frances asked. “Mama Genevieve says that sometimes when we are sad or tired it makes us misbehave.”
Elspeth smiled, and Frances studied her crooked teeth.
“I believe she was sad, child. We were verra poor and hungry and cold, but we had each other. At least, we did. She died. Do ye ken what that means?”
Frances nodded. “My mama and baby brother died.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
Frances looked down and brushed at a drop of water on her coat. “I thought if I believed hard enough, Mama would come back for me. But Papa said once someone is dead, they are gone forever.”
“Yer papa is correct. Nae even the strongest magic can bring back the dead.”
“Papa says Mama is in the kingdom of God, and that kingdom is where dead people go if they lived a good life here on earth. Do you think your sister is in the kingdom of God?”
“I dinnae ken, child.”
“Is your sister under the ground? My mama and baby brother are buried in the churchyard at Lilacfall Abbey. Papa says we can put flowers on her grave to remember her.”
“Ye dinnae need flowers to remember her, though, do ye? If ye close yer eyes and think of her, ye’ll remember her well enough.”
Frances closed her eyes, and Elspeth was right. She could see her mother in her mind. She recalled her soft golden hair and her pretty blue eyes. The way her voice sounded when she sang a lullaby, and the scent of her when she embraced Frances. When she opened her eyes again, Elspeth had built a fire.
“Ye’re shivering, child. Come warm yer hands.”
Frances hopped down from the wall and stood by the fire. It was warm, and when she watched the sparks fly up into the sky, she was surprised that the sky was dark.
“How much longer until Papa comes?” she asked.
“Och, nae long now. He’s on his way with the other two and their women. Look over there. They come. Just as they did that night.”
Frances pushed her spectacles up on her nose and squinted into the rapidly falling darkness. She could see people approaching, and she raised her hand and waved. She heard her name, and the next moment, Mama Genevieve had scooped her up and was hugging her so tightly Frances could barely breathe. It reminded her of the way Mama had hugged her sometimes, and even though she missed Mama, she was so glad Mama Genevieve loved her.
Papa was saying something angry to Elspeth, and Frances turned her head to look at him. “Papa, Elspeth said you would come. We’ve been waiting for you.”
Then Papa lifted her into his arms. He always smelled so nice, and he was strong enough to pick her up and put her on his shoulders. He didn’t do that this time, though. He just hugged her tightly and said, “I love you, Frances. I was so scared I wouldn’t find you.”
“I’ve been right here, Papa. Waiting for you.”
He pulled back and looked at her. “Go back to the inn with Genevieve now. Stay beside her. Promise me.”
Frances nodded. Then Papa kissed her cheek and set her down. Mama Genevieve took her hand and led her away. She almost forgot to say goodbye to Elspeth. She turned back and waved, and Elspeth waved in return, before turning to face the fire.
*
Rory waited untilthe women and children were away before rounding on the witch’s sister. “How dare you touch my daughter? If you ever so much as look at her again—”
The woman called Elspeth held up a hand, forestalling his words. “How else was I tae catch yer attention? The three of ye were wandering like lost sheep at the school when ye were meant tae come here. Must I do everything for ye?”
