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punched the girl’s back.
    â€˜Speak, you young hussy, when the master bids you.’
    Luce lifted her dark eyes to his face. ‘I . . . I cannot say, master.’
    â€˜Has he bidden you to silence?’
    â€˜I . . . I don’t know.’
    Mistress Alton let out a snort of laughter. ‘She cannot say his name. It seems he came to her at night. It was no fault of hers, she says. I have heard that tale before. They cast their eyes upon the men; they follow when they’re beckoned, and then when they start to grow big, they play the innocent. “I did not know . . . It was forced upon me . . . ’Twas no fault of mine . . .”’
    â€˜Leave the girl with me,’ said Richard.
    The woman hesitated, her mouth working, her eyes gleaming.
    â€˜Sir . . .’ she began; but he lifted a hand impatiently.
    â€˜I pray you leave the girl with me.’
    When he spoke in that tone – gentle yet very firm with a faintly threatening note in his voice – no one dared disobey him. So Mistress Alton went reluctantly out.
    â€˜Now, Luce,’ he said, when she had gone, ‘come here. Sit down and tell me exactly what happened.’
    â€˜I . . . I can’t tell you, sir, for I don’t rightly know.’
    â€˜Now, please,’ he insisted, ‘that is nonsense. I am afraid you will make me angry if you persist in this silliness. Who is the man? Come along. You must know. Tell me his name at once.’
    â€˜I . . . I dare not.’
    â€˜You dare not tell
me
! Now was it Ned Swann?’
    She shook her head.
    â€˜Luce, listen to me; tell me everything and, who knows, I may decide to help you. Do you think this man would consider marrying you?’
    â€˜Oh no . . . no!’
    â€˜He is far above you in station? You must tell him then, and I doubt not that he will find a husband for you. Why, girl, it is not the first time this has happened. Dry your tears, I dare swear a man will be found to marry you.’
    She looked at him then, shaking her head; and suddenly, tumbling from her lips came the whole story.
    It had happened thus:
    On the first night of Mistress Alton’s sickness, she and Betsy had left their attic and crept out of the house. That dayCharlie Hurly had told Betsy that at midnight he was going to witness a very strange sight and he wanted her to accompany him. There were witches in the neighbourhood – many of them – and on certain nights they met to do homage to the Devil, to learn his secrets and to win great powers from him in exchange for their souls.
    Betsy had promised to go. She knew that it was possible on this night, and it was too good an opportunity to miss. But when midnight came she was frightened, and she asked Luce to accompany her. Luce did not want to go at first but, after a good deal of persuasion, she did so.
    After that the story became still more incoherent. It was obvious to Richard that Charlie had lured Betsy out in order to seduce her; it was small wonder that he was annoyed when she arrived at their tryst with her fellow servant.
    Luce then assured him that she had witnessed strange and diabolical things that night, but nothing more strange and more diabolical than the thing which had happened to her.
    Charlie had taken them to a clearing in the woods, and they had hidden behind trees and watched. Luce had seen wild figures dancing round a fire; she was sure they were not entirely human beings; some had the heads of animals, and they danced, taking partners and making gestures as though they were . . .
    She faltered, but he helped her. ‘As though they were inviting each other to fornication?’ he said.
    She hung her head. ‘Please, sir, I can say no more. Turn me out . . . Let me starve . . . Let me beg . . . But don’t ask me to tell you more, for I cannot tell it.’
    â€˜Nevertheless,’ he said, ‘you will tell me, for I insist.’
    â€˜I should not have left the attic,