Authors: Dulcinea Norton-Smith
“
Why was he so angry at Gran?
”
“
It was nothing Nettie, just a mistake. He weren
’
t thinking straight. Try to forget
about it. No good can come from dwelling on the past
”
Nettie
stayed quiet for a moment. She toyed with my feet with her toes. I nudged her
back and found the sole of her foot with my big toe. Nettie giggled. We stayed
as we were for a few minutes longer then Nettie spoke again.
“
I don
’
t think it were a mistake. What did he mean about his babe?
About baby Emma?
”
“
She was sick Nettie. She would shudder and shake. Her eyes
would roll back and go glassy. She was real sick. She had been for a year.
”
“
He didn
’
t say sick Lizzie. He said dead. I heard him
”
I
felt my heart sink a little. I
’
d hoped that the lullabies I
’
d sung had blocked out what Richard
Baldwin had been shouting but I now realized that they hadn
’
t.
“
Baby Emma died yesterday. He thinks it had something to do
with Gran.
”
“
Why would he think that? Because she is a witch?
”
My
breath caught. I rolled onto my side to look at Nettie. Nettie turned her head
to stare back.
“
Why do you say that Nett?
”
“
I
’
m not so little anymore. I hear things. No-one bothers to
stop talking when I
’
m around. Not just Mam and Gran. When I go to the farms or
the village, folk don
’
t even look at me. If Mam leaves me to sit and wait for her
I sometimes sit for an hour or so and no-one bothers about little Nettie. They
all just talk as if I weren
’
t there. The shop-keeps, the vicar; everyone. I hear a lot,
our family aren
‘
t well liked. Nor the Chattox family.
”
I
was surprised. I still thought of Nettie as a baby. Not as a growing girl who
could understand the family that we had been born into. My heart ached that my
attempts to protect her were now so pointless. She knew the truth about our
family. She must be going through the same questions in her mind as had gone
through mine years earlier. Would me and Nettie grow up to be evil, wicked?
What was it that made our family so different from the midwives and healers in
the village? No-one saw them as evil. What made the Device
’
s different?
“
I
’
m sorry Nettie. I
’
m sorry I couldn
’
t protect you from all of this.
”
I
reached out to stroke Nettie
’
s peach skin cheek as I spoke. She still felt like a baby
to me, even though she knew so much more than I had hoped.
“
You don
’
t need to protect me now Lizzie. Just talk to me. Tell me
what happened to that poor babe.
”
I
paused only for a second before I began to talk. As I spoke we turned to face
the canopy again and led once more on our backs. I found Nettie
’
s hand and held onto it as we shared
body heat so as to stay in our idyllic spot for a little longer.
“
About a year ago
”
I began
“
Gran argued with Richard Baldwin. I
don
’
t know what about. They
’
d argued before but this time it was
a bigger argument. One that was not quickly forgot. He banned our family from
his land. Gran was fair angered. She flew into one of them cold rages she has
and it lasted for days. James saw the back of her walking stick and left the
house for a week. Went to drink and leave the women to it. I got a beating or
two. She didn
’
t touch you. Never has. You
’
re everyone
’
s special girl.
”
I
looked over at Nettie fondly as I said this.
“
I
’
m no-one
’
s favourite. They don
’
t know I
’
m there half the time and just shout
when they do see me.
”
“
They don
’
t beat you though; they
’
ve never laid a finger on you. I
think that
’
s the closest any of them get to love.
”
“
Mmmm, maybe.
”
“
Anyway when Gran calmed down she spent a day muttering to
herself. Drawing shapes in the soil, making wax dolls, boiling and burning her
herbs. That night she made me take her outside. Do you remember? She stayed
there for about an hour then called me to help her in. After that she was
happy. We had rabbit for supper. A full rabbit Nett! Like a celebration.
”
“
I think I remember. It seems a fair time ago. She can
’
t have done anything though could
she? She
’
s blind as a mole and the Baldwin house is over five miles
away. What could she have done in an hour?
”
“
I don
’
t know Net. Sometimes I think she couldn
’
t have done anything. Maybe she heard
that baby Emma was ill and started rumours it was her that did it. She
’
s always trying to prove that she
’
s more powerful than Old Chattox.
Sometimes though I think maybe she did do something because the very next day
James came back from thieving in the village and told Mam that the Baldwin baby
had started bucking like a hare.. Right there in the village. Jerks and
wrenches and rolling eyeballs just like Mam. Gran laughed.
”
“
And now the baby
’
s dead?
”
“
Now she
’
s dead. May God rest her soul.
”
Roger looked at the man sitting in his
drawing room. His head rested in his hands and his elbows dug into his knees.
In the short hour that the man had spent in Roger
’
s company he had gone from blind rage
to heart wrenching sobs to quiet resignation.
“
Johnson
”
called Roger
“
Please bring Mr Baldwin a drink.
Something strong please and one for me.
”
“
Come now Richard. You must be strong for your family. When
is the funeral?
”
“
Thursday. My poor baby
”
Richard Baldwin choked back a sob
which welled in his throat.
“
What will you do Mr Nowell sir? Can you help me? She did
it, Demdike that Devil
’
s whore. I know that she did. What will you do to her?
”
“
I can only act within the law Richard. We need at least two
witnesses or a confession for me to arrest anyone for witchcraft. You stop
thinking about it now. Put it out of your mind and leave the law to me. It will
be dealt with.
”
Roger
tethered his horse to a small tree by the road and began to make his way up the
hill towards Malkin Tower. He turned to his riding companion, the local
constable Henry Hargreaves.
“
Are you ready Mr Hargreaves? I may need you to use some
force.
”
“
I got no qualms about using force Mr Nowell Sir. Those
harridans have hurt the families of more than one man I know. That Old Demdike
is pure evil and no mistaking. She came selling them herbal cures down in
Sabden and I soon saw her off with a swift whip of my walking pole.
”
“
Hmmmm. Well we won
’
t be beating her for no reason Hargreaves.
Crone that she is she is still a woman. Just be ready if I need you. We may
need to force a confession.
”
Hargreaves
slapped a strap of leather he was carrying against his leg and nodded. As they
got within a stone
’
s throw of Malkin Tower Roger saw the young Device girl,
Alizon, sat on a stump of moss and lichen covered wood and combing through a
younger girl
’
s hair. This must be Jennet, fair of face with a look of
childish innocence.
Alizon seemed to
hear their footsteps and looked up with a start. A flash of fear shot across
her face soon to be replaced with a look of confusion then embarrassment when
she recognized Roger
’
s face. The younger girl saw their approach also and stood
quickly, moving close to Alizon and clinging to her arm.
“
Want me to whip the pups? See if they tell us what we need
to know? They will be easier to crack than the old crone and her witch of a
daughter.
”
“
No, of course not. They are children. Remember your versus
Hargreaves. Does not Mark quote in the Holy Book "Let the little children
come to me, and do not hinder them for the kingdom of God belongs to such as
these.
’
?
”
“
Aye but does it not say in Proverbs 22:15
‘
Folly is bound up in the heart of a
child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
’
? God shall not see me wrong for
beating the folly from these whelps.
”
“
You know your Bible Hargreaves. I do not doubt that, but
know this. I will not see the children suffer when no crime has yet been
proved. You will remember my station and do as I say.
”
Hargreaves
glared at the children and gave his strap a final slap against his thigh.
“
Aye, I remember. I wouldn
’
t go against you Sir. No worries on
that account.
”
“
Good man Hargreaves. Now let
’
s to it.
”
As
they reached the rotting wooden door of the house the one called Alizon stood
up, the younger girl still clinging to her skirts.
“
Good day little ones. Are your mother and grandmother at
home?
”
Alizon
and the younger girl stood frozen, each staring at Roger. Hargreaves moved to
his flank and slapped the leather strap against his thigh again.
“
Your Mam and Gran
”
he said loudly
“
Are you simple? Moon kissed? This man
is our Justice of the Peace, the blessed Roger Nowell, answer him. Are the
beldams inside?
”
Roger
smiled at Alizon, hoping to soften the harshness of Hargreaves
’
words. This seemed to snap her out
of her daze and she nodded then looked towards the door. Roger nodded at
Hargreaves who stepped up to the door and gave it a few big kicks with his
booted foot. The door quaked in its frame and a few splinters of damp wood
broke free and scattered on the still frozen ground. There came no reply so
Roger shouted.
“
I come to speak to Elizabeth Southerns. The one they call
Mother Demdike. I come to speak to Demdike
’
s daughter also. The one they call
Elizabeth Device. I am Roger Nowell, Justice of the Peace and you will open
this door now.
”