When he turned back to me his mood seemed to have softened and he gave a deep sigh. ‘Her breath is sweet enough,’ he said. ‘You’ve smelled the breath of the other?’ he asked, releasing Alice’s jaw and pointing down at Bony Lizzie.

I nodded.

‘It’s caused by her diet,’ he said. ‘And it tells you right away what she’s been up to. Those who practise bone or blood magic get a taste for blood and raw meat. But the girl seems all right.’

Then he moved his face close to Alice’s again. ‘Look into my eyes, girl,’ he told her. ‘Hold my gaze as long as you can.’

Alice did as he told her but she couldn’t look at him for long even though her mouth was twitching with the effort. She dropped her eyes and began to cry softly.

The Spook looked down at her pointy shoes and shook his head sadly. ‘I don’t know,’ he said, turning at me again. ‘I just don’t know what to do for the best. It’s not just her. We’ve others to think about. Innocents who might suffer in the future. She’s seen too much and she knows too much for her own good. It could go either way with her and I don’t know if it’s safe to let her go. If she goes east to join the brood at Pendle, then she’ll be lost for ever and she’ll just add to the dark.’

‘Haven’t you anywhere else you could go?’ I asked Alice gently. ‘No other relations?’

‘There’s a village near the coast. It’s called Staumin. I’ve another aunt lives there. Perhaps she’d take me in…’

‘Is she like the others?’ the Spook asked, staring at Alice again.

‘Not so you’d notice,’ she replied. ‘Still, it’s a long way and I ain’t ever been there before. Could take three days or more to get there.’

‘I could send the lad with you,’ said the Spook, his voice suddenly a lot kinder. ‘He’s had a good look at my maps so I reckon he should be able to find the way. When he gets back he’ll be learning how to fold them up properly. Anyway, it’s decided. I’m going to give you a chance, girl. It’s up to you whether you take it. If you don’t, then one day we’ll meet again and the next time you won’t be so lucky.’

Then the Spook pulled the usual cloth from his pocket. Inside it was a hunk of cheese for the journey. ‘Just so you don’t go hungry,’ he said, ‘but don’t eat it all at once.’

I hoped we might find something better to eat on the way but I still mumbled my thanks.

‘Don’t go straight to Staumin,’ said the Spook, staring at me hard without blinking. ‘I want you to go home again first. Take this girl with you and let your mother talk to her. I’ve a feeling she might just be able to help. I’ll expect you back within two weeks.’

That brought a smile to my face. After all that had happened, a chance to go home for a while was a dream come true. But one thing did puzzle me because I remembered the letter my mam had sent the Spook. He hadn’t seemed that happy with some of the things she’d said. So why should he think my mam would be able to help Alice? I didn’t say anything, because I didn’t want to risk making the Spook have second thoughts. I was just glad to be away.

Before we left, I told him about Billy. He nodded sadly but said not to worry because he’d do what was necessary.

As we set off, I glanced back and saw the Spook carrying Bony Lizzie over his left shoulder and striding away towards Chipenden. From behind you’d have taken him for a man thirty years younger.

As we came down the hill towards the farm, warm drizzle was drifting into our faces. Somewhere far off a dog barked twice, but below us everything was quiet and still.

It was late afternoon and I knew that my dad and Jack would be out in the fields, which would give me a chance to talk to Mam alone. It was easy for the Spook to tell me to take Alice home with me, but the journey had given me time to think and I didn’t know how Mam would take it. I didn’t feel she’d be happy having someone like Alice in the house, especially when I told her what she’d been up to. And as for Jack, I’d a pretty good idea what his reaction would be. From what Ellie had told me last time about his attitude to my new job, having the niece of a witch in the house was the last thing he’d want.

As we crossed the yard I pointed to the barn. ‘Better shelter under there,’ I said. ‘I’ll go in and explain.’

No sooner had I spoken than the loud cry of a hungry baby came from the direction of the farmhouse. Alice’s eyes met mine briefly, then she looked down and I remembered the last time we’d been together when a child had cried.

Without a word, Alice turned and walked into the barn, her silence no more than I expected. You’d think that after all that had happened, there’d have been a lot to talk about on the journey, but we’d hardly spoken. I think she’d been upset by the way the Spook had held her by the jaw and smelled her breath. Maybe it had made her think about all the things she’d been up to in the past. Whatever it was, she’d seemed deep in thought and very sad for most of the journey.

I suppose I could have tried harder but I was too tired and weary, so we’d walked in silence until it had grown into a habit. It was a mistake: I should have made the effort to get to know Alice better then – it might have saved me a lot of trouble later.

As I jerked open the back door the crying stopped and I heard another sound, the comforting click of Mam’s rocking chair.

The chair was by the window but the curtains weren’t fully drawn and I could see by her face that she’d been peering through the narrow gap between them. She’d watched us enter the yard, and as I came into the room, she began to rock the chair faster and harder, staring at me all the while without blinking, one half of her face in darkness, the other lit by the large candle that was flickering in its big brass holder in the centre of the table.

‘When you bring a guest with you, it’s good manners to invite her into the house,’ she said, her voice a mixture of annoyance and surprise. ‘I thought I’d taught you better than that.’

‘Mr Gregory told me to bring her here,’ I said. ‘Her name’s Alice but she’s been keeping bad company. He wants you to talk to her but I thought it was best to tell you what’s happened first, just in case you didn’t want to invite her in.’

So I drew up a chair and told Mam exactly what had happened. When I’d finished she let out a long sigh, then a faint smile softened her face.

‘You’ve done well, son,’ she told me. ‘You’re young and new to the job so your mistakes can be forgiven. Go and bring that poor girl in, then leave us alone to talk. You might want to go upstairs and say hello to your new niece. Ellie will certainly be glad to see you.’

So I brought Alice in, left her with my mam and went upstairs.

Ellie was in the biggest bedroom. It used to belong to my mam and dad but they’d let her and Jack have it because there was room for another two beds and a cot, which would come in useful as their family grew.

I knocked lightly on the door, which was half open, but only looked into the room when Ellie called out for me to go in. She was sitting on the edge of the big double bed feeding the baby, its head half-hidden by her pink shawl. As soon as she saw me her mouth widened into a smile that made me feel welcome, but she looked tired and her hair lank and greasy. Although I looked away quickly, Ellie was sharp and I knew she’d seen me staring and read the expression in my eyes, because she quickly smoothed the hair away from her eyes.

‘Oh, I’m sorry, Tom,’ she said. ‘I must look a mess -I’ve been up all night. I’ve just grabbed an hour’s sleep. You’ve got to get it while you can with a very hungry baby like this. She cries a lot, especially at night.’

‘How old is she?’ I asked.