“I mean, how did you float like that?”
The woman stared back. “I was swimming. I had to, because that fool knocked me overboard.” She glared at Élisabeth, who was still on her knees in the sand, clasping her hands.
“I’ve seen my brothers swim in the river Orne.” Élisabeth’s voice trembled, her eyes widening. “What you did was not the same. You looked like a—like a sea serpent. Rising and plunging and breathing all at the same time, and with the weight of your wet dress—it is unnatural.”
The sorceress raised her chin, the moonlight revealing the haughty arch of her lips. “What do you mean, unnatural?”
Élisabeth said no more and Marthe didn’t wonder that she’d lost her nerve. It was risky to challenge a magical creature at any time, let alone under a rising moon.
The woman gave the sisters a fierce look.
“Do you mean to stand and gawk at me?”
Élisabeth stammered, “I-I’ve just never seen anything like that before.”
“That’s hardly a surprise. You’re a peasant. You’ve probably seen very little in your life.”
A rush of indignation bloomed in Marthe’s chest but Élisabeth only pressed her lips tightly together and stared back. Then she turned and walked away. When she had gone ten paces, she kneeled, made the sign of the cross, and lay face down on the sand, stretching her arms wide in supplication.
“I confess to almighty God that have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault.”
Marthe rushed to her sister’s side. “Lili, you are taking it too much to heart. The boat was overfull. Just apologize and the lady will forgive you.”
“I will not apologize toher,” Élisabeth mumbled into the sand.
“Then get up!” Marthe glanced around to see if the others had noticed Élisabeth lying prostrate on the beach. This was too much piety.
“Leave me be, Marthe.”
“If you want to praise the Virgin for our safe arrival, then we shall gather the others and all give thanks together.”
“Holy Virgin, with the help of Thy grace, I resolve to sin no more.”
Marthe stared, helpless to stop her sister’s excessive display. When something in the sand crawled across Élisabeth’s chest, she jerked away from the ground and raised herself onto her elbows. The look on her face was utterly forlorn. “I feel the same. No better at all.” She nodded at the woman in velvet, now wringing water out of her petticoats. “Perhaps that is why the cure to my suffering has not worked. I am beset by witches.”
“You broke your crown during the storm. The captain said it could take months to recover from such a blow.”
Élisabeth ignored her and began to work her hands in the peculiar pattern she had developed. “Queen of Heaven, by the help of Thy grace, cleanse my body and my soul. Rid me of evil—”
“Lili! Stop, that woman will hear you.”
Though Élisabeth fell silent her hands continued to twist. Marthe knew she should calm her sister and tell her that she believed what she said about the woman in the velvet dress—after all, Marthe could see she was sparkling with magic—but she felt suddenly weary. She let her sister pray and stared back out at the river. The rowboat was gliding back to shore carrying the rest of the women. One of the brides had started singing, her voice clear and high, making it seem as if the craft was drifting forward on an eerie charm rather than the strength of the rower’s arms.
“Quand j’étais fille à marier j’étais belle et galante
Quand j’étais fille à marier j’étais belle et galante
Beaucoup d’amants venaient me voir à minuit dans ma chambre…”
The skiff scraped up on the rough sand and the remaining girls stepped out of the boat. Their sisters of the sea rushed to join them, chattering and gazing at the New World around them. The dark woods stared back, hiding whateverlay along the forest path: a warm hearth, a good man, healthy children? Or all their deepest fears come true?
One by one theSaint-Jean-Baptistebrides fell silent and drew closer to each other, sheep nervous before shearing.
All except one.
7
A sunbeam danced across Élisabeth’s cheek. Her eyelashes fluttered, and for a moment she could not remember where she was. Papa would soon bid her to tend to the chickens before the foxes did, so she should make a start on her chores. She opened her eyes and winced against the bright sun.
