Free Witch Hunt (Witch Finder 2) by Ruth Warburton Page B

Luke.
    ‘Rosa?’ Luke stared down at her from Brimstone’s high back. ‘What’s happened? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.’



For a moment she could not speak, she only scrabbled desperately for a hold on Brimstone’s saddle, until Luke grabbed her arm and hauled her up in front of him.
    ‘What’s the matter?’ he asked again. ‘You’re shaking.’
    ‘I’ll tell you in a moment,’ she managed, and she gave Brimstone a kick that set the poor horse into motion with an indignant lurch. ‘Let’s just get out of here.’
    ‘Hair dye!’ laughed the young lady behind the counter. She put her hand to her own beautifully sculpted coiffure. ‘What’s that for then?’
    ‘That’s my business,’ Luke said uncomfortably. He felt in his pocket for the shillings that rattled there. Already the cache felt uncomfortably lighter than last night.
    ‘Surely you’re too young to be going grey?’ the girl said. She looked up at him through lowered lashes, her eyes sparkling.
    ‘As the gentleman said, that’s his business, Millicent!’ barked a man from further up the counter. He came down and put a small box in front of Luke. ‘I do apologize, sir. Young ladies like their joke. Will this shade do, sir?’
    Luke looked at the box. It was called ‘Autumn Gold’ and a coloured spot on the lid showed an odd clay-like beige.
    ‘I’d like it a bit darker if you have it, please.’
    ‘In that case . . .’ He rummaged in a cupboard behind his head and then turned back with a second little box. ‘Try Beech Grove, sir. Gives a lovely mahogany tone.’
    ‘And how do I – you know . . .’ Luke wished the stupid girl behind the counter would stop making eyes and laughing at him from behind her hand. He wanted to sink through the floor. ‘How do you put it on?’
    ‘Make a paste with a little water, rub it on and then wash off after half an hour. It will stain clothing while it’s wet, so we recommend drying the hair thoroughly before dressing.’
    ‘Thanks.’ Luke took the box. The spot on the top looked mud-coloured, which was probably as good as they were going to get. ‘How much?’
    ‘One and thruppence.’
    Christ. Luke nearly groaned aloud. Another chip off their precious stash. He pushed the coins across the counter and pocketed the small box, and then strode bad-temperedly across the town square and down to the river where Rosa was waiting.
    Brimstone was still grazing in the field where Luke had left him, but there was no sign of Rosa as he crossed the stone bridge to the far side of the shore. He was just getting worried when her small worried face peered out from beneath its shadow.
    ‘Who’s that trip-trapping over my bridge? Ain’t that what you’re supposed to say?’ he called down. It was a thin enough attempt at a joke, but she was smiling as he slid down the bank to join her by the shallows.
    ‘Are you saying I look like a troll?’
    ‘About as much as I look like a billy-goat gruff. Bad news. We’re another shilling down.’
    ‘A shilling!’ Rosa was scandalized. ‘Is that how much hair dye costs?’
    ‘I’ve no idea. I’m not in the habit of dying my hair. A shilling and thruppence, to be exact.’
    ‘I had no idea it would be so expensive. We’d better get our money’s worth. Should we do me first or him?’ She nodded up the bank at Brimstone. Luke bit his lip.
    ‘Dunno.’ He looked down at the packet. ‘It looks pretty small. Let’s do him first. I’m worried there won’t be enough to cover your hair.’
    ‘I might end up being cropped for a boy yet,’ Rosa said. Luke felt a smile twitch at the corner of his mouth.
    ‘You’ll need to ditch the corsets first.’
    They squatted by the river’s edge, mixing the powder to a paste on a flat dipped stone. It smelt foul, and Rosa made a face as Luke stirred it with a stick.
    ‘If I were Brimstone I’d run a mile before I let you put that on my nose.’
    ‘First of all, you’ll be Brimstone in a second,’