The Darkest Shore

by Karen Brooks

  Books on fishing and actually going fishing also helped. The Real Price of Fish: The story of Scotland’s fishing industry and communities by Linda Fitzpatrick, purchased at the Fisheries Museum in Anstruther, was so useful. Other books and many videos also helped set a context.

  I burrowed into contemporary accounts of what happened — as I said above, mainly from the parish records, letters and pamphlets of the period. It shows that the conflict caused by the accusations of witchcraft against these women and Thomas Brown, the notion of possession and malfeasance, caused huge schisms in communities, even though they were very religious. Add to this the other political divisions between those who supported English rule and the Jacobites (who wanted a Scottish king and the return of the Stuart line), as well as famine and poverty, and the setting was ripe for fear, intimidation and scapegoating. Once again, the more I write about the past, the more I see frightening parallels in today’s society.

  Of course, I also read some magnificent fiction, including Susanna Kearsley’s fabulous The Winter Sea and Susan Fraser King’s Lady Macbeth, the thrilling works of Diana Gabaldon and Dorothy Dunnett, and a raft of crime fiction from my favourites, Stuart MacBride and Anne Cleeves’ Shetland series, to Ian Rankin, Pete Brassett, MC Beaton and Keith Moray, among many others.

  As I wrote, I listened to a range of fabulous Scottish and Celtic music, but have to give a special shout out to Emily Barker’s ‘The Witch of Pittenweem’ (which my husband discovered as I was in the middle of editing — it’s about what happened to Janet Cornfoot and is just amazing and I had to force myself to stop replaying it over and over) as well as the rousing Bareknuckle Pipes and Drums of the Albannach band.

  Likewise, the beautiful, moving art of Davy Macdonald — I am fortunate to have two prints of the fishwives hanging on my walls (a beautiful gift from hubby) — inspired and deeply affected me.

  I hope that this book, while dark and harrowing in parts, is understood as I intend it — not only to showcase female friendship, the great bonds and love that can exist between good and decent men and women, even when all about them is unravelling, but also to honour the community of Pittenweem and especially those who fell during these bleak and terrible times. I love Scotland, from whence my father’s family and thus part of my bloodline came. It’s a magnificent country with a rich and enthralling history and present, made all the more remarkable by its wonderful, resilient people.

  Above all, The Darkest Shore is a love-letter to the fishwives and all the other ‘wicked women’ out here; a tribute to strong, resourceful women whose boldness and courage, and that of their families and the men who stand by them, is cause for wonder, celebration and commemoration.

  Any mistakes are my own and any accuracies are because of the marvellous works and research of the clever and talented people mentioned above. Thank you.

  Slàinte.

  GLOSSARY

  Bannocks: a round, flat cake made on a griddle

  Braes: hillside; slopes

  Betrump: deceive

  Bloothered: noisy fools

  Brazen besom: a local expression for a shameless woman

  Brooks: heavy cotton over-pants worn by fishermen

  Clash-bag: gossip; a tell-tale

  Clecking: chatting; gossiping

  Cleckin’ o’ women: a group of women gossiping

  Contermashus: argumentative

  Coocher: coward

  Cowking: vomiting

  Creel: woven basket the fishwives owned and which, when they walked about the countryside, were held to their bodies with a strap around the shoulders or even across the forehead

  Drackie: damp, wet and misty

  Drave: the name once given to the herring season; also used here to signify the potential for a good haul of fish or to exaggerate

  Drookin’: drenching; drookit: drenched

  Dwamish: dreamy

  Eldren: older (as in an old person)

  Fakin’ the nets: folding them properly so they will run cleanly from the boats

  Gairnsey: a fisherman’s hand-knitted jumper created on four needles with no seams; the pattern denoted the wearer (often a way of identifying a body when washed ashore); sometimes called a gansey in other parts of Scotland

  Gennick: genuine

  Gowk: fool; simpleton

  G’nirl’t: half-frozen

  Grauvit: scarf

  Haar: cold mist or fog

  Hawkit: stupid

  Hirple: limp

  Hizzie: disparaging term for a woman

  Knabbie: having means or position

  Maucht: physical strength; mightiness

  Muckle sumph: fool, idiot

  Neeps: turnips

  Neepyin: scarf a fishwife would tie over her hair

  Nithered: pinched or stunted with cold

  Nyaff: someone of no account

  Peely-wally: drawn

  Pintle: slang term for penis

  Plout (o’ rain): very heavy shower

  Quaich: bowl-shaped drinking cup

  Quhillylillie: slang term for a penis

  Ragabash: riff-raff; a motley crew

  Shieled (mussels or oysters): local word for ‘shelled’

  Skerries: rocky ridges that jut out to the south-west of the town into the Firth of Forth like skeletal hands

  Souff: a lazy person, a drunk

  Speet: very thin (local expression)

  Splewing: local word for vomiting

  Sprauchle: feeble, weak

  Sprouse: to exaggerate or brag

  Tawpie: foolish

  Tirl: kiss

  Tossel: slang for penis

  Whillywha: a flatterer

  Widdie: a wicked person

  Wuidwoman: mad woman

  LIST OF CHARACTERS

  *Denotes a real person

  Sorcha McIntyre: widow and fishwife

  *Reverend Patrick Cowper: in charge of the Presbyterian kirk in Pittenweem and member of town council

  *Nettie Horseburgh (Janet Horseburgh/White): fishwife and friend of Sorcha’s. Wife of Thomas White

  *Janet Cornfoot: fishwife

  *Nicolas Lawson: fishwife and healer

  *Beatrix Laing: married to Thomas Brown; friend of the fishwives

  *Mr Thomas Brown: fisherman and accused witch

  Captain Aidan Ross: officer in Queen’s army, in charge of troops in Pittenweem, originally from Skye

  Sergeant Stephen Thatcher: Captain Ross’s second-in-command in Pittenweem

  Jamie Dyson: young soldier from Anster

  Private Burne: soldier

  *Isobel Adam: young seamstress and accused witch; friend to the fishwives

  *Alexander McGregor: fisherman, known for his love of whisky and ale

  Laird Nicholson: owns the estate outside St Andrew’s that Dagny’s husband Kennocht manages

  Dagny McIntyre: Sorcha’s sister

  Erik McIntyre: Sorcha’s brother (deceased)

  Charlie McIntyre: Sorcha’s father (deceased)

  Astrid Grimmsdatter: Sorcha’s mother/mor. Originally from Bergen, Norway (deceased)

  Robbie McIntyre: Sorcha’s brother; prisoner of war, presumed dead

  Andrew Watson: fisherman; Sorcha’s husband (deceased)

  Davan Watson: Sorcha’s stillborn son

  James Crawford: local fisherman; drowned at sea

  Mrs Porter: local gossip

  Moira Fraser: neighbour of Sorcha’s and owner of the Labrador, Crabby

  *Bailie Robert Cook: member of Pittenweem town council

  *Bailie William Bell: member of Pittenweem town council

  *Bailie Robert Vernour: member of Pittenweem town council

  *Jean Durkie: fishwife

  *Lillie Wallace: fishwife

  Mrs Oliver: Pittenweem local

  Mr Browning: Pittenweem local

  Cameron McDougall: Pittenweem local

  Malcolm Moray: owns the local colliery

  *Margie Strang: Pittenweem local raped by stationed soldier
s

  *Isobel Courie: fell pregnant to Corporal Robert Varner

  *Corporal Robert Varner: disreputable soldier who impregnated Isobel Courie

  Widow Adams: Pittenweem local

  *William Brown/Laing: Beatrix’s husband

  *Peter Morton: apprentice blacksmith and son of Patrick Morton. Grossly afflicted by a curse laid by Beatrix Laing

  *Patrick Morton: Peter’s father and town blacksmith

  McKenzie family: local Pittenweem family

  Bailie Thomas Whyte: member of Pittenweem town council

  Seumas Cowper: eldest son of Patrick Cowper

  Mr Roberts: Pittenweem local

  *Bailie Robert Cleiland: member of Pittenweem town council

  Mr Baker: Pittenweem local

  Hetty Collins: butcher’s wife

  Mary Collins: her daughter

  Rachel Johnson: Pittenweem local

  *Mrs Dore: an accused witch from St Monan’s

  *Christian Shaw: accused a group of her family’s servants of witchcraft in 1697. Eight of them were subsequently sentenced to death

  *Margaret (Lillie) Wallace: fishwife

  *Katherine Marshal: fishwife

  Benjamin Brown: Pittenweem local

  Therese Larnarch: fishwife

  Mrs Robertson: Cooper’s second wife

  Graham Donaldson: brewer

  Michael Bruce: tavern owner

  Widow Agnes: Pittenweem local

  Mark Smith: constable of Pittenweem

  Simon Wood: constable of Pittenweem

  Gerard Stuart: constable of Pittenweem

  Angus Stuart: constable of Pittenweem

  Mr Frost: Pittenweem local

  Alick Brigstowe: former fisherman who lost a hand and was given job of Tolbooth keeper

  Mr Bollard: Bailie pro tempore

  Mr Chifley: Pittenweem local

  Burn: dog

  Crabby: Moira Fraser’s dog

  Bait: moggie

  *Richard Dugdale: Fife man, accused of being a witch and put to death

  *Margaret Jack: fishwife and accused witch

  Camron MacGille: replacement Tolbooth keeper

  Rab Burne: Pittenweem local and ne’er do well

  Dr Duncan McLeod: Pittenweem doctor — only completed a year of training in Edinburgh, so uses the title under sufferance

  Jen Hazell: fishwife

  Angus Riding: local who fell asleep on a gravestone

  *Mr Ker of Kippilaw: Advocate

  *Mr Robert Cook(e): Advocate from Edinburgh (I added the ‘e’ to his name to distinguish him from Bailie Robert Cook)

  *Earl of Rothes: Edinburgh aristocracy

  *Laird Anstruther: local laird

  Mrs Tyler: Pittenweem local

  Mr Butterworth: Pittenweem local who drank Irish spirit and almost drowned

  McDonald lads: Pittenweem locals

  Ellie Brown: Pittenweem local

  Colonel Leslie Johns: Captain Ross’s commanding officer and cousin to Earl of Rothes

  *Duke of Marlborough: also a general and in charge of the Queen’s army in Europe

  *General Overkirk: high-ranking officer in the Queen’s army

  *Queen Ann: English monarch at time

  Mr Donaldson: Pittenweem local

  *Cotton Mather: New England minister and author of many books, including about the Salem witch trials

  Callum Gregson: former councilman and mercer

  Caitlin Gregson: Callum’s daughter

  Brown family: Pittenweem locals

  Thom Jack: Margaret’s husband, fisherman and owner of valuable longlines

  Gavan Wright: lives near Alexander McGregor

  Joanna Browning: Gavin’s wife

  *Mr Iain Adam: Isobel’s father (Mr Adam existed, but I have given him a fictional first name)

  *Rebecca White: Janet Horseburgh’s daughter with a fictional first name

  Billy: Rebecca White’s husband

  Cornelia Gurr: fishwife

  *Laird Randerston: one of the officials who came from Edinburgh to speak to the accused witches

  *Laird Lyon: one of the officials who came from Edinburgh to speak to the accused witches

  *Laird Kellie: one of the officials who came from Edinburgh to speak to the accused witches

  Mrs Gower: Pittenweem local

  Private Smith: soldier

  Corporal Inglis: soldier

  *Reverend George Gordon: reverend in charge of Leuchar’s parish

  Laird Barinscliff: Edinburgh aristocrat with land near Leuchars

  Mr Craigieburn: wealthy landowner near Leuchars

  Mrs Glaren: George Gordon’s housekeeper

  *General Cutts: officer in Queen’s army, stationed in Europe

  *General Orkney: officer in Queen’s army, stationed in Europe

  *General Churchill: also known as the Duke of Marlborough

  Reginald Foggerty: English captain of ship that brings letters from the front

  Mr Murray: owns stables near Janet Cornfoot’s house

  Clem Brady: Pittenweem local

  Jenny Lawson: Nicolas’s sister and friend to Janet Cornfoot

  Mimi Foster: cousin to Nicolas and friend to Janet Cornfoot

  *Rob Dalzell: one of the locals accused of rousing the town and implicated in death of Janet Cornfoot

  *Walter Watson: man from Burntisland implicated in death of Janet Cornfoot

  Grayson Fleet: Pittenweem local, implicated in death of Janet Cornfoot

  Mr Porter: Pittenweem local

  Mrs Lentrow: Pittenweem local

  *Mr Borthwick: bailie of Pittenweem

  Mr Carter: a bailie of Pittenweem

  Jon Durkie: Jean Durkie’s husband

  Rachel Mowbray: local lass

  *Andrew Bruce: minister Patrick Cowper replaced

  *Alexander Griege: former bailie who called Nettie a witch against whom she brought charges of slander

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  This book has been one of the hardest and yet also, in a strange and inexplicable way, one of the most fulfilling I have yet written. Being based on a true story, dealing with actual people and the shocking events that unfolded, the cruelty meted out and the impact this had on the lives of those in and around Pittenweem at the time became all-consuming — in a fraught but also good way. It was so important that I represented the women and men involved as well as I could, gave them three dimensions and took them from the sometimes cold, dry pages of history or academic discourse, or even from exploitative media tales, and gave them heart, soul, courage, loves, dislikes, flaws, friendships, work, and thus, I hope purpose beyond what we know. It also became absolutely crucial, the more I wrote, researched and learned, to reclaim the word ‘fishwife’. For so long a derogatory and reductive term, used to remind women of their ‘place’ by silencing and discrediting them mainly by using the word as an insult, I hope this book goes some way to revealing what an amazing, hard-working, stoic and pragmatic bunch of women they were. I couldn’t think of anyone I would want to call friend more — so aren’t I lucky I have my own ‘school’ of fishwives who support me?

  Like all my other books, this one wasn’t written without the support, kindness, generosity and love of so many women and men, many of whom were not aware of how much their encouragement, patience, occasional query about progress, invitation to dinner and/or drinks, and ability to help me shed my self-doubt that I could do this tale justice meant. I now have the chance to publicly thank them. Before I start, I also want to pre-empt anyone I may inadvertently leave out — please know, it’s only from these pages, not from my heart.

  Firstly, I want to thank my wonderful agent and dearest of friends, Selwa Anthony. From the moment I told her about this idea for a novel about fishwives and witchcraft that had me hooked, she was too and encouraged me to pursue it. Giving me advice on where to modify a little or strengthen a theme, she was an advocate for the fishwives and their story from the get-go and I owe so much to this beautiful woman. Tha
nk you, Selwa.

  I also want to thank Jo Mackay from MIRA Harlequin and HC. From the outset, Jo was such a terrific champion of this story. She understood what I was trying to do and was determined it would get the title, cover and coverage it deserved. I am so grateful to you, Jo, for your understanding and support. I also want to thank my wonderful editor, Annabel Blay — a rock and a steady hand who guides the story ship safely into port. She also ensured I was once more working with the capable and marvellous Linda Funnell. Linda and I have worked together on all my historical fiction and I’m just so damn grateful for her insights, corrections, sharp observations, suggestions and the rest. Thank you. Thank you. A huge shout out to my eagle-eyed proofreader Annabel Adair as well. Thanks so much. I also want to thank the rest of the incredible team at MIRA Harlequin and HC — from the gorgeous Natika Palka and Sarana Behan, to James Kellow, Adam Van Rooijen, and the sensational Sue Brockhoff and to all those in marketing, sales, and the entire shebang. I so appreciate you.

  A huge thanks as well to my US agents, Jim Frenkel, and Associates, in particular, Catherine Pfeifer. Jim and Catherine are such staunch advocates of this tale and my work in general — as well as being lovely to work with — and I am very grateful to be part of their literary family.

  Then there’s my darling Kerry Doyle. Kerry, her husband Peter Goddard, my husband Stephen and I all travelled to the UK together in 2017, in particular to tour Scotland, though we also took in parts of Britain and fabulous Wales as well. Stephen and I dragged them in and out of breweries, distilleries and bookshops (yeah, we’re really crap friends) and occasionally I would peel away to do my own research. More often than not, they all accompanied me and became, particularly when we went to Fife, as transfixed and enchanted by the area and as captivated by the tale of witches in Pittenweem as I was. We spent hours together in the fantastic Fisheries Museum in Anstruther, walked miles along the coastal paths, explored the wynds of Pittenweem, the harbour, drank hot chocolate, ate seafood, were horrified by St Fillan’s Cave, quietly contemplated the Tolbooth and kirk (and back then I didn’t know a fraction of what had happened) and wandered through the graveyard. Everywhere we went in Fife and, indeed, throughout Scotland, we were greeted so warmly and with absolute generosity. It was a magic time that I hope to repeat very soon as more stories have taken root. But I digress… Kerry is one of my beta-readers and it takes a very special person to be willing to undertake such a task. They have to read a work-in-progress and feed back honestly to the writer what they think. Kerry is an experienced reader and a discerning one. I trust her both to be brutally frank yet kind when she reads — not an easy task — and she is all that and so much more. Thank you, Kerry, my lovely, my soul-sister.