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‘Mr Wills? Hello, it's Maggie Rose here: Mr Skinner's personal assistant. I'd like your help on something, but I'm calling from Schiphol Airport, and I haven't much time.'
`Yes, Miss Rose. What on earth are you doing in Holland?'
I'm travelling back from Germany. I've been to see Lisa Soutar.'
Rose could almost hear Wills sit bolt upright in his chair. Oh yes! And was your trip worthwhile?'
`By God, but it was! You should see what she's got. I'll tell you all about it, but not over the phone. The important thing is that I've traced the Witches' Curse, right back to the source. It was written down in 1598, by Matilda Tod, who seems to have been Aggie's sister. She passed it on at some point to one Elizabeth Carr, and that's how it came into Lisa's family.
`What I don't know is who Elizabeth Carr was, and why Matilda Tod should have handed on the tale with its condition and its warning to her. I wonder if you'd be prepared to help me find out? Could you research the contemporary records of the Parish of Longniddry, or whatever it was called then, to see if you can find any trace of an Elizabeth Carr? All that I can tell you about her is that she married a man called Tullis, and gave birth to a daughter named Frances in 1623.' She stopped, and a tone in her ear signalled the passage of another minute.
`Well, would you do that for me? It'd save time, and I'd persuade the boss to authorise a fee.'
Wills laughed. 'I'd be happy to help. And you can forget the fee. I smell a doctorate in this!'
Oh no,' said Rose, emphatically. 'The story of the curse has to be kept secret, at least until Lisa says otherwise. The women of her family have guarded it for four hundred years. If it's published without Lisa's agreement it'll be a breach of trust… and more besides.
I mentioned a condition and a warning. The condition is that only a Kinture, or the sovereign of the day may hear the tale. The warning is that anybody who betrays the secret will have to answer to the Devil himself! My warning is that Mr Skinner would take the view that all this, bizarre or not, is evidence in a murder investigation.'
In that case,' said Wills, 'I will respect Lisa's wishes. I might not be too bothered about Beelzebub, but I wouldn't want to fall foul of Bob Skinner!'