Among the Darkness Stirs

“They were all involved, Henry. Dr. Beesley, Joseph, even Levi.”

He smoothed her hair down soothingly. “Dr. Beesley was falsifying the records to say they died of the plague so no one would think twice about the bodies. Then he was paying to have them transported here for his museum. This is his real passion. Levi and Joseph were helping him for money.”

“And Matron?” she said, shocked.

“She’s been arrested, too. She didn’t harm anyone, but she looked the other way and took money from Beesley and gave them money when they needed it.”

“Unbelievable.”

“We should get out of the rain. I should get you home,” he said, looking down into her face.

“It’s all over.” She sighed. “Finally.”

“It is. Except for one thing.” He pulled her closer to him.

“One thing?” she asked, looking up into his handsome face.

“Yes. There was that question I’m supposed to ask you. And remember I told you the answer already.” His eyes were warm upon her.

“I remember,” she said, smiling up at him.

“So, will you?”

“Will I?”

“Will you be my wife? Will you marry me?” He licked his lips. “I was afraid I was going to lose you, and I don’t want to spend another moment without you.”

“Yes,” she said, curling her arms around his neck as they kissed in the cold London rain.

Epilogue

Six months Later

Audrey looked over the green expansive lawn that led from the grand house to the River Yare. It was a lovely spring day, and she felt at peace with her world. Her mother and Theodocia were seated at the table that overlooked the river, both engrossed in the newspaper story about the saga of the corpses in the workhouse being put on display at the museum. The trial of Joseph Caldwell, Levi Penn, and the mastermind Dr. Samson Beesley was going on at this very moment.

Her sister, Frances, was playing in the grass with her dolls. She seemed as sweet and precious as she had always been, and Audrey was grateful the whole incident had left her unscathed.

“Mrs. Ryland,” Henry said, coming from behind her and encircling her in his arms.

“Mr. Ryland,” she returned, looking up into his face. When she had first stumbled into his arms at Green Park, she had never thought his would be the only arms she would ever want around her.

“We’ve only been married three months,” he reminded her. “I think it’s time we take our honeymoon.”

“Really? Where are you taking us on our honeymoon?” she asked him, smiling.

“Far and away.”

“Are you going to chase me to Greenland?” she asked, remembering his native Inuit story about the moon.

He chuckled. “I’ve no need to chase you. You’re my wife in this lifetime. That’s enough for me.”

She looked over her shoulder, and he kissed her swiftly.

She turned to him. “So where will we go?”

“I think we’ll start in France, then visit Germany, Switzerland, and end in Italy. And once you are sick of me, I’ll bring you home,” he teased her.

“I do love this place, Henry. I do. I love the sloping green grass and the River Yare. And I love moments like this when we are all together. But without you, it would be absolutely meaningless.”