“I don’t understand.” As surprise gave way to shock and shock to fear – where the devil was Owen?! – Scarlett gaped at her maid in disbelief. “All this time… it was you? You were the one who killed Rodger?”

“Finally some recognition.” An unnaturally wide smile stretched Ruth’s mouth as she sauntered towards Scarlett, tossing her knife from one hand to the other. “I have been waiting so long for you to figure it out. After I almost drowned you in the pond I thought for certain you would know it was me, but instead you blamed Felicity!” Her childish giggle sent a chill racing down Scarlett’s spine. “I really could not have asked for a more perfect ending.”

“But… why?” Light from an oil lamp left in front of one of the stalls reflected off the edge of the knife as it flew through the air, causing Scarlett’s breath to catch in her throat when she saw how sharp it was. “What did Rodger ever do to you? What did I ever do? I thought we were friends!”

“Friends.” Ruth stopped short. “I wasn’t your friend, I was your servant. And you never let me forget it, did you?”

“I–”

“Brush my hair, Ruth,” she mocked in a high-pitched voice. “Button my dress, Ruth. Fetch my tea, Ruth.”

“If you thought I mistreated you I’m sorry.” Scarlett’s gaze darted left and right as she searched in vain for a weapon. “But that is no reason to kill me!”

“You’re right,” Ruth said agreeably. “It’s not.”

“Then why–”

“BECAUSE YOU STOLE RODGER AWAY FROM ME!” Ruth’s shriek bounced off the rafters and spooked the horses. They whinnied and pawed, the whites of their eyes flashing as they spun in their stalls. “He loved me. He was going to marry me. And you stole him!”

She’s mad, Scarlett realized as Ruth continued to giggle. She’s absolutely mad.

“I promise you that I had no idea of your feelings.” Speaking in as calm and as quiet a voice as she could manage given the circumstances she held up her hands, palms facing outwards. “Why don’t you put the knife down, Ruth? Put the knife down and we can figure all of this out. No one needs to get hurt.”

Ruth frowned. “But I’m already hurt and Rodger’s dead. Now it’s your turn!”

She leaped forward with a feral scream, but Scarlett had been anticipating a sudden attack and she twisted to the side, narrowly escaping the tip of the knife as it flew past her face. Losing her balance she slammed hard against the wall and dropped to the ground in a crouch when she saw Ruth’s arm slash through the air out of her peripheral vision. A half second later the knife buried itself into the wood right where Scarlett’s head had been.

Scarlett did not give herself time to think. Launching her body forward, she caught Ruth around the waist and both women went flying into the dirt. The knife skittered across the aisle and slid underneath a trunk. When Ruth tried to lunge after it Scarlett grabbed her ankle and dragged her backwards.

Ruth kicked out, the heel of her boot catching Scarlett squarely in the chest. The blow sent her reeling. She fell back with a pained cry, her head striking the ground with a hard thump that left her dazed and her vision blurred. Dimly aware that if Ruth got ahold of the knife it would all be over, she forced herself to her feet.

Intent on reaching beneath the trunk to get her knife, Ruth did not notice Scarlett creeping up behind her until it was too late.

In a tangle of limbs and hair the two women went rolling across the aisle, leaving a cloud of dust in their wake. The horses continued to spin circles in their stalls, nostrils flared and eyes wide. A knee to her gut caused Scarlett’s breath to explode in a loud whoosh of air. Twisting, she managed to tangle her fingers in Ruth’s bun and gave it a vicious pull that flipped the maid onto her back. For an instant both women were side by side staring up at the wooden rafters, their chests rising and falling in tandem as they sucked air into their lungs. 

“We – have – to – stop,” Scarlett gasped. “Ruth, this is madness.”

Ruth’s lips peeled back in a crimson smile. “This is revenge.”

She rolled on top of Scarlett and managed to get one hand around her throat. Scarlett gagged, black spots dancing across her line of vision as she struggled to breathe. Just as darkness was beginning to welcome her into its cold, lifeless embrace she used the last of her strength and bucked her hips, breaking Ruth’s grip and sending her toppling off to the side.

Scarlett started crawling for the door when she smelled it.

Smoke.

Looking back over her shoulder she gasped in horror when she saw a line of brilliant orange flames licking across the aisle. Ruth stood behind the wall of fire, still cradling the oil lamp she’d used to start it.

“Ruth, what did you do?” Scarlett cried.

“You won’t get out this time. Neither of us will.” Completely oblivious to the fire as it swept up the wall, Ruth’s face turned dreamy. “I’ll see you soon Rodger.”

Fear for her own life and for the lives of the horses trapped in their stalls helped Scarlett stagger to her feet. She rushed to the first stall and threw open the door. “Go!” she screamed, waving her arms. “Get out of here!”

With a frantic whinny the horse leaped out of its stall and bolted down the aisle. Coughing, Scarlett managed to get two more horses freed before a pair of strong arms picked her up from behind. She struck out on instinct, flailing and kicking her legs.

“Lettie, it’s me. It’s me.”

Owen.

A mewling cry escaped her lips as she collapsed back against his chest. Lifting her up, he ripped off his cravat and held it over her nose and mouth to shield her from the punishing wave of smoke as he ran out of the burning barn, passing grooms and footmen who were running in to save the remaining horses. Firelight reflected off the trembling flanks of those that had already been freed and were gathered together on the side lawn. When she saw Fancy was among them Scarlett breathed an enormous sigh of relief.

Owen carried her a safe distance away before pulling his cravat away from her face. “Are you injured?” he demanded. “Is anything broken? Do you need to see a doctor?”

Scarlett’s coiffure was ripped askew, one sleeve of her dress torn completely off, and blood trickled down from a cut above her right eyebrow. But she was alive.

“I – I am fine,” she managed to croak.

“Good.” Owen’s grip tightened. “Because now I am going to have to kill you. Lettie, what were you thinking?” He glared down at her, his blue eyes as fierce as she’d ever seen them. “I told you to stay in the house! You could have been killed. If something had happened to you…” He turned his head to the side as his voice turned ragged. “I don’t know what I would have done.”

“It was Ruth.” Even as she spoke the words out loud Scarlett still could not believe it. “All this time… it was Ruth.”

“I know.” He gathered her close. “I know.”

Felicity came sprinting across the lawn, her face a mixture of trepidation and hope. When she saw Scarlett safely cradled in Owen’s arms she stopped short, leaning forward to brace her hands on her knees before continuing towards them at a more dignified pace.

“I was so worried!” Taking Scarlett’s hand, she gave it a hard squeeze which Scarlett did her best to return. The lingering effects of shock were keeping most of the pain at bay, but her entire body felt numb.

“What – what happened?” she asked, looking at Felicity and then up at Owen. “Where were you?”

“I followed Felicity down to the pond.” Owen’s expression was suffused with guilt. “I was going to confront her, but when I got there we both saw the smoke rising up through the trees. Felicity ran to the house to make sure her children were safe and I went to the stables.”

“I was trying to catch fireflies for Henry and Anne,” Felicity explained at Scarlett’s questioning glance. “That’s why I went to the pond after I told one of the grooms to ready your horse. I had no idea you suspected I was the one behind everything!”

“I’m sorry,” Scarlett said contritely. “I should have known better.”

“No, you were doing what you thought was right. Although,” she added, arching a brow, “if in the future you ever again think I have killed someone please tell me first before you come up with some elaborate scheme to catch me. It will save us both time and worry.”

Scarlett managed a wobbly smile. “I will.” Her smile faded as she happened to glance over Owen’s shoulder at the barn. Only half of it was still standing. The rest had been consumed by flames that a brigade of servants were putting out with buckets of water. “Ruth. Did she…”

“No,” Owen said grimly. “She did not make it out.”

Tears filled Scarlett’s eyes as she laid her head back against his chest. “I never suspected anything was wrong.”

“None of us did,” Felicity said quickly. “She – she wasn’t well. That much is clear.”

To think madness could conceal itself so cleverly… Scarlett gave a small, involuntary shudder and Owen’s grip tightened.

“You need to rest.” Holding her in his arms, he stood up. “As soon as you feel well enough to travel we will leave for London.”

“Is tonight too soon?” Scarlett tried to laugh, but it came out as more of a barking cough.

“Tomorrow afternoon at the earliest,” Rodger said firmly as he carried her towards the house.

She tilted her head back. “This morning you couldn’t get me out of here fast enough.”

“That was before you decided to go toe to toe with a madwoman armed only with your sarcastic wit.”  

Another barking cough rattled Scarlett’s lungs. It was probably in poor taste to laugh in the face of such tragedy, but having just survived nearly being stabbed to death and burned alive, she really did not care. “Do you know this is the third time you’ve saved my life?”

“The third and the last, I hope.”

She poked him with her elbow. “Are you saying you’re done being my knight in shining armor?”

Now it was Owen’s turn to laugh. “Is that how you see me? A knight in shining armor?”

“Yes.” She pressed her hand over his heart. “It is how I have always seen you.”

“In that case I will be there to save your life as many times as it takes.” He stopped walking to gaze down at her. Stars glittered behind him as a full moon rose high in the sky, but its glowing white light was nothing compared to the light shining in Owen’s eyes. “I am never going to let you go, Lettie. Our life together begins now. Everything that happened before… it helped lead us here, but it does not define us. From this second onward I am going to be there for you every single day. I know it will not always be easy, but as long as we compromise–”

“I do not think I like that word,” Scarlett interrupted.

Owen scowled. “Do you have any idea how bloody difficult you are?”

“Yes, I do. Just as I know you would not have me any other way.”

“You are certainly right about that.” He kissed her gently, a soft brush of his lips that left her entire body tingling from the tip of her chin to the tip of her toes. “I love you, Lettie.”

Would she ever tire of hearing those words? Their road had not been an easy one. It had been filled with ruts and bumps. They had both stumbled along the way. But every mile they’d struggled through had been worth all of the pain and the heartache and the uncertainty for it had brought them here, to this moment. And there was no other place on earth she would rather be, nor any other man she would rather be with.

“I love you, Owen. I always have. Not matter what comes, I promise I always will.” A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Even when you make me very, very angry.”

“I think that is a compromise we can both agree on.”

And so they did.