"I think he fainted."

"He'll come to."

"Why didn't you tell him?"

"You told me never to reveal the truth to anyone."

"Yes, you are right. I'm sorry."

"Oh, I think he's waking up."

Granville opened his eyes slowly and saw the faces of the two voices at the foot of the bed. "Is it really you?" He addressed the woman.

"It is me!" she replied. With a sweep of her cloak she went to the side of the bed and took his hand. "Oh, Granville how I've missed you so much." She hugged and kissed him then wiped a tear.

"But I don't understand," Granville said shaking his head. "You died in Richmond Wood. Mother and I attended your funeral, we mourned you."

"No," Brigit said glancing back at Thomas. "How do I begin?" She looked up at the ceiling and then at the window. "That night was the longest night of my life." Like a breeze, finely dressed memories came sweeping in through the window and took their stations in the room. "I had gone to the house to let Jude know one last time that I was not interested in marrying him. We argued and he stormed out."

She blinked and looked to the far corner of the room where another memory was materializing. "In the kitchen I met Ida Richmond. She yelled at me asking why I was there, she pushed me down and insulted me. I then told her that I knew what her family was all about. I told her I knew what happened to Isaac and Catherine and that if her husband hurt my family again I would report all I knew." She shook her head. "It was stupid."

"So you've known about all of this."

"We all know," Thomas said.

"We who?"

"I'm getting to that part," Brigit said. "Thomas will you bring that list?" She asked and Thomas stepped out of the room. "Where was I, Oh yes! Ida followed me into the yard and we had a sharp exchange of words. Then she pulled a gun on me and I ran. I ran into Richmond Wood. I thought I was safe at first and then I heard the dogs. They caught up to me and one caught my leg. I kept running and fighting them off..." She shook her head. "Then I came to a door. A little door in the ground. I opened it and climbed down inside. I could hear the dogs barking and growling above my head. I don't know how long I hid there."

Thomas came back into the room and handed her a slip of paper. "I had been riding along the road and saw the whole thing," he said. "When I saw the dogs return I knew something had happened so I went into the wood to look for Brigit. Fortunately I found her."

Granville swallowed. "But what about the bloody clothes they found and the—"

"I knew a friend who had slaughtered a hog that morning," Thomas said. "We simply changed Brigit's clothes and left them there."

"But why?" Granville asked. "Why didn't you just come home and report the Richmonds like you said you were?"

"Because I was scared for my life and scared for you and our mother," Brigit said. "I made myself promise to watch over you but that soon became impossible." She showed him the paper. "These are the names of everyone who was part of old man Richmond's treasure hunting gang. When he died it splintered into different factions. Jude tangled with one and got himself into real trouble. Some joined that group but most have been killed by one or the other."

Granville read the list. "Winters," he said. "I have seen that name before."

"Mr. Winters was one of us. He was killed by Kincaid Keller's gang several years ago," Brigit said. "He had secrets and they wanted them but he took them to his grave. That's when I knew I could not go home. There were so many deaths between Richmond and Keller alone. We had to warn other's that they were coming for them and we had to fight back. So we formed the End After Knights, the EAK. It was only when I learned that Mr. Sabbath had died that I turned my attention back to Drinking Water."

"We decided that we had let it go for too long," Thomas said.

"So you who sent the list of ships. You've been helping us all this time."

Brigit smiled. "And I am so proud of you, Granville!" she said. "You solved my riddle."

"The time has come," Thomas said. "Richmond has won his last game. There will be no more suffering on account of them."

Granville sat up in the bed. "What will you do?"

"We will help your friends in Drinking Water." Brigit said. "But you...you must stay here. You are still not fit to travel and I won't have you getting hurt. By the way, my friend Tennessee thanks you for returning his pin. "

Granville nodded and rested his head back on the pillow. Like a tent folding up all of the memories left the room by the window. He watched Thomas leave then he turned to his sister. "Brigit, when all this is over will he come home to live with me again?"

Brigit touched his hand. "Oh my darling. I have a different life now. I am second in command of the EAK. I go with the wind and answer cries for justice. It's who I am now."

Granville nodded. "I wish that weren't so. But I suppose we can never get back to how we were."

Brigit stood. "No," she said. "None of us will ever be how we were. But here we are Granville. We, us Blue Bird and Red Bird Heritage, we have a chance to let Justice ring." She sat down at the harp and began to play a tune. "Flow my tears, fall from your springs. Exiled forever let me mourn...happy, happy they that in hell feel not the world's despise."

/

Ottaline climbed the steps to the house and went inside. She could smell a soup cooking and went into the kitchen in search of her sister. She set the wooden case on the table when she didn't find her there then stirred the pot. She sighed at the scent of the yummy seasonings. She didn't realize the long train ride had made her so hungry.

She went out the side door then around the house. The rabbits were in their cages and the chickens in their coop. "Hello," she called out looking around. She started to go back in the house to search for them up stairs when she heard faint voices. Looking around she realized they were coming from the coppice.

As she stepped between the tress Providence turned around.

"Ottaline, you're back!" She threw her arms around her sister. "I was so worried about you!"

"I'm all right," Ottaline said. "It is Mr. Heritage who has been hurt. He sent me back ahead of him."

"What was it he was called away for?" Idris asked.

"Oh," Ottaline said. "I'm not sure what it is myself," she said. "There still feels like there are pieces missing." She turned and watched the swans pecking at the grass.

"Well we can figure it out," Providence said.

"But the ship is due Friday and today is Wednesday," Ottaline said. "We don't have much time." They started down from the copse.

"Maybe we do have all of the answers," Idris reasoned. "You know, my wife Madeline was spurred to action by a letter she received. She was ready to let go of all that had happened here until that letter. We have received the same sort of letter."

"You mean the mysterious messenger?" Ottaline questioned. "Mr. Thomason knew him. I heard him say so to Mr. Heritage. It is strange the way things have fallen into place."

They reached the house and went in through the kitchen. Providence saw to her soup while Ottaline showed Idris the liquid inside the case.

"What is it?"

"Something the chemist made," Ottaline answered. "All I know is that it glows."

Idris nodded slowly. "Glows? Like a light!" He took the box and looked down at the vial. "Glows like a light..."

"The light house!" Ottaline gasped. "Why didn't I think of it earlier?"

Idris rubbed his chin. "But it would have to be awfully powerful to outshine the fire they set on the peak."

"Not really," Providence said and they both turned to her. "What if there were no fire on False Light Peak that night?" She shrugged.

"Providence you are a genius!" Idris declared spinning her around.

"I am?"

"Yes," Idris said. "I've got it." He surprised his own self. "Sabotage sabotage."

"What does that mean?" Providence asked.

"It means we will have to sabotage the Richmonds' plans in order to stop them," Ottaline explained. "But that also means we have to wait until the night of. It's going to be a close call."

Idris sank down into a chair. "A close call with no room for mistakes," he said. "And you two will have to help."

"I'm not afraid," Ottaline said. "I'm ready for anything." She looked back at her sister. "For Daddy and Mama."

Providence put her hand on her shoulder. "For Daddy and Mama." She looked down at her feet. "And Ottaline, when we win this, remind me that I have something very important to tell you." She turned to Mr. Idris as he sister frowned. She hated to say when while her mind was thinking if.

/

The rain on Thursday soaked the land. Providence sat on the porch listening to the train whistle down at the depot. Once she had lived on the other side of those tracks while the middle class blended into the town and the rich looked down on them all from the hill tops. Now here she was looking down with them. When she heard Ottaline's boots she looked toward the door.

"Are you sure you can't tell me now?" Ottaline asked joining her on the swing.

"I want it to be a surprise," Providence said.

"Does it have anything to do with the letter Mr. Idris was writing?"

"Don't guess!" Providence said. "For once, Ottaline, try not to be a detective."

Ottaline laughed. "All right I won't guess," she said then sighed. "It sure get's quiet when it rains."

"Ottaline?"

"Yes."

"You said you would never stay in a place that didn't allow me," Providence said. "But is it also true that you would go with me where ever I went?"

Ottaline thought. "Why?"

"Well because I know you wish you could marry Mr. Heritage and if that happened then you wouldn't come with me."

"Oh," Ottaline put her arm around her sister. "Don't think about that, Rovy. I mean sure one day I would like to be married but right now I want to be with you."

Providence smiled. "I am glad," she said. "You are going to truly love the surprise!"

Ottaline laughed. "That is if it still remains a surprise."

"Ottaline!"

"All right all right, I promise not to guess or snoop or pry..." Ottaline laughed. "Say, Rovy what will you do when I get married?" she asked. "Surely you don't want to stick with me and my husband all the time."

Providence leaned back in the swing. "I'll ride Bach across the sky!" She declared making her sister laugh. The wind blew sending a chill through them both making them shutter. "Did you feel that?"

Ottaline nodded and got up from the swing. "We had better go inside before we catch cold.

Providence agreed and got up from the swing. Before going inside the house she took a look at Mr. Richmond's home over yonder. All the windows were dark. The dark windows, the rain, the wind and the eerie chill all spoke like a loud voice. Like the loud voice commanding the charge on a battle field it spoke out. The war for Drinking Water had begun.