“My pleasure,” Henry said, stepping smartly forward and leaning down so that he was only a few feet above Alfred’s head. “Mr. Webster, my name is Henry Van de Berg, Mrs. Alva Webster’s attorney. I’ve been authorized to acquaint you with the New York State statutes relating to blackmail, as well as the penalties and damages relating to them. As you may be aware, extorting property from a person by accusing them of a crime is illegal under New York Penal Code section One-fifty-five.…”

“Sam,” Alva said, looking away from Alfred as if he were nothing but a bit of spilled water on the floor. “Will you carry me out?”

“Of course,” he said, reaching down and carefully lifting her into his arms. “You don’t need to—er—witness this? For your own peace of mind?”

“No,” she said, touching his cheek with her finger and smiling at him. “My mind doesn’t need to have anything to do with him. Take me outside, won’t you?”

Carefully he picked his way down the rest of the stairs and through the rooms by the light of a moon that suddenly seemed to permeate the house a little better. When they got outside, she told him to stop and tilted her head up so she could see the stars. “Rest in peace, Mary Rose de Boer,” she whispered, before looking back at Sam.

“Fifth,” she said, “I love you.”

It turned out it was actually very awkward to kiss someone when you’re holding her and trying not to jostle an injured ankle, but Sam managed it, with great enthusiasm, and continued to manage it until he heard a window slam open several feet above them and Henry shout out that he could drag Alfred (actually, he used a much ruder word) down the stairs, but it would be easier if Sam came and helped him, if only Sam could be bothered to stop kissing Alva for a minute. Sam wasn’t at all sure he could be bothered, but Alva laughed and pulled away.

“Go,” she said. “I’ll be right here.”

So he put her down on the seat of the wagon Henry had very thoughtfully brought, and since she was so pretty, and since she was going to marry him, he just looked at her until she laughed again and rapped him gently on the forehead.

“I love you, too,” he said, and kissed her one more time, and the kiss lasted so long Henry had to put his head out the window and shout.

EPILOGUE

A year later …

It was dark outside Liefdehuis, pitch black, without a moon in sight. Alva stood looking at the house, shivering inside her coat, with her arms crossed.

“If you don’t hurry up you’re going to turn your wife into an icicle!” she shouted.

“Almost there,” Sam’s voice returned. “And it’s barely below freezing.”