As he lowered the gun to take aim, the doors were flung open and Harry burst in, followed by Joe. Startling the culprits, Joe tackled Morris, while Harry leapt at Meaker, knocking the gun out of his hands. As it fell there was an almighty bang. Joe was sent sideways to the wall, but all eyes went to Morris, his body sprawled across the floor at Bridget’s feet. There was a look of panic on his face as he clutched his chest. ‘Oh Jesus!’ His shocked face was turned up to Bridget, the eyes bright with tears.

Quickly Harry lashed the farmer to the centre beams while Joe pushed Morris aside and began untying Bridget.

Rushing across the room, Harry fell to his knees, tearing at the ropes that bound her. ‘Watch the other one, Joe,’ he said. ‘I’ll see to Bridget.’

When he had her free, he took her in his arms. ‘You’re safe, sweetheart,’ he whispered. ‘I’ve got you.’

When, with a twinge of sadness, Bridget looked down, it was to see Bob smiling at her. ‘I’m sorry, my lovely.’ His voice shivered with pain. ‘I did love you though.’ Then he closed his eyes and was no more.

With the culprit tied to the cart-shaft, and Bridget wrapped in a blanket in the back, they began their way home; along by the spinney, and travelling slowly so as not to jar the cart too much.

Up front, Joe drove carefully, while Harry stayed close to Bridget, his arms about her and his face close to hers. ‘I heard you tell him,’ he whispered. ‘Is it true? Do you really love me?’

Through her pain Bridget smiled. ‘Did you find Ruthie?’ Smiling secretly, he reached over her to a nearby blanket. Lifting it at the corner, he revealed a small sleeping face. ‘I think this belongs to us,’ he said, and when she saw Ruthie there, fast asleep without a care in the world, she cried in his arms.

‘Where did you find her?’ she asked and taking hold of the girl’s tiny hand she pressed it lovingly to her face, tears of joy welling over.

As they reached the other side of the spinney, Harry pointed to a wagon half-hidden there. ‘Fay told me how you thought Ruthie might have tracked Fanny and the boy out here, and you were right. Fanny must have parked the wagon here when she went to the farm that night. Ruthie found it, though God only knows how. Anyway, that’s where I found her… sleeping off the adventure.’

‘How can I ever thank you?’ Bridget touched his face, her heart filled with gratitude. ‘Just now, you asked me a question,’ she whispered. ‘And yes, I do love you, with all my heart.’

‘And is Ruthie mine?’

Bridget nodded. ‘How could you not know,’ she asked, ‘when every gesture, every smile, reminds me of you?’

Ashamed, she asked his forgiveness for deceiving him all these years.

‘I know why you did it, and I can’t be angry.’ He held her to him. ‘I’m a lucky man,’ he murmured.