Whitby's men in blue began to arrive in earnest, but Joe paid them little attention he was focused on Pearl. One of the women who worked in the building generously let the two of them use her room nearby for a bit of peace and allow them both to gather their wits.

Pearl didn't know where he took her, but she knew they weren't far. She was shaking violently. "D-did I d-do it? I didn't..." sob... "Mean to-hoo. He was a b-bad m-man but he was still my brother!"

She was in shock as well... But she was... free. She got out of the way and told her story to whoever asked, how he forced her into an unwanted marriage and how he had confessed to her about killing Olivia Carrington's fiance, as everyone suspected. She was free, she thought numbly. An incredulous giggle bubbled forth and then she too began to weep. She wanted to kick Magnus over and over for what he put her through.

He knew very well who shot the man, but he wasn't going to tell who's bullet hit the mark. He was going to shoulder the blame so his client didn't have to go through a trial for her life. It wasn't her bullet, he knew that much because she couldn't hit the broadside of a barn with the way her hand shook. "I wouldn't have shot 'im if he hadn't cocked his weapon. There were too many people and he had to be stopped. I'd do it again," he said.

Pearl didn't know where he took her, but she knew they weren't far. She was shaking violently. "D-did I d-do it? I didn't..." sob... "Mean to-hoo. He was a b-bad m-man but he was still my brother!"

"No Pearl, it wasn't you. You're fine, you're safe." Joe said softly.  In the confusion, he couldn't say for certain who had shot her brother, but he wanted to protect Pearl at all costs. He held her close to ease the shaking.

She was probably going to shake for some times, she thought as she rested her head against his chest. She held fast to him, her sobs almost silent as she mourned for a man she felt guilty for mourning. Her head lifted and she looked into his eyes, hers miserable. There was no telling her the tears didn't look good, for she knew they didn't. In fact, nothing about this felt good to her at all. Her brother was dead and she had possibly shot him. What would her father think of her? She didn't care what her siblings might think, but to devistate papa in such a manner? God, that would hurt more than anything in the world, she thought. And so would hurting Joe, she suddenly thought. "If you don't ever want to see me again after what happened tonight, I will understand." She lifted her chin a little.

At some point, Gareth stopped trembling. That's when he realized that this was the story of a lifetime. He walked over to the prostitute whom the murderer had been looking for and eagerly listened to her story. "Question for the Whitby Gazette, ma'm. When did you realize the man was a murdering maniac?"

She looked at him as if he had grown horns. "When he forced me to marry him," she muttered, "I knew something was wrong." The woman's accent was thicker with emotion than it normally was. "I tried to tell people but..." she trailed off and began to weep anew, her pretty face twisted in grief and sheer relief at no longer being married to a psychopath. She didn't have to be a courtesan anymore either!

She was probably going to shake for some times, she thought as she rested her head against his chest. She held fast to him, her sobs almost silent as she mourned for a man she felt guilty for mourning. Her head lifted and she looked into his eyes, hers miserable. There was no telling her the tears didn't look good, for she knew they didn't. In fact, nothing about this felt good to her at all. Her brother was dead and she had possibly shot him. What would her father think of her? She didn't care what her siblings might think, but to devistate papa in such a manner? God, that would hurt more than anything in the world, she thought. And so would hurting Joe, she suddenly thought. "If you don't ever want to see me again after what happened tonight, I will understand." She lifted her chin a little.

Joe was silent for a moment, reflecting on the events that had led him to this point, from their initial encounter at the railway station, the dinner for two, his dismissal, Rose's wedding and their quiet chat, now the events of tonight. She was right, he could leave, he probably should, that would be the safe thing to do. Joe took her hand gently.

"Pearl, you are a remarkable woman.  I've only known ye for a short time, but I want to know ye better. I said I'd stay, and I mean it.  Whatever happens, I'll be right 'ere with ye. Count on it."

She pressed herself to him again and seemed to calm down a little bit. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. How does one ever speak about such unspeakable things to someone?" Pearl gave a sigh and looked at him with a sad look. "Thank you for being here." She wished she could take him home, climb into bed and just... sleep. The whole ordeal exhausted her so.

Her eyes searched his, lashes wetly spiked and tears still streaking her face. She wished she could stop crying but it was hard when one just lost someone they loved, no matter how evil they turned out to be. Even worse, she had possibly killed him. "I need to tell my papa," she whispered.