"It is quite a tale... Well... here we are." They arrived at the farm and Tobias helped Elijah get off the horse. "I'll unsaddle t' horse. You go ahead. It's through that door." He gestured. "Me sister is there."

It was warm inside, with a coalfire burning fiercely. Alice was asleep, lying on the sofa, close to the fire. Anne was asleep on an improvised bed on the floor, also close to the heat of the fire. Both girls wore dresses that weren't their own, their own clothes hanging to dry from wires suspended just below the ceiling. Both of them were covered with heavy quilts.

A dark-haired woman came out of the kitchen. She was somewhat younger than her brother and had a round face with dimples in her cheeks. She put her finger to her lips. "Good to see you, constable." She spoke softly. "I'm Bess. I'm afraid the girls have a bit of sleep to catch up on, after such a terrible night. Would you like some tea?"