Ruth was just finishing her work for the day, an unopened missive in her apron pocket. She had left Jacob with Pearl for the week so she could take time to herself. She missed him but she wanted very much for him to get to fall in love with his aunt's and uncles, and Pearl insisted she take care of the boy.

After carefully putting things away, she headed into the hallway. She pulled the letter out and finally looked at it and then realized she recognized the name as the one who was hired by Edward's family. Taking a deep breath, she slowed to a hault and then carefully opened up the missive.

She started to read, then put her hand over her suddenly fast heartbeat as the words jumped out at her... Bigomy.... She was never Angus' wife in truth.... He'd married more than a handful of women in order to procure funds... He had only used her.

Part of her wanted to feel so very angry at the snake of a man, but she was giddy with relief and dare she feel, joy? She was gasping and laughing, and sobbing, but mostly laughing.

It was then that she took off at a brisk pace, letter clutched tightly in her shaking hand. She found the library and didn't knock, she never needed to anymore... If he was in there, he was in there, or he was in the garden, or somewhere. She would find the man and ignore anyone who asked questions.

The moment she found him, she gasped his name, "Edward, you must see this..." and offered the wrinkled paper. And wherever he was found, she still sunk to her butt, covered her face and wept.

Edward was in the library, looking up from the book he was reading as Ruth entered. "What is it?" He came to his feet a slight expression of concern on his features as he could tell she was overwrought. Accepting the letter he didn't read it right away since she'd sunk to the ground. He followed her wrapping an arm around her shoulder as he held the letter with his free hand reading over the contents.

"Oh, this is a good thing. The marriage has been annulled so he has no claim over you."

It struck him then that perhaps she was crying tears of joy and not anguish as he'd first assumed. But he'd been ill-prepared for an overwrought Ruth. "Congratulations, how do you feel?"

She sobbed for a few minutes, unable to speak. She did lean into him without thought. His presence brought her comfort. There were all kinds of emotions rolling through her, a mix of joy and anger and sadness, joy she could marry someone else, she could move on... Sadness for all of his children including hers, and anger for Jacob especially who would have to deal with being treated bad by people over his birth.

Ruth took a shuddering breath and wiped at her wet face. "I don't know yet.... He hurt me... But he hurt Jacob more."

She looked at her friend, her dark eyes tired as they took the sight of his face in. She found herself unable to look away with all the emotions running rampant within her. It was without thought that she found herself closing the small gap if space between them because she needed a moment to rest her head.

She felt dizzy and giddy.

Edward guided her head to his shoulder so she could rest against it. He could understand why she felt so overwhelmed about the news. Being freed from the man was good but it also made her son a bastard, a stigma that would be painful for the boy as he grew older if it was put in to the hands of the wrong sort.

"He hurt many people and he's finally paying for it. That's all we could hope for. I'll do whatever I can for Jacob, he is the sweetest boy I've had the pleasure of knowing and he deserves a good life."

All children did really but Edward couldn't help every child. He could, however, help this one and he'd do so. Not just because of his fondness for the lad but because he was quite fond of Ruth as well. Both of them deserved a better life than what they'd experienced with the shadow of Angus hovering over the pair.

She leaned into him and quietly cried for a time, her relief palpable. It was a good ten minutes before she slowed, and another five for hiccups. Then she relaxed, easing against his form as if she was meant to fit in his arms.

Eventually she lifted her head, her wet eyes focused on his face. They froze when they lifted to his and, even as she seemed to have been ready to speak, it was like she lost the words.

Her throat felt thick with a whirlwind of emotions. She was free. She was free to feel what she felt, to love someone that wasn't Angus in such a way that it hurt in a good way. She did not move, there was no kiss coming, just her eyes on his. And finally she spoke, her voice ragged and soft, "It's finally over..."

Edward could feel the release of tension in her body as she let out all the pent up emotions from an extended period of worry. He was thrilled that she was finding catharsis in the annulment and more than happy to act as her shoulder to cry on. She and young Jacob had been a great source of comfort to him to the point that he was starting to think that perhaps he could, if not forgive himself at least move on.

"I would argue it's been over for some time but this is it buried and put to rest."

He clasped her shoulder and offered her as warm a smile as he could muster. There was genuine warmth in it which didn't surprise him exactly but how easy it was to bring to light for her was.

"Ye and yer family... Ye helped set me free." She gave a soft laugh, then realized where she was in particular. In his arms. Her face then flushed red. And yet, moving away seemed impossible... She sort of froze as if transfixed.

"I had little enough to do with it, it wasn't my choice to hire you. But you belong here Ruth, you are an important member of this household. You say we've set you free and I can say the same to you. I don't know that I'll ever fully forgive myself for what I did but you've helped me to make peace with it as best I can." In her and Jacob he'd come to see something of a second chance. An opportunity to help a mother and child who had no true father.

She widened her eyes at his words. "Ye are a good man," she said thickly. Her eyes closed and she took a few deep breaths before saying, "I need to talk to ma. I will return soon." And she reluctantly pulled away before going get thissorted with her family.

Later that day after a longer visit with her mother. Her habd throbbed in the splint and Pearl was going to continue to care for the kiddo. She had her hand splinted up and in a sling, her temper had only earned her a broken hand and fingers.

She went to the library in time for supper, a time she looked forward to.

Looking up as she entered a frown crossed his face as he saw the splint. She'd not had that when she left and he came to his feet leaving his dinner behind as he crossed the floor to intercept her.

"Ruth, what happened to your hand?" Normally, his manners were impeccable so it was a rare thing for him to call her by her first name and not Miss Blacke. But she'd somehow injured herself in the short time she'd been gone and worry often trumped etiquette.