"Tweren't menses, sir," she said with certainty. She was a woman, after all, and nobody had more authority on periods than women who had to suffer them. "There were splatters all over the shirt. It looked like Mister Magnus had gotten into some sort of trouble."

"There is more still," said Pearl softly, "Go on, Tilly."

"Well, I also overheard one of the other maids telling someone of a woman hiding from Magnus out of fear for what he would do to her and the baby she is apparently carrying that belongs to him. I do not know if it truly is his child, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if she truly was afraid for her life."

Pearl pressed her lips together grimly for a moment. Her family needed to be brought down off of their high pedestal. She knew that if it ever came out that she was the one who set the bell tolling, her family would never forgive her... They needed to know there were consequences to their actions. "My kidnapping happened fast and ended just as fast. I ought not to have been out on the beach alone that night, but it wasn't as dramatic as you made it out to be. I just wanted to be left alone with my thoughts as to what I came home to. Another of my many brothers attacked me verbally over this; in short, I have nothing to lose but my independence, which I risk in just being here." She sighed.

"If saving lives means I might lose my independence, then so be it. That alone should tell you something, Mister Scott."