Charity sees a scrap of fabric from Tessie's gown in Quentin's hand and realizes that he is responsible. He revives, and Charity tells him that Tessie is still alive. What will you say? Quentin asks. That I found her in the woods, Charity replies. Is that all? Quentin wonders, grabbing her arm. She’ll die! Charity reminds him and tries to leave. Quentin promises to take care of the girl but warns Charity sternly, You’ll die too if you say you found me! She runs off. J/P strolls up a moment later and drawls that maybe he and Quentin can both use this "unfortunate event" to their advantage.
Charity stumbles back into the Great House just as her father emerges from the drawing room. Oblivious to her distracted state, he starts talking to her about marrying Quentin. Horrified, she sobs, I won't ever marry Quentin Collins!
Her father tries to bully her into it, but Charity pleads, You don’t know what he’s really like! But she’s still too terrified to say more, and in any case, Quentin’s reputation is already checkered enough that Trask doesn’t need any further explanation. But he insists, You must marry Quentin for his own sake; it is your duty to save him. No, she pleads, no one knows him! J/P returns and puts on his Jamison act to burst into the drawing room and tell Trask, I found a lady in the woods! I think she’s dying! Charity bursts into tears. J/P says it looks like the girl was attacked by an animal. Clutching at this straw, Charity says maybe it was the same animal that attacked Dorcas--and herself! Trask finally agrees to go take a look. Hesitantly, Charity asks J/P if the girl was alone. Yes, he says, with a private grin.
Freshly washed and dressed, Quentin is coming down the stairs as Charity ascends them. He gives her a bright good morning as if it were an ordinary day. You promised to take care of her, Charity reminds him. And did you keep your end of the bargain, Quentin asks? I didn’t tell, Charity answers. And are you going to? Quentin asks as he grabs her arm. Don’t you ever touch me again! Charity gasps and pulls away. You’ve answered my question, Quentin tells her: If I’m to be around to touch you, you’ve told no one. Charity hurries upstairs.
J/P tries to pull the same stunt with Quentin as he did with Magda, but Quentin isn't buying. So J/P poses some riddles instead:
Twice burned,
Once torn,
Still intact,
And fear is born.
Quentin simply stares at him. J/P tells him, It will be like insurance for you, once you find it. Here is another clue:
The secret of the Reverend Trask
Reveals the face behind the mask.
He’ll be here any minute with that girl, J/P warns, and offers the final clue:
He’s hidden it where none can see,
The paper’s where it wants to be.
Quentin finally realizes he should look in the little writing desk. He opens the drawer then turns to tell J/P the paper isn’t there. Look now, J/P tells him. Sure enough, there it is with the seal and everything. Quentin skims it and smiles with satisfaction: So they made Timothy Shaw murder Mrs. Trask, he murmurs. It’s very useful, J/P comments, especially since it’s true. Aren’t games fun, Uncle Quentin? Finally Trask arrives, carrying the girl. Quentin slips the confession into his coat pocket. Call a doctor and then the police, Trask orders him. Was she conscious? Quentin asks. That’s an odd question, Trask comments. No, she wasn’t--why do you want to know? Quentin hastily explains that he asked so he can tell the doctor. Trask takes the girl upstairs. As Quentin reaches for the phone, J/P gloats that their luck has held.
Charity and Trask have put the girl to bed in what may be Charity’s room, with the multicolor granny-square afghan. She must live so that she can help trap the animal, Trask declares. What if it’s not an animal? Charity asks. The girl comes to. What is your name? Trask asks her, but she can barely move her lips. Nod to show that you can hear us, Trask directs, and she nods every so slightly. Then she recovers a little strength, enough to say, Quentin Collins. Trask tells Charity to get Quentin, and the girl falls unconscious again.
Quentin is listening to his music in the drawing room when Charity comes down for him. Do you know her? Charity asks. No, Quentin replies. She’s just a casual friend of mine. After Quentin goes, Charity stays listening to the music as if she hates it.
Upstairs, Trask asks Quentin about the girl. He says, Her name is Tessie. All I know is that she came from New Bedford, and she spent a lot of time at the Blue Whale. Trask warns Quentin, I will be gentler than the police: You did call them, didn’t you? Quentin says he forgot, he was confused and upset. I will call them, Trask decides. It is most important that _you_ were the one who forgot, he warns Quentin as he leaves. Tessie revives and sees Quentin. When he approaches the bed to talk to her, she takes one look at him, then shrinks into the pillows with a gasp of terror. Please don’t look at me like that, Quentin begs her. But she screams, and falls back on the bed--dead.
Trask returns to the drawing room and tells Charity to call the police while he gets Beth to sit with the girl. What did he say? Charity asks. It’s not what he said, her father answers as he leaves, it’s what he didn’t do that interests me. Charity picks up the phone and starts to call the police. She has actually reached them when Quentin quietly emerges from the secret passage and stops her: Why call them? My father told me to, she replies. Quentin tells her very quietly, She’ll tell them nothing now--she’s dead. You killed her! Charity shrieks. I’m going to tell Father, I’m going to tell him everything, she wails as she beats her fists against his chest....
