The Third Epoch

With Hartright's support the two ladies return to London. Assuming the identity of Hartright's sisters, and he too using an assumed name, the menage set up home above a shop in London's East End.

Hartright supports 'the family' by making engravings for newspapers. Miss Halcombe attends to the domestic work, and very slowly Laura recovers. But her recovery takes many months. During this time they must hide because they know that Percival Glyde and Count Fosco will be looking for them, and wanting to return Laura to the asylum.

Hartright and Marian Halcombe decide that the only course open to them is to investigate Glyde's secret, and then put him under pressure to confess what he knows of the plot to defraud Laura.

Firstly he sees Mrs. Clements, the lady who helped Anne Catherick. She has no idea of the secret, and wonders if Anne Catherick ever did? She tells Hartright that Glyde and Anne Catherick's mother were well acquainted. When Mrs Catherick's husband was the Parish Clerk they spent a lot of time together. Anne was born around this time, and subsequently Sir Percival left the immediate area.

But when Hartright visits Mrs Catherick he is not made welcome, nor will she share any information about 'the secret'. She is dismissive, and derisory in her attitude toward him, confirming only that the only news she would like to learn from him would be that of Glyde's death.

Hartright next visits the Parish Church where Mrs Catherick's husband was once the Parish Clerk. Hartright discovers a compressed  entry for the marriage of Glyde's parents, in the register. The clerk tells Hartright that there is another copy of the register held by 'The Vestry Clerk' in a nearby town. Sensing that perhaps this second register may in some way help him Hartright goes to the office where it is kept, and finds that the entry of Glyde's parents' marriage is missing.

Hartright realised at once that if Glyde's parents weren't married, and that the parish register entry is a forgery, then Glyde could not be the legitimate heir to the Baronacy, nor its estates.

He rushes back to the Church, only to find it in flames. Someone has made a fire in the vestry and they are still in there. Horrible screams can be heard from a man trapped inside. Hartright marshals the villagers and does his best to save the man. Their efforts, however, fail. When finally they are able to enter the vestry they find the charred remains of Sir Percival Glyde.

When she learns of Glyde's death Mrs Catherick writes to Hartright, but does not sign her name. She confesses to helping Glyde with the forgery in exchange for financial support and a gold locket. It seems that Glyde's parents were unable to marry because the mother was already married to aonther man.

But Hartright and the sisters are no further forward. Without Glyde they cannot use the secret to obtain a confession for his part in the false imprisonment of Laura,

On Glyde's death Hartright and Laura Fairlie, (Lady Glyde), are free to marry and do so almost at once. Some months pass and it seems that the trio are no nearer resolving the injustice that has befallen Laura, (now Mrs Hartright).

Now fate takes a hand and begins to resolve the problem. Hartright meets with Professor Pesca an Italian emigre, (and also the man who introduced Hartright to the opportunity to work as a painting instructor at Limmeridge House). Hartright discovers that Pesca is a member of an Italian Secret Society and by following Fosco, he contrives to bring the two men together at The Royal Opera House. Pesca does not recognise Fosco, but Fosco certainly recognises Pesca, and in turn seems to be identified by a mysterious stranger. The deduction is that Fosco is a 'marked man', a traitor to the secret brotherhood.

Hartright now confronts Fosco at his home, and using what he has deduced 'persuades' Fosco to write a confession by threatening to notify 'the brotherhood' of his whereabouts, and what appear to be plans for an immanent departure.

Fosco's confession shows that Anne Catherick was abducted by him, but died in his home prior to Laura , (Lady Glyde), leaving Blackwater House. He helps Hartright to identify the cab driver who can establish the date that Laura, (Lady Glyde) arrived in London and thus establish a difference in the date of the doctors death certificate, and the arrival of Lady Glyde. But part of this agreement Hartright promises that no attempt is to be made to take from his wife, (Madam Fosco, Laura's aunt), ten thousand pounds that she has falsely inherited because of Laura's faked death.

With Fosco's comprehensive confession Hartright rapidly accrues the evidence required to establish Laura's identity and restore her place in society. Unfortunately Glyde has spent most of her money, the trio are honour bound not to pursue Madam Fosco.

Hartright and William Kyrlie, the family solicitor confront the uncle Squire Fairlie with the evidence and he is forced to accept Laura as his niece. Her name is removed from the tombstone, and Anne Catherick's placed there instead. Laura subsequently gives birth to Hartright's child, a son.

Fosco is assassinated by 'the brotherhood' in France. Later Frederick Fairlie, the uncle dies and the Limmeridge Estate passes to the baby son of Laura and Walter Hartright.