Vera looked herself over in the mirror before nodding to herself. Yes… yes, this would do just nicely.

One thing that always annoyed her was how easily men could fade into a crowd. Because they controlled so very much of the world no one truly batted an eye when they saw a man wandering about. It was assumed that they belonged wherever they were, simple as that. Not true with a woman. She could have owned a grand estate, purchased with her own money, with paintings of her in every hall and STILL there would have been people that would have spotted her wandering up to the door and asked if she were lost. It had made many of her schemes rather difficult, to say the least. How could she examine a house she needed to rob or tail someone that she planned to con if strangers were constantly coming up to her trying to be helpful?

It was insulting too. No one ever thought that Vera was the brains of an operation. That she was the one with the clever ideas. No no… it was always someone else. She could work with a man who had his finger half the time planted right in his nose and who dribbled drool down the front of his shirt and still more people would assume that brain damaged lummox was the leader and not her.

Yet as much as it annoyed her… it had also come in handy. Vera had no problem playing up being a member of the 'weaker' sex when the police came sniffing at her door. And let people make their assumptions… it did help when fingers began to be pointed in this direction and that. She'd destroyed John's life because he'd never thought she could be so cunning, after all!

So tonight, as she set into motion her newest plot to bring down the nice cozy life her former husband had no right to, she planned to once more make use of all this to see her plan come to fruition.

She ran her fingers along her freshly cut hair. While most women would have been aghast at chopping off their locks Vera had done so without a second though. After all, hair could always grow back and who would even notice if she wore a bonnet or the like. Phyllis had trimmed it down to a short man's cut… shorter than many men wore it, to be sure. Certainly shorter than was the style in the American West, which she'd grown used to over the last two years. But with it and her face scrubbed clean of makeup it had helped hide her feminine nature, which was exactly what Vera was looking for.

Adding to this was the purloined army uniform she was wearing. That had been rather easy to get a hold of, thanks to Downton running that foolish hospital (honestly, what were they thinking?). She had merely needed to wait until the right moment and then hurried down to the yard where some of the nurses had been hanging the clothing up to be dried, snatching a uniform slightly bigger than her own size. She and Phyllis had done minor alterations but for the most part kept the entire thing the same. The bagginess was a blessing as it let her pad out the front just a touch, disguising her breasts and making her look like a soldier that had gained a bit of weight while stuck in a bed.

"I think we are ready," she said to Phyllis who was shifting a touch where she stood at the other end of the room. Two suitcases that she'd had Phyllis buy in Ripton (because the owner of the home they were currently hiding in had taken his with him when he'd left to travel, the bastard) sat next to her. They were stuffed with the normal items, such as garments for them to change into, but also had the home's fine china, all the money that Vera had managed to sniff out, and a few other odds and ends that would help them in their travels to Europe.

'Everything to start a new life for me and John's brat,' she thought to herself.

"I think we are," Phyllis said softly. She didn't like what they were about to do but she hadn't objected, which showed that the woman was smart. Vera might even let her life after all this… though that was very unlikely. She didn't need any loose threads or loose lips. "Do you still think we need to burn the house down?"

"No," Vera said after a moment. "We've removed all traces we stayed her and the old man shouldn't be back for another week, meaning that there is less of a risk of anyone deciding to check this building. If we burn it people will put two and two together." Phyllis sighed in relief at that and Vera rolled her eyes. "Don't get soft on me now. The hard part is about to happen."

"I know," the other escapee said as Vera walked over and offered her arm.

The plan was simple… as were all the best plans in the world. The two of them would wander down to the village after all had gone to sleep. Night had fallen and per Vera's own observations the Grantham Arms was locked up tight for the night save for the kitchen door. John and his brainless bride would be asleep, unaware of what was going to happen. It was late but not so late that the few that might still be up would think much of a soldier walking with a woman; they'd assume she was someone from the hospital who'd snuck out for a bit of fun with a lady friend. It happened. They'd make for the hotel, Vera would sneak inside to claim the baby, and then they'd hurry to where they'd stash the suitcases and make for the milk train that was scheduled to leave in an hour. Buy their way on by claiming the boy was sick and by morning they'd be hopping another train destined for the coast. After that Vera would find a boat and they'd be in Europe, lost in the fog of war.

Perfect.

There was a full moon out but it was also cloudy with a fair wind. Which is exactly what Vera wanted as it meant that there was enough light to guide her towards the village but with the right timing the night would become dark and she would be harder to spot as she made off with the squalling babe. She and Phyllis walked through the forest, putting on a grand show of cuddling up to each other even if Phyllis was a stiff as the trees they ambled past. Soon though they reached the edge of the village and they left their suitcases tucked in a bush, ready to be retrieved, and made their way into the village.

Vera did all her best not to sneer at the 'cozy' and 'cute' and 'peaceful' little hamlet that Downton tried to pretend itself to be. Oh, she knew different… she knew there were secrets that were being hidden all over that no one wanted to admit. A neighbor stealing from another. A husband who smiled politely to the neighbors before he went home and beat his children and his wife. Everyone was a sinner just some failed to admit it. She looked at the houses and wondered which ones were truly empty at the moment and which ones were only lacking people because the lady of the house had gone up to the Abbey in order to spread her legs for Lord Grantham. Rich bastard had probably stuck his cock in half the quims in the village and the other half soon enough. And all would smile and pretend that everything was Godly and perfect in their village.

The Grantham Arms loomed before her and Vera smiled even as she leaned into Phyllis, letting any potential watchers merely see her as a drunk soldier trying to cuddle with his favorite (at the moment) gal. The back door stood there, waiting and at the ready, and Vera smile before she finally turned to Phyllis.

"Hang back until I come out. If anyone comes by…" she nodded towards a shovel that had been left nearby. Phyllis swallowed at that but nodded; the woman was clearly more scared of angering Vera than she was of spilling blood. Good. As it should be.

Vera looked about once… twice… three times… before finally making her way towards the door. This was it. The moment of her grand revenge. When she took the first step of truly paying John Bates back for all her misery. Everything that had happened would be made right in this moment. She'd take his son, twist him against John, and then set him loose upon the broken fool. It was almost… Biblical… in its justness.

"Heh," she murmured to herself before taking hold of the knob and twisting it, the door silently swinging open.

PAIN!

Vera fell to her knees, explosions flashing in front of her eyes, her entire skull feeling like it was coming apart. She felt warmth in her mouth and realized she had bit through her own tongue and as she tried to breathe she choked on the blood that was gushing from the wound. She heard footfalls and tried to move only for agony to blast through her back, forcing her to slam down onto the ground.

"We got her!" someone called and Vera dimly felt rough hands grab her and haul her up roughly. She tried to struggle but everything hurt so very much and all she was able to do was squirm for a moment before letting out a gasp that sent more blood gushing onto her stolen uniform.

"Hello Vera," a familiar voice said as she heard a click and felt the cold kiss of handcuffs encircle her wrists. It was the fucking Pinkertons! How… how had they- "Good job," the agent said and Vera finally forced her eyes open to gaze at Phyllis, who was holding the shovel in her hands, glaring at her with utter contempt before shaking the Pinkerton's hand.

~MC~MC~MC~

"See now, your mummy and daddy were rather silly to think you'd be an inconvenience," Robert Crawley said as he walked about the drawing room. Anna and John watched on, bemusement leaking through their nervous features, as the Lord of Grantham gently bounced their son as he walked about the room. Matthew, Sybil, Mama, and Tom were also there, as was Dr. Clarkson and Mrs. Hughes. Honestly at this point Robert should have invited the entire hospital to spend the tedious hours with them. Of course he couldn't have done that… the Pinkertons weren't happy this many people knew of the plot. But Robert had refused to hide this information from those closest to him and thus they'd been invited to help him keep John and Anna company as they waited for news.

"You're rather good at that, papa," Sybil said with a smile. "I would have thought you'd find babies rather troublesome. Horrible little things that leak all over and all that."

"Mary bled out any fears I might have had," he said, keeping his voice low and soothing. Noah was getting rather big but was still small enough for Robert to easily hold onto. The babe was all befuddled by the change to his routine and thus after Anna and John had been nearly reduced to yanking on their hair to get him to calm down Robert had taken it upon himself to try and comfort the little chap and had succeeded… much to the shock of the others. "You and Edith were fine enough but Mary…"

"Oh yes," mama quickly agreed, a puckered little scowl on her face. "You two were little lambs that just liked a sweet cuddle now and then. Lillian… well, she was just a quiet little doll who barely mewled. Your sister though… never have I seen a baby go from prim and proper to spewing out the contents of her stomach so quickly." She shuddered slightly at the memory.

Robert smiled as his mother began to tell Anna and John about one time when baby Mary had had a terrible cold and seemed to be more slime than infant. It was a good story and one to take their mind off things as they waited for the news from the Grantham Arms.

It had been during one of his and Tom's lunches with John, which had become a regular thing as of late much to Robert's delight, that the news of Vera's arrival at Downton had reached them. When the Pinkertons had informed them that Vera had finally made herself known Robert had wanted to lead the charge himself and haul the woman out of the house she'd broken into. The idea that she was stalking such a good man as John, trying to ruin the happy life he'd made for himself and Anna and their son, had lit a fire under him. Everyone always wondered where Mary got her dark determination from; when she was truly enraged she could lead armies and slay dragons. In that moment Robert had shown them all it had come from his blood. He'd stood up and demanded the Pinkertons lead him to the house so he could root her out himself.

It had been Anna who had argued for a more cautious approach.

"You go now and she might escape," she'd warned them all. "She's shown that she can escape easily enough… can you honestly tell us that you can guarantee her capture?" The pinkerton agent had shaken his head at that, unable to do so. It was very likely Vera had set up traps to alert her to intruders. "Then I suggest we wait. Create the net that will slowly close around her and when the time is right haul her in."

John hadn't been happy about that… Robert either. The former because of the risk to Anna and Noah, Robert's displeasure coming from Vera staying in another man's house, stealing from him. Only two things had settled them down: first that the Pinkertons promised to repay old Mr. Phillips handsomely for the trouble; Robert had learned a few days ago that Mr. Phillips had actually been rather tickled pink that his home could help with capturing a wanted criminal. It was excitement… but there was no danger to him so it was the best kind of excitement to be sure!

The other thing had been the news from Mr. Morris who had informed them all that the Pinkertons had a spy planted to keep an eye on Vera at all times.

"I just wish they'd come up and tell us it was all settled," John complained. He was handling it far worse than Anna, though Robert supposed that only made sense because the man knew what his former wife was capable of.

"They'll come when they do," Dr. Clarkson said. "I imagine a wait is a good thing as it means they have captured her and are securing her."

"Or it means she's fled," John said darkly.

Tom though, who was stationed at the window looking out towards the village, shook his head. "I think we would have heard a commotion if she did."

"Not this far away," John argued.

"It will be fine," Anna assured him taking his hand in her own and giving it a squeeze.

Matthew walked over to Robert, looking down at Noah and smiling softly before whispering, "Do you think Anna is right?"

"I do," Robert answered back. "I think all of this was our only option. And Mr. Morris and Mr. Smith seemed professional enough." Ogden Smith was with the government and seemed to have a handle on things and while Mr. Elmer Morris, while dressing like he's stepped out of a silent movie detailing the adventures of cowboys, was a cunnng man and explained the entire trap to them, assuring them that this time they would have Vera. He'd been the one who'd suspected her of preparing to escape in the first place and selected the prisoner that would spy on her when his superiors had refused to do more.

"Her name is Phyllis Baxter," Morris had told Robert, John, and Anna a few weeks back. "She had gotten in trouble because of a con man and criminal who created a bit of a stink in America just as he did here. That was how he operated… tricking innocent women into doing his dirty work and causing them to take the fall. Ogden is still looking for the man but I didn't think it right for that poor woman to suffer. So I cut her a deal: she goes to America and becomes Vera's roommate on the boat. If they get back safely to England then I see about commuting her sentence. But if Vera escaped… like I expected her to do and time proved me right… then she was to stick with her and inform us of all that was happening. And be rewarded even further."

It was how they'd come to learn that Vera had taken over Mr. Phillips house a couple weeks back. A dead drop, as it was apparently called, of a note detailing that she was there. John and Anna had quietly gone about their lives but Robert had set about ensuring that the couple was protected. And doing so had been rather easy, considering that he had a house full of young men that knew how to use weapons. The Grantham Arms always had a soldier there who was trusted to leap to their defense if need me.

'But using them meant bringing Matthew, Sybil, and Dr. Clarkson into the conspiracy,' he thought, remembering how the Pinkerton agent hadn't been happy with that. But Robert had put his foot down: the man had allowed Vera to escape and now wanted to use John and Anna as bait to trick her into coming out into the open. He'd be allowed to do so… but only on Robert's terms.

Thus the three had been brought into the secret. Matthew himself had arranged for several men, including a smart chap named Henry, to quietly spend the night at the Grantham Arms, awake and with a loaded arm pistol at the ready should Vera manage to sneak in before the Pinkerton agents could stop her (informed only that there was a threat, not who it was). It had thankfully never come to that for Vera had made the foolish mistake of letting Phyllis in on her plot.

'And what a ghastly plot it was,' Robert thought to himself as he looked down at Noah.

"What are you thinking about?" Matthew asked him quietly.

"The evils of the world," Robert admitted. "The idea that there could be a person so twisted with darkness that she'd consider kidnapping a child purely for the desire to mold them into an instrument of revenge?" His face screwed up at that. "They say horrid things about the Germans but for the most part the soldiers on their lines are no different than ours; lads told to go and fight for ruler and country. I simply can't see any of them sinking to levels of evil on the scale of what Vera was going to attempt."

"Hatred does horrid things, I'm afraid," Matthew said softly, looking over at Mrs. Hughes who had begun to talk with Anna; she'd only learned of everything a few hours ago, when the Bates family had been quietly snuck away from the Grantham Arms and taken to Downton for their safety.

It had been a mad dash to get everything in place, once Phyllis Baxter had informed Mr. Morris that Vera meant to steal Noah that night. While Anna had been willing to continue on with their lives until Vera made a mistake and the Pinkertons swooped in she also had had her limits and actually risking Noah's life had been one of them. It had taken all of them to pull off the deception in the end. Sybil had gone down with a hidden change of clothes, dressing Anna up as a nurse and having her leave with her and a large group of soldiers. Dr. Clarkson in turn had collected Noah, using one of his largest medical bags to spirit the babe away (padded naturally to protect the wee chap who'd cooed the entire time). John had been the last, using a distraction Tom caused in order to duck away though how he'd done it Robert didn't know and John had merely smiled when he'd shown up at Downton without anyone realizing he'd disappeared from the hotel.

As for the Pinkertons they hadn't been idle. They'd filled the hotel posing as guests, ready to spring into actions. It was entirely possible that it had been for naught, that Vera hadn't been spying on them as she prepared to spring her scheme, but none of them had wanted to risk her catching the scent and fleeing.

'This was much better,' Robert thought to himself as he walked over and gently handed Noah back to Anna, who rocked the boy back and forth and brushed his dark blonde locks from his shut eyes. 'A dangerous game but less risk of her slipping away.' He shuddered to think of what life would have been like had the threat of Vera remained without them knowing-

"My Lord," Carson said, opening the door, "Mr. Morris and Mr. Smith are here to see you all."

"Show them in," Robert said before moving to stand behind John, putting a hand on his shoulder and giving it a pat. His former footman was so utterly tense it was like slapping his fingers against a stone. That tension only went away by a small degree when the two men entered, their faces showing no signs of anger or rage or frustration. A good sign.

"Well?" Mama said bluntly. "I assume you have her?"

"We do," Mr. Morris stated. "Firmly secured and under a watchful eye of my most trusted men."

"Better than the last ones, I hope." Robert didn't blame his mother for saying that as honestly he was thinking the same thing.

"Very much so," Mr. Morris said with a smirk, tipping his cowboy hat Robert's mother. "My employers have learned to listen to me when I tell'em my boys are the best."

"But you do have her," John asked.

"He just said they did," Anna reminded him.

"I need to hear it again, though," John said. "I need to know you have her."

"You can see her, if you want," Mr. Smith stated. "She's in our carriage outside."

Mrs. Hughes gasped at that. "You brought that vile woman to Downton!"

"Outside of Downton," Mr. Smith stated. "Because we had a feeling some of you might wish to look her in the eye and know that she won't trouble you again."

"Quite right," mama stated. "I for one would like to have words with that vile woman who sought to hurt two loyal and faithful allies of my family." Robert found himself agreeing and he could tell from the way Anna and John looked at each other both were thinking the same thing. The only way to put this all to bed was to see Vera with their own eyes.

"I'll stay with little Noah," Mrs. Hughes said, taking the boy from Anna's arms.

"I'll watch over him as well," Tom promised, it going unsaid that even with the promises made by the Pinkertons and the British Government there was still fear that Vera might somehow try and claim the boy. Robert smiled at Tom before letting his eyes drift to a cabinet… and the rifle he'd cleaned and loaded just that afternoon which was hidden inside.

Tom would protect Noah.

"We'll go with you," Matthew said, Sybil nodding her head firmly. "As a lawyer I will stop you before you do anything to her that might land you in hot water." John managed a smile at that before a mask of cool and hard determination flashed across his features. For her part Sybil merely looped her arm through Anna's in a show of solidarity.

Robert waited until the others were moving out the door before he quietly asked Mr. Smith, "What will happen to her after this? Is there any risk of her escaping again?"

"Vera O'Malley framed a solider of his majesty's armed forces, was found in the company of a German spy, escaped from her cell and fled into the English countryside, broke into a home, and plotted to kidnap a child that has not only the patronage of yourself, Lord Grantham, but General Allen Lothrop."

"But there is still a chance before the trial-"

"She won't make it to trial, my lord" Mr. Smith said, cutting him off. "Elmer wasn't happy she escaped, even if he predicted it. He's an American… they have ways of… speeding things along."

Robert's eyes went wide. "He'll kill her?"

"There will be an accident as we are transporting her. Or maybe we'll leave something in the next cell she's in that allows her to take her own life. Whatever happens the British government will be annoyed but won't throw much of a fuss concerning it. Elmer will get a scolding in public and a bonus in secret." Robert's jaw worked at that. "My Lord, I know that it goes against what you think is right and just but-"

"I was thinking it was far too quick for the likes of her," Robert muttered. "But with the Tower of London no longer in use I suppose that it is the best we can hope for."

Mr. Smith chuckled at that. "Yes, I suppose so. Now come along, if you wish to see her we must hurry."

Robert nodded and followed after the rest of the group.

~MC~MC~MC~

"You don't have to come," John told her quietly, placing his hand on the small of her back as if he meant to push her forward and away from him, fearful that his slower pace was going to annoy her. Which was just silly because she'd long gotten used to him needing to take a few moments more to get someplace… and Anna knew that John was far faster than he let on. He was always doing that, worrying about her following after him or having to slow so he could keep up or going where he went rather than where she wanted to go. It didn't matter how many times she told him that where he went she went, he always seemed to believe that he had to put her above him.

Because of her.

"I want to come," Anna said.

"She is… my problem," he finally stated, facing screwing up in a mild scowl before he pushed off that emotion and looked down at her with his open and caring features. "You needn't bother with her."

"I don't need to but I want to," Anna told him. "I want to see her for myself."

"You've never even met her," John stated softly. "She'll be no one to you. Why not just let me go, to confirm that she truly has been captured and this matter has been put to an end?"

"Because I need to see her myself, just as you need to see her," she told him firmly, steel in her voice to make clear he wasn't going to win this argument. "She threatened everything we've built. She wanted to invade our home, lay her hands on our son-" Anna stopped herself, jaw working at the mere THOUGHT of that vile, wretched woman daring to pull Noah from the safety of his crib, where he knew only warmth and love, and subjugate him to whatever foulness her 'tender mecies' would entail.

"I'm sorry," John said as they descended the stairs. "I did this-"

"YOU did nothing!" Anna snapped back, stopping two steps above John so that, for once, he was forced to look up at her. "It was her. That woman… I don't know if she ever truly loved you but if she did those feelings fled quickly. No one who loves another person could or would abuse them as she did you." Anna reached out and forced John to look up, to stare into her eyes and see the proof. "I'm not going to let you anywhere near her by yourself. She tried to harm you and that means she tried to harm me. I will look her in the eye to confirm for myself that she will never harm us again."

"She won't be pleasant," John warned her with a sad little smile. "Vera's tongue is sharp."

"Have you forgotten who I used to dress each night? Vera O'Malley has nothing on Lady Mary Crawley when she was in a true snit." John chuckled at that and Anna smiled, heartened that she was able to get him to feel something other than melancholy and dread over what they were about to do.

Honestly she was more worried for him than he was for her. John feared for her because he thought her brittle and in need of protection, like a piece of fine glass that must be carefully wrapped before being placed into storage. But Anna wasn't some fragile thing that fell apart in the face of a slight breeze. She had dealt with pain and agony and horror that even John didn't know about and had come out the other side far stronger than even she would have suspected. John though? He cared too much. Oh, he hid it well behind a persona of kindness and ease, brushing off the slings and arrows of the world with a self-deprecating smile. But she'd never forget the times she'd seen him cry, in his weakest moments when he thought himself alone and thus safe to express what was truly in his heart. For others he would move the world but for himself he could never raise his fists and defend his own person.

'And that's why I have to go,' Anna thought to herself, heart thundering in her chest not from nerves but rage.

The others didn't say a word about the two of them falling behind; instead they all waited at the door, looking at them with polite smiles and firm nods that quietly informed the couple that they were with them.

"Almost over," His lordship (and no matter how many times he begged her to call him Robert not he would always be 'his lordship' just as Lady Mary would never get Anna to call her only by her given name) said, John pulling away from her.

"Almost over," John echoed as Mr. Morris and Mr. Smith walked over to have a quiet word with him. Anna tried to follow but Lady Sybil caught her by the arm and gently pulled her to the side.

"Say the word and I'll have her dealt with myself."

Anna chuckled at that. "Thank you, my lady, but I'll be fine." Sybil smiled but there was something in her eyes that made Anna suddenly realize that Lady Sybil wasn't joking in the slightest. The offer had been real: all Anna had to do was give the word and she was sure that within an hour Vera would be dead by Lady Sybil's command.

'I don't know if I should be horrified or comforted,' Anna thought to herself as John returned to her side.

Mr. Smith held up his hands, asking for quiet. "Please keep in mind that this is merely a quick moment. We want to get moving very soon but Elmer and I-" he gestured towards the cowboy who tipped his hat and smirked, "-agreed that you all deserved this closure. But please keep it brief… and preferably as calming as possible."

"Calming?" the Dowager asked in a huff. "Why ever would we want that for her?"

"For you, ma'am," Mr. Morris drawled. "Vera O'Malley feeds on confrontation and hate. Ever seen them signs at the zoos askin' ya not to feed the animals? Same idea."

"Hmpf," the Dowager huffed. "I suppose there is a logic to that… though I would have liked to have words with that horrid woman. I suppose I will remain towards the back. Sybil, you'll stay with me."

Anna honestly wondered just who was going to restrain the other there.

Mr. Carson opened the doors and the group stepped out into the night. Anna was startled to see several men in uniform standing at the door with rifles on their shoulders; a glance at Matthew earned her a raised eyebrow and a slight smile, which she returned. 'Leave it to him to give us an honor guard,' she thought as they walked out onto the gravel drive and looked at the sight before them.

It was an actual police wagon. Just like one saw in the political cartoons or in the comedies the silent pictures sometimes played. A great black beast of a vehicle that looked like it might tip over if it took a sight turn. The grim brutish cousin of a hearse. At the wheel was a man in a suit who nodded to Mr. Morris, most likely a Pinkerton, and another man was waiting at the passenger door, a revolver in his hand that he kept lowered yet at the ready. She could tell that his lordship was warring within himself on how to feel about that. On one hand it was a man with a weapon that wasn't going out on a fox hunt or had been approved of by Lord Grantham to be there. On the other the man was there to protect them all from a foe that had proven herself rather clever so it was hard to argue with being overly protective.

And speaking of the woman in question…

Anna couldn't actually see into the wagon. The single window, fitted with heavy thick black bars, was too far up in the air for her to see anything. Or anyone else, now that she looked at it carefully. But she could hear that someone was in there, moving about. Anna wondered if Vera was aware they were even there.

"She was wearing this," Mr. Smith said, handing Matthew an army uniform. "We thought you'd like it back."

"We've had a few disappear but usually we mark that down to misplacement," Matthew muttered.

Dr. Clarkson, for the first time since this had all begun, spoke up. "Does the woman know no shame? Disgracing the uniform like this?"

"I'd say she had her guilt surgically removed," Mr. Morris snarked.

Matthew fingered the stolen uniform for a moment before suddenly saying, "Impersonating a soldier. I do believe that is another charge that can be added?"

Mr. Smith nodded at that. "I do believe so," he said though Anna noticed that his lordship had an odd look on his face that she couldn't quite place.

"O'Malley!" Mr. Morris called out, smacking the side of the wagon with his hand. "Guests! Up up up!" He gave the wagon a few more thumps before, finally, there was some shuffling and movement from within and Vera's moon face appeared between the bars. With her pale skin and short dark hair, circles under her eyes, and a scowl on her blood soaked lips she looked like some ghoul lurking under a stone bridge than a person.

Then she opened her mouth and proved that even ghouls had kinder tongues that the woman that had caused Anna's family so much torment.

"You think you're so clever, John Bates?" Vera snarled, pressing her face against the bars of the small window till they were bruising her flesh. "Think this is the end of it, do you? Think that I'll just go meekly off while you get to live your happy little life with your moronic whore and your squalling brat?" Anna felt John bristle at that but she placed a hand on his arm, causing him to stop before he did something he… well, perhaps not regret but at least would cause them problems. "This is only just the beginning. There will be a trial, John Bates. I will have my day in court and when I do I will use every second I have, with every breath in my lungs, to tell the world what kind of man you are! How everything I have done is your fault! How you drove me to become this! I will ruin you and all you love! You think your little wife will want to stay with you when I tell the world what kind of husband you really are? Do you think your son will smile with pride when the name 'Bates' is dragged through the mud?" She grabbed at the bars with her skeletal hands, spittle flying from her lips. "And then I'll drag you down to hell with me, where you belong!"

The others tensed, silent and stunned by what she'd said. Of the threats and claims of pain. John was stiff as a board and Anna wondered just what he would have done had there been no one else around and no bars separating him from the woman that had once been his wife.

But Anna wasn't left rocked by Vera's bitter words. As she had told John she'd dealt with Lady Mary at her most arrogant. Mrs. O'Brien on a grand rage-filled tear. Vera was nothing… and Anna knew just how to deal with her.

She stepped forward and, with the sweetest smile, simply said, "It was lovely to meet you." And with that she turned on her heels, took John's hand, and forced him to follow her back into the Abbey. After a moment the others began to follow.

"What… what are you-" Vera stammered. Anna never turned back to her. Never showed any sign she even heard her…no, it. Never hear it. Made it clear with her casual return to the Abbey that Vera was so insignificant in her life that it was if she were little more than the wind. "Get… get back you! You think… you… you whore! You get back here! You-"

Anna smirked as Mr. Carson shut the door firmly.

"My dear," the Dowager said with eyes that sparkled with respect and a voice filled with awe, "it is rare that I find myself bowing to another for their genius."

The others were quick to agree, Vera completely forgotten.

She never darkened Anna's mind again.

She never thought of the woman that had tried to destroy her life. Her husband. Her son.

There were no stories told of that night. No comments made of the strife John had suffered.

Decades later when someone casually mentioned John's 'first wife' Anna was utterly confused because she was John's one and only wife.

And when the newspapers reported that during transport Vera O'Malley had somehow escaped the carriage only to fall head first into a bear trap and suffered 5 hours of agonizing pain before she finally died… Anna didn't even read past the headline.