# An Abduction explained — The Wyvern Mystery

> Chapter companion for The Wyvern Mystery by J. Sheridan Le Fanu.

## What happens

Charles Fairfield, driven into a corner, resolves to flee with Alice to escape his troubles. He plans for Alice and Dulcibella to travel ahead while he follows. Upon returning, he learns that Squire Rodney has arrived with constables and arrested the mysterious woman, taking her to Wykeford prison. Charles reacts with fury, blaming Tom Clinton and vowing to confront Rodney.

## Themes in this chapter

### Secrecy and Deception

Charles's secret is exposed, leading to his desperate plan to flee and the arrest of the mysterious woman who holds knowledge of his past.

### Isolation and Entrapment

Charles feels cornered by his circumstances, and the arrest symbolizes the tightening net of legal and social pressures.

## Character check-ins

### Charles Fairfield

Resolved to flee with Alice, but learns of the arrest of the mysterious woman by Squire Rodney, leading to a furious outburst.

### Alice Maybell

Comforted by Charles and told they must leave; she asks about the mysterious woman but is reassured.

### Dulcibella Crane

Assists Alice in packing for the planned departure.

### Tom Clinton

Reports the arrest of the mysterious woman by Squire Rodney and is berated by Charles for allowing it.

### Mildred Tarnley

Observes the commotion and is questioned by Squire Rodney about the arrest.

### Squire Rodney

Arrives with constables and arrests the mysterious woman, taking her to Wykeford prison.

## Key lines

> He would hold no terms and offer no compromise. Let her do her worst. She had found out his secret.

Charles decides to fight without negotiation, accepting that his secret is now known.

_Charles's resolve to confront his enemy directly._

> Alice, darling, I have no good news to tell. Everything has gone wrong with me, and we must leave this.

Charles tells Alice they must flee because his situation has worsened.

_Charles informs Alice of their urgent need to escape._

> He made out a writin’, and he ’ad me in, and questioned me, but I’d nout to tell, sir, and he asked where you was, and I told him, as you ordered I was to say, you was gone, and he took the mistress’s her story, and made her make oath on’t, and the same wi’ the others— Mrs. Tarnley, and the little girl, and the blind woman, she be took up for murder, or I don’t know for what, only he said he could not take no bail for her, so they made her sure, and has took her off, I do suppose, to Wykeford pris’n.

Tom explains that Squire Rodney arrived with a warrant, questioned the household, and arrested the blind woman for murder, taking her to Wykeford prison.

_Tom reports the arrest to Charles._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_wyvern_mystery_se/chapters/xxxix-an-abduction
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_wyvern_mystery_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_wyvern_mystery_se/chapters