Anticipating the trip to the manor, William assisted Thomas and Rebecca into the carriage then mounted his own steed, all the while looking over his shoulder.
The question regarding the destination of the lone rider, whether Brownsea Island or the Manor, summoned logic over instinct and William resolved to remain at Thomas' side.
As heavy rain began to fall, William knew that this would help with the deception they had planned, Alistair's men would not realize until it was to late that York had taken William's place leading the Brownsea Island group.
Safe and dry within the carriage as it rumbled across the countryside, Crane looked through the veil of rain and remembered the first day of his return to the Manor... and the murders.
A parade of thoughts swirled through Crane's mind... the white horse... 13 drops of blood... the map of routes that had possessed Alistair's curiosity... what lay in this jumble of clues?
Crane thought, "Had none of this happened; in a few months, when William reached full majority, Alistair would have been released from his obligation of Stewart for the family's estate."
Crane resolved to uncover the secret of Alistair's past before his arrival to work at the Manor, a subject that, up until now, Alistair had successfully avoided.
"William," Crane called from the window of the carriage, "Tell Mr. York to forget about the Brownsea Island mission, I want him to accompany us to the Manor."
As the carriage traversed across the countryside toward the estate, someone in the manor house was descending a secret staircase that led to an underground chamber with a cell.