The Woman in White: The Third Epoch: Part 5, Chapter 1 Summary & Analysis

Monsieur Rubelle does not return, and Walter leaves Count Fosco’s house. The next day, he goes to the cab company that Count Fosco’s manuscript gave him the address of and asks about the cab which took Laura and Count Fosco from the station. The cab driver, John Owen, remembers the Count but does not remember Laura. He remembers her name, however, because his wife’s name is also “Glyde.” Walter takes the evidence from the order book from him and takes this, with Sir Percival’s letter and the Count’s manuscript, to Mr. Kyrle’s office.

Mr. Kyrle is astonished and, the next morning, he, Walter, Marian, Laura, and John Owen travel to Limmeridge to confront Mr. Fairlie. They agree to leave Laura at Todd’s Corner so that she is not upset. Mr. Fairlie gives in easily and immediately agrees to let them reinstate Laura as the heir when they threaten to take him to court. Walter then rounds up everyone who attended Laura’s funeral and reads out a declaration which explains the conspiracy and reveals Laura’s real identity. The people of the village celebrate Laura’s return and the day ends with Laura’s name being removed from the tombstone and Anne’s name carved there instead.

As the group travel back to London, Walter thinks that it is lucky that he was not a rich man who could pay a lawyer to solve his case for him as, he thinks, without his own intervention—which led him to Pesca and the true identity of Count Fosco—the case probably never would have been solved.