The Secret of the Three Fates Summary, Characters and Themes

The Secret of the Three Fates by Jess Armstrong is a supernatural mystery layered with themes of spiritualism, deception, ancestral guilt, and the longing for truth.  Set in the atmospheric backdrop of Manhurst Castle and surrounding Scottish estates, the novel follows Ruby Vaughn, a woman still reeling from personal tragedy, as she is thrust into a world of séances, secret societies, and spectral accusations.

What begins as a simple visit to inspect rare manuscripts quickly spirals into a dangerous investigation involving murder, betrayal, and buried family legacies.  Through her keen mind and painful emotional history, Ruby becomes a reluctant detective, uncovering a truth darker and more entangled than anyone expects.

Summary

Ruby Vaughn’s arrival at Manhurst Castle under the pretense of evaluating illuminated manuscripts quickly proves a façade.  The manuscripts had already been sold, and it becomes evident that Mr. Owen, Ruby’s guardian and employer, brought her to Scotland not for business but to attend a séance conducted by the Three Fates, a trio of mediums reputed to contact the dead.  

Mr. Owen seeks to reach his deceased son Ben, after allegedly receiving a message through one of the mediums, Lucy Campbell.  Though skeptical and emotionally scarred from the tragic death of her own family and a scandal in New York, Ruby reluctantly agrees to accompany Mr.

Owen, bound to him by a complicated emotional dependency.

The séance, held in a grand candlelit ballroom, is unnerving in its theatrical precision.  As the Fates channel spiritual entities, one of them appears to be the same ghostly woman Ruby had seen in Cornwall years earlier.

During the ritual, a spirit named Mariah accuses Mr.  Owen of murder, causing panic and forcing him to flee.

Ruby follows him, encountering Captain Andrew Lennox—Owen’s nephew—who reveals fractured family dynamics and hints at dark family secrets, especially regarding Mariah’s identity and death.

Soon after, Lucy Campbell is found drowned under mysterious circumstances.  The site is marked by occult symbols and broken salt circles, indicating ritual interference.

Ruby finds Ben’s military identification disc in Lucy’s possession, raising suspicions about Andrew or someone close to him.  Meanwhile, Ruby continues to feel haunted by a presence she calls the White Witch, who warns her to leave Manhurst or risk death.

When a familiar man named Ruan Kivell—someone from Ruby’s past—arrives, emotions flare.  He once shared a psychic bond with her, and although his abilities are weakened at Manhurst, his presence reawakens old feelings and unsettled questions.

The two grow closer while also confronting eerie clues: mismatched handwriting in Lucy’s letters, warnings about Andrew Lennox, and signs that the séance may not have been intended for Mr.  Owen, but for Ruby herself.

Lady Amelia secretly enlists Ruby’s help, alarmed by her mother’s erratic behavior following a mysterious letter.  As Ruby investigates, she is harassed by Inspector Burnett, who accuses her of orchestrating Lucy’s death.

After a demeaning interrogation, she meets the Duke of Biddlesford, who appears benign, though his role in the séance remains unclear.

Ruan and Ruby analyze ritual remnants, locate suspicious wax near the bridge where Lucy died, and argue over Andrew’s possible guilt.  Ruby’s trust is tested further when she learns Mr.

Sharpe is actually Elijah Keene, a man who once shattered her life.  Ruby discovers disturbing photographs in Lucy’s room depicting ritualistic acts.

These glass negatives, tied to a secret club called Eurydice’s Fall, hint at deeper depravity and connect to Mariah, Mr.  Owen’s late wife.

Owen confesses that he was once Lord Hawick and married to Mariah, revealing he is actually Genevieve’s father.  Soon after, he falsely confesses to Lucy’s murder to shield Ruby, prompting her to fight for justice.

Ruby and Ruan kiss on the bridge, only to be ambushed by a sniper.  Ruby is shot and nearly drowns, but Ruan saves her at great cost, demonstrating his magical ability to heal.

Ruby awakens at Hawick House and finds Ruan injured but alive.  The bullet had inexplicably passed through her and into him, confirming something supernatural occurred.

Meanwhile, Ruby’s bond with Andrew deepens when he confesses his homosexuality and doubts about Mr.  Owen’s guilt.

She begins to suspect that Mariah left her clues through an heirloom ring containing a Latin phrase and a lock of hair.

Genevieve and Lady Morton vanish, and Ruby and Hecate search their room, uncovering more negatives and the scent of decay—possibly from a hidden corpse.  The images imply that Mariah was investigating the Eurydiceans before her death.

As the castle erupts in flames, Ruby and Ruan flee and witness a confrontation that leads to Burnett’s death.  They realize Genevieve and Elijah are escaping to the Isle of May and pursue them through dangerous waters.

At the croft on the island, they find Andrew wounded and Genevieve imprisoned.  The confrontation turns deadly when the true villain—revealed to be the Duke of Biddlesford—arrives.

Once seen as harmless, he now confesses to killing Mariah and abusing young women under the guise of ritual.  As he prepares to kill Ruby, she stabs him with hidden shears.

Mr.  Owen and Ruan arrive in time to witness his death.

Genevieve is identified as Owen’s daughter and heir.  With the photographs recovered and the duke exposed, the Eurydiceans’ secrets are finally brought to light.

Mr.  Owen is cleared, and Mariah’s body is buried with dignity.

Ruby’s relationship with Ruan remains unresolved; though he asks her to leave with him, she cannot yet move forward.  The novel ends with Ruby promising to write to him, hopeful that love may still have a place in her future, now that the ghosts of the past have been faced and the truth revealed.

Characters

Ruby Vaughn

Ruby Vaughn stands at the center of The Secret of the Three Fates, a character marked by layers of loss, resilience, and acute emotional intelligence.  She enters the narrative already shaped by tragedy—her family perished aboard the Lusitania, and she bears the scars of a scandal that ostracized her in New York.

Ruby’s initial motivations seem professional and restrained, but as the novel progresses, she transforms into a relentless seeker of truth.  Her skepticism of spiritualism is gradually worn down by the eerie precision of the séances and the spiritual warnings that point directly to her past.

Despite her trauma, Ruby shows remarkable courage and moral clarity, particularly in her determination to protect Mr.  Owen, confront Elijah Keene, and face her fears about Ruan Kivell.

Ruby’s connection with Ruan, both psychic and emotional, reveals her vulnerability and longing for intimacy, though she remains haunted by her inability to fully trust or forgive.  Even when the truth threatens to destroy her, Ruby clings to her intuition and intellectual rigor.

Her final decision to let Ruan walk away, yet resolve to write him, underscores her evolution—not just as a detective of secrets, but as a woman learning to reclaim her autonomy amid the ruins of betrayal and love.

Mr. Owen

Mr.  Owen, later revealed as Lord Hawick, is a deeply conflicted and tragic figure whose paternal instincts and burdens of guilt drive much of the novel’s emotional and narrative tension.

As Ruby’s guardian, he functions as a protective, if secretive, paternal substitute, drawing her into a mystery steeped in loss—his own and hers.  His initial deception—bringing Ruby to Scotland under false pretenses—sets the stage for their fraught relationship, but his eventual confessions demonstrate a powerful capacity for sacrifice and love.

Mr.  Owen’s grief over his son Ben’s death, his haunted past with Mariah, and his connection to Lucy Campbell culminate in a false confession that nearly leads to his ruin.

His willingness to take the fall for Lucy’s murder reveals both the depth of his love for Ruby and a desperate desire for atonement.  Yet, he is not without flaws: his silence, secrets, and entanglement with the Eurydicean elite complicate his role.

By the end, his act of reclaiming Genevieve as his daughter and confronting his own past marks a subtle redemption, allowing him to transition from a figure of guilt to one of integrity and restoration.

Ruan Kivell

Ruan Kivell enters the narrative as a figure of enigmatic allure and deep emotional connection, holding a psychic bond with Ruby that hints at both romantic longing and supernatural entanglement.  His arrival injects new tension into the narrative, as he not only reawakens Ruby’s past but also warns her of hidden threats, particularly regarding Andrew Lennox.

Ruan’s powers—particularly his ability to read Ruby’s thoughts—suggest a liminal existence between the natural and the mystical, but his presence is far more than ornamental.  He is a partner in Ruby’s investigations, a protector during physical and psychic danger, and ultimately, a tragic romantic counterpart.

His near-death experience, taking the sniper’s bullet meant for Ruby, and his use of supernatural abilities to heal her, underscore both his devotion and the costs of their bond.  When his psychic link to Ruby fades, it represents not just a loss of power but a heartbreakingly symbolic severing of intimacy.

Ruan’s love for Ruby remains unwavering, but he respects her fear and independence, departing with a hope for reconnection rather than resentment.  His arc is one of sacrifice, strength, and an unresolved yearning that leaves a spectral impression on the reader.

Andrew Lennox

Andrew Lennox is a character shaped by quiet dignity, hidden pain, and unspoken rebellion against the societal constraints of his time.  As Mr.

Owen’s nephew, he is enmeshed in the web of family secrets and legacy, yet his own story is one of personal repression and moral complexity.  Ruby’s initial trust in Andrew is challenged by Ruan’s suspicions and the mysterious appearance of Ben Lennox’s identification disc, placing Andrew under a cloud of doubt.

However, as the layers peel back, it becomes clear that Andrew is not malicious but tormented.  His homosexuality, which he confesses to Ruby in confidence, casts a light on the stakes he faces—legal, familial, and emotional.

This revelation not only deepens his character but adds nuance to his guardedness and his role in the story’s broader themes of hidden truths and societal hypocrisy.  Though not a romantic rival to Ruan, Andrew becomes a mirror for Ruby’s own struggle with identity, trust, and moral ambiguity.

His injuries and eventual alliance with Ruby in the climactic chapters confirm his loyalty, and his bravery in opposing his own family’s corruption adds gravity to his transformation.

Elijah Keene (Mr. Sharpe)

Elijah Keene, operating under the alias Mr.  Sharpe, is a figure of betrayal and malevolent charm, whose connection to Ruby’s past renders his presence all the more unsettling.

Once a man she trusted, even loved, Elijah’s reappearance reopens emotional wounds and underscores the theme of trust shattered by deceit.  He is not merely a traitor to Ruby’s heart; he is a manipulator deeply involved in the occult network of Eurydice’s Fall.

His violent confrontation with Ruby and Ruan during the Manhurst fire, and his alliance with the corrupt Inspector Burnett, cements his role as a dangerous antagonist.  Yet Elijah is not purely evil; he is a man corrupted by power, ambition, and perhaps fear.

His final defeat is not just a physical one but a symbolic collapse of the old order he represents—one steeped in secrecy, exploitation, and patriarchal dominance.  Through him, the novel channels its critique of those who mask their desires in spiritualist or intellectual cloaks, only to serve darker appetites.

Genevieve Demidov

Genevieve is one of the most complex and sympathetic figures in the novel, a young woman burdened by identity, lineage, and the trauma of abuse.  Initially enigmatic, her involvement in the occult and her connection to the murdered medium raise questions about her role—victim or accomplice?

As Ruby unearths more, Genevieve is revealed to be both: a girl ensnared in the dark legacies of the Eurydicean society, but also a brave survivor.  Her captivity and abuse at the hands of the Duke of Biddlesford, and her disguise as a boy during her imprisonment, reflect the desperate lengths she takes to protect herself.

The final revelation that she is Mr.  Owen’s daughter, not the duke’s, rewrites her entire narrative and positions her as a rightful heir and symbol of rebirth.

Her courage, quiet dignity, and resilience elevate her from side character to emotional fulcrum of the novel’s conclusion, embodying both the cost of generational sins and the possibility of healing through truth.

Mariah

Though physically absent, Mariah’s ghost haunts the narrative, her influence threaded through séances, memories, and relics like the ring she left behind.  As Lucy’s twin and Mr.

Owen’s estranged wife, Mariah represents both the personal and political—her disappearance tied to a secret society that exploited and silenced women.  Her work as a photographer, her defiance of the Eurydicean norms, and the cryptic messages she left behind, all point to a woman who tried to speak truth in a world that refused to hear her.

Her voice, channeled in séance and echoed in Ruby’s quest, is the novel’s moral spine.  She is the martyr whose death uncovers the rot within Manhurst and the occult society’s rituals.

By giving Ruby a key to unlock the past, Mariah posthumously redeems herself and acts as a guide, proving that memory and justice can defy even death.

The Duke of Biddlesford

The Duke of Biddlesford begins as a seemingly benign figure—charming, even humorous in his aloofness—but reveals himself to be the true villain of The Secret of the Three Fates.  As the orchestrator of sexual abuse, ritual murder, and decades of deception, the duke embodies the systemic rot of patriarchal privilege.

His connection to the Eurydicean society, his exploitation of young women, and his manipulation of truth to preserve his power frame him as the embodiment of the forces Ruby must overcome.  His final confrontation with her, where he confesses to Mariah’s murder and threatens Ruby’s life, strips away any mask of civility.

That Ruby is the one to kill him—not Ruan, not Owen—is a powerful act of reclamation and justice.  His downfall marks the collapse of a corrupt world order and the emergence of a new truth shaped by those he sought to silence.

Hecate

Hecate, named evocatively after the Greek goddess of magic and crossroads, serves as Ruby’s confidante and ally.  Though she occupies less narrative space, her role is crucial—she is the voice of reason, the bringer of vital information, and the only woman who matches Ruby’s resolve.

Hecate’s presence provides a sense of feminine solidarity and intellectual camaraderie, especially in moments of doubt.  Her knowledge of the occult and her willingness to face danger underscore her as an unsung heroine.

She complements Ruby not as a shadow but as a bright, clear force of insight and intuition.  Through Hecate, the novel balances its gothic horror with grounded empathy and shared resistance against corruption.

Themes

Grief and the Search for Closure

Ruby Vaughn’s emotional landscape is dominated by unprocessed grief, both personal and inherited.  The loss of her family aboard the Lusitania forms a foundation of sorrow that haunts her, but this grief is not isolated—it reverberates through the actions of nearly every character around her.

Mr.  Owen, for instance, is driven by the death of his son, Ben, to such a degree that he invites Ruby on a deceptive trip under the pretense of reviewing manuscripts, only to bring her into a séance meant to contact the dead.

The emotional manipulation embedded in this act reflects the desperate measures grief compels people to take.  Ruby’s relationship with grief also extends into her encounters with supernatural elements; her willingness to suspend disbelief, attend séances, and revisit traumatic memories is part of a broader attempt to make sense of loss that has long evaded explanation.

As the story progresses, Ruby’s journey toward truth becomes intertwined with her need to honor the dead—not only her family, but Lucy, Mariah, and others silenced by violence and obscured histories.  The final act of burying Mariah with dignity and the symbolic unlocking of the ring represents an emotional exhumation, giving voice to the lost and putting restless spirits—both literal and metaphorical—to peace.

Through this theme, The Secret of the Three Fates insists that closure is not simply about accepting death, but about confronting everything and everyone that has prevented peace from being possible.

Betrayal and the Erosion of Trust

The narrative unfolds through layers of betrayal—both personal and institutional—that leave Ruby constantly questioning who she can rely on.  The initial deception from Mr.

Owen regarding the purpose of their trip sets a tone of duplicity, establishing early that even those closest to Ruby harbor secrets.  This mistrust deepens when Ruby is falsely implicated in Lucy Campbell’s death, and her possessions are deliberately planted near the crime scene.

The implication of Andrew Lennox, who otherwise appears charming and helpful, adds to Ruby’s unease as she navigates conflicting signals from those around her.  Her past romantic betrayal by Elijah Keene resurfaces, further poisoning her ability to trust her instincts or emotions.

Even when people appear to be helping her—like Ruan Kivell—there’s a continual undercurrent of withheld information or concealed motives.  This erosion of trust isn’t just emotional; it’s political and societal.

The Eurydiceans represent the ultimate institutional betrayal: a secret society cloaked in power and prestige that commits heinous crimes against women and children, protected by their social standing.  When the Duke of Biddlesford is revealed as the orchestrator of Mariah’s death and other atrocities, it symbolizes betrayal at the highest level, not just of individual trust but of communal and moral obligations.

By the time Ruby takes action against him, the theme of betrayal has evolved into a question of moral clarity—when trust becomes a liability, survival demands conviction and confrontation.

Female Autonomy and Societal Oppression

Ruby’s experience throughout the novel is marked by a persistent struggle against patriarchal forces that seek to silence, undermine, or exploit her.  Her public scandal in New York and the lasting stain on her reputation serve as a reminder that society judges women more harshly and permanently than men.

This theme resurfaces with each powerful man she encounters—Mr.  Owen, who manipulates her under the guise of fatherly concern; Inspector Burnett, who attempts to humiliate and intimidate her; and ultimately the Duke of Biddlesford, who represents institutionalized misogyny at its most violent.

The medium Lucy Campbell and the long-lost Mariah are further victims of this systemic disempowerment—both silenced either through death or disappearance, their voices only reclaimed through Ruby’s efforts.  Lady Amelia and Genevieve also grapple with inherited expectations and constraints, revealing that female autonomy is not just about resisting danger, but navigating a society rigged against them.

Yet, Ruby’s arc is defined by her defiance.  She insists on investigating, uncovering truths, and seeking justice even when threatened, ostracized, or physically harmed.

Her resistance is not dramatized as heroic in a conventional sense, but rather as necessary and constant.  The discovery that Genevieve is Mr.

Owen’s daughter and the rightful heir positions women not only as survivors but as rightful successors to power and truth.  Through Ruby and others, The Secret of the Three Fates portrays female autonomy as a battle waged in the shadows—one that requires intellect, resilience, and an unflinching willingness to expose what men in power would rather remain buried.

Supernatural Truths and Psychological Reality

The presence of séances, psychic connections, and ghostly apparitions in the novel is never purely fantastical; rather, they serve as tools to examine the psychological and emotional reality of trauma, guilt, and buried memory.  Ruby’s psychic bond with Ruan, which allows him to hear her thoughts, reflects a heightened emotional intimacy that is disrupted when she is wounded—a symbol of how trauma can rupture even the most profound human connections.

The séance conducted by the Three Fates and the reappearance of the White Witch function as catalysts for truth-telling, where the mystical becomes a vehicle for uncovering real-world injustices.  These supernatural events aren’t distractions from the plot; they serve as mirrors for the characters’ psychological states.

Mr.  Owen’s hauntedness, Mariah’s spectral legacy, and the ritualistic elements of Lucy’s murder all point to how the characters’ inner turmoil manifests externally in otherworldly ways.

The supernatural here is not about belief or disbelief—it’s about confronting what logic and reason have failed to resolve.  The spiritual realm is often more honest than the waking world, revealing truths that characters would rather hide.

This is especially clear in the final confrontation, where revelations about lineage, abuse, and the extent of the Eurydiceans’ crimes come to light in the form of supernatural clues, hidden inscriptions, and ghostly warnings.  In this way, The Secret of the Three Fates does not draw a hard line between the paranormal and the psychological, instead presenting them as interlinked pathways toward understanding the past and surviving its consequences.

Identity, Transformation, and the Power of Memory

Ruby’s evolving sense of self is inseparable from the memories she carries and the secrets she uncovers.  Her identity is fluid and layered—she is an orphan, a social pariah, a surrogate daughter, a romantic survivor, and ultimately, an investigator of legacies far larger than her own.

Memory plays a central role in shaping this transformation.  The photographs Ruby finds, the letters she deciphers, and the hidden inscription in Mariah’s ring all act as encoded memories, each piece adding clarity to her past and agency to her present.

The psychic fragmentation she experiences after being shot—losing her bond with Ruan—represents how trauma temporarily dismantles identity, only to be reconstructed with greater purpose.  Ruby’s relationship with Mr.

Owen shifts from dependency to independence as she realizes his true past and confronts his choices.  The shifting allegiances around her, particularly as truths about Andrew Lennox and the Duke emerge, force Ruby to continuously reevaluate her place in a complex familial and political history.

Even her decision to let Ruan go, despite loving him, stems from a newfound sense of control over her future rather than fear of repeating the past.  By the novel’s end, Ruby’s decision to write to Ruan rather than simply follow him is significant—not as a romantic gesture alone, but as an assertion of choice.

In The Secret of the Three Fates, memory is not static or nostalgic—it is an active force that reclaims, rebuilds, and redefines identity through the crucible of revelation and resistance.