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stronger. The servants had been instructed to stay away unless she called for them. Who could this be?
    The knock came again. Louder this time.
    Sarah felt her body tense.
    â€œCome in,” Dr. Pierce ordered.
    The door swung open.
    A man entered the room. Tall and stern-faced. With a black mustache that was waxed so stiffly it stuck out like a bird’s wings on either side of his face.
    Sarah’s jaw dropped.
    The letter fell from her hand.
    â€œYou!” she gasped.

Chapter
8

    T he man stared at Sarah. His eyes widened.
    â€œThis—this is Jason Hardy,” Sarah stammered. “I hired him this morning. Uh, Phillip hasn’t been feeling well, so I thought we should have another driver.”
    Sarah glanced at Thomas. Could he tell she was lying?
    No, she decided. He didn’t appear to think there was anything odd about her hiring another servant without consulting him.
    Jason continued to stare at Sarah. His eyes burning into hers.
    I have to get away from Jason, Sarah thought. She didn’t know what to say to him. She needed time to think.
    She stood quickly and started toward the door. But she couldn’t think of an excuse to leave the room. Couldn’t think at all.
    â€œI’m afraid that Mrs. Fear has just gotten some very shocking and terrible news,” Dr. Pierce explained. “About a close friend.”
    â€œExcuse me, I must be alone for a moment—” she mumbled. Sarah hurried from the room.
    She could feel Jason watching her. She could feel his eyes on her back.
    She was halfway down the hall when another one of Thomas’s horrible coughs ripped through the air. It felt like a bullet striking her.
    She flew down the stairs.
    Jason!
    Jason Hardy here in Shadyside! Here in her house! Why did he follow her here? Now of all times! She couldn’t bear it.
    She banged out the back door. Clutching her skirts with both hands, she ran across the lawn. Up into the woods.
    She had to get away. Away from everyone.
    Sarah pushed her way through the trees. Branches slapped at her face. She paid no attention.
    At last she found herself in the family cemetery.
    She fell to the ground.
    She leaned back against one of the headstones. Breathing long and slow and deep. Trying to collect herself.
    A shadow fell across her face. She looked up.
    Jason Hardy stared down at her.
    He had followed her into the woods.
    â€œJane,” he said, his voice catching. “I thought … I thought you were dead.”
    She couldn’t speak. She shrugged helplessly.
    â€œOh, Jane,” Jason said. “You don’t know what this means to me.”
    He knelt beside her.
    She wrapped her arms around his neck. Suddenly, it didn’t matter that his presence would only cause her problems. It only mattered that he was here when she needed him most.
    They hugged each other hard. “Oh, Jason!” she cried. “Dearest Jason!”
    All her fears disappeared. Relief and excitement took their place. Her darling stepbrother!
    â€œBut my head is spinning,” he said. “Jane, you have to tell me what is going on.”
    â€œStop calling me that,” she said, suddenly horrified. “I am not Jane. I am Sarah Burns. No, no, I am Sarah Fear.”
    She shook her head. “I think I am losing my mind. If I have not lost it already.”
    â€œTell me what happened. You must tell me everything,” Jason demanded.
    Jane took a deep breath. “We switched places,” she said.
    She felt shocked herself, as she spoke the words out loud. It was really too incredible what she and Sarah had done.
    â€œYou did what?” Jason cried. He appeared stunned.
    She nodded somberly. “Sarah and I, we switched places. We switched lives. Names. Identities. Everything. It is almost as if we switched souls. She became Jane. And I became Sarah.”
    â€œWhy would you—why would anyone do such a thing?” Jason asked.
    â€œWell, you know Sarah,”