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heard a loud crash that sounded like glass hitting stone, followed by an unladylike expletive.
    Lord, she was loud. Nathan strolled into the foyer just in time to see Sara rush up the steps to the second story. The crazed woman was actually muttering to herself.
    A tall, willow-thin man Nathan assumed was one of the servants drew his attention then. The man looked ridiculous. He was dressed in a white knee-length nightshirt. He carried an ornately carved candlestick in one hand and a large crust of bread in the other. The servant lifted the candlestick above his head and started up the steps after Sara. Nathan clipped him on the back of his neck, reached over his head to take the candlestick out of his hand so it wouldn't make a clatter when it hit the floor, then dragged the servant into a dark alcove adjacent to the stairs. He stood next to the crumpled form a long minute while he listened to all the racket coming from above the stairs.
    Sara would never make a proper thief. He could hear the doors being slammed shut and knew it was his bride making all the noise. She was going to wake the dead if she didn't quiet down. And what in God's name was she looking for?
    A shrill scream rent the air. Nathan let out a weary sigh. He started toward the stairs to save the daft woman once again, then suddenly stopped when she appeared at the landing. She wasn't alone. Nathan moved back into the alcove and waited. He understood the reason for her errand. Sara had her arm around another woman's stooped shoulders and was assisting her down the stairs. He couldn't see the other woman's face, but he could tell from her slow, hesitant walk that she was either very feeble or in terrible pain.
    "Please don't cry, Nora," Sara whispered. "Everything's going to be fine now. I'm going to take good care of you."
    When the pair reached the foyer Sara took off her cloak, adjusted it around the other woman's shoulders, and then leaned forward to kiss her on her forehead.
    "I knew you would come for me, Sara. I never doubted. I knew in my heart that you would find a way to help me."
    Nora's voice cracked with emotion. She mopped at the corners of her eyes with the backs of her hands. Nathan noticed the dark bruises on her wrists. He recognized the marks. The old woman had obviously been tied up.
    Sara reached up to adjust the pins in her aunt's hair. "Of course you knew I would come for you," she whispered. "I love you, Aunt Nora. I would never let anything happen to you. There," she added in as cheerful a tone of voice as she could manage, "your hair looks lovely again."
    Nora grasped Sara's hand. "Whatever would I do without you, child?"
    "That's a foolish worry," Sara answered. She kept her voice soothing, for she knew her aunt was in jeopardy of losing her control. Sara was actually in much the same condition. When she'd seen the bruises on her aunt's face and arms she'd wanted to weep.
    "You came back to England because I asked you to," Sara reminded her. "I thought you would have a happy reunion with your sister, but I was wrong. This atrocity is all my fault, Nora. Besides, you must know you're never going to have to do without me."
    "You're such a dear child," Nora answered.
    Sara's hand shook when she reached for the door lock. "How did you find me?" Nora asked from behind.
    "It doesn't matter now," Sara said. She worked the lock free and opened the door. "We're going to have all the time in the world to visit after we've boarded the ship. I'm taking you back home, Nora."
    "Oh, I can't leave London just yet."
    Sara turned around to look at her aunt. "What do you mean, you can't leave just yet? Everything's been arranged, Nora. I've booked passage with the last of my funds. Please don't shake your head at me. Now isn't the time to turn difficult. We have to leave tonight. It's too dangerous for you to stay here."
    "Henry took my wedding band," Nora explained. She shook her head again. The silvery cluster of hair at the top of her head