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The woman cursed foully “You should have been there” She reached out to grab Jed’s sleeve, but her hand was shaking too badly Cursing again, she tucked the useless hand back into the folds of her shawl, out of sight

Warily, Jed watched her to see which direction herlimbs, she had all the appearance of a pitiful old woht hihts of London, iuts clench whenever he was in his cousin’s presence There were stories of sos she was supposed to have done, and he wouldn’t be surprised if they were true His father’d warned hi the old man with: “You’re scared of a woman, Da?”

But he understood now

“I’ll get the girl back,” he said “I’ll find out where she is and—”

“I knohere she is” She s yellowed teeth

“But…how can you know? We haven’t even found the driver of the cab yet”

She chuckled “I have e where I’m ready to hand over the reins to you, Jed Patience Your time will come”

Jed, as counting the days until she died, shrugged as if the thought had never crossed his s are,” he lied

“Of course you are,” she mocked

“So where is the girl then?”

“She’s being looked after in a gentlerunted “I knew there’d be trouble I told hiht off Hold a pillow over their faces—nothing to it But he was squea the price”

Jed was silent She was ra of the past

“He’s co to see me,” she said abruptly “I don’t want you here You hear me?”

“I hear you”

The man who visited her was an old friend, or so she said His visits were ht be able to use the inforela was quite capable of having hi a threat to her