gotten to smooth out the edges to soften the features. She could only guess at his age. Early-thirties, maybe? Shadows rested on m

ng painfully, st

them said

on his lips. Cora also stepped forward

and her mind went blank. She wasn't sure if it was the remnants of th

against the door. Cora shot backwa

i?" someo

ered without taking

. The speaker didn't enter the room, though,

s he's lost some lamb he's

the man called Mr. U

escaped silently, even as Sharo said, "Yo

his desk, shifting some papers as he called out

. Ubeli.

again, alone with Mr. Ubeli. For a mom

trouble?" he asked, movin

whispered.

nd Mr. Ubeli came forward, carefully li

at rack beside the door and lifting a coat from it. Retu

ng, she put her arm through the sleeve, and let him help her into the coat. Once it was on,

hat had happened tonight. The wave of relief hit her so hard that she all

finall

as o

leather but she couldn't give it more than a moment's thought. It was so war

ob had been a live-in nannying gig, she was also out of a p

ere hi

," Cora said violently, shaking her head and shuddering, "No. I didn

furrowed. "I'll make sure he never

way he stated it, with such authority, made her

l she felt

and w

the wing-backed chair. Gods she was tired. Mo

our name?

him her name? Strangers are dangerous, her mother's words rang through her head. The outs

u Cora. I'm Marc

dded s

o meet yo

struggled to blink them open. She really did. We

.a...m

lded her under an