“Is your sister the one who worked for Aidan O’Hanlon?”

“What?”

She turned to Dom. “Am I right, Dom?”

Dom nodded.

“Did you know she passed herself off as you?”

I found my voice. “How did you know that?”

“Because I worked for O’Hanlon as well.” She gave me a smirk. “Your sister was a liar and a schemer. She even tried to steal Dom away from me. Didn’t she, Dom?” She didn’t wait for him to answer. “She had her claws into O’Hanlon as well. Got him to agree to take her to Texas. But I tried to put a stop to that. A letter had come from your ma, telling him you were listed as missing but hoping against hope you had shown up there. She even sent a photograph of you. Well, I put two and two together and I gave it to himself, so he’d see what a liar she was.”

“That’s enough, Kathleen,” shouted Dom.

“And do you know what that conniving wee bitch did then?” she said, ignoring Dom. “She sweet-talked the daughter into telling him she’d not go to Texas without your one.”

“And have they left?” I said.

Kathleen shrugged. “How would I know? I was sacked not long after I gave him the letter. That’s what I got for me trouble. But if they haven’t, I’d say they’ll be gone soon. He wanted to leave while his father-in-law, James Sullivan, was away in Ireland. You see, Sullivan would have stopped them. He wanted the child here.”

“Was there anyone else working there? A housekeeper maybe?”

I could see Kathleen’s patience was wearing thin, but I had to know more.

“You’re a nosy one, aren’t you? Aye, there was the housekeeper, Mrs. Donahue. She’d have been kept on until they left. After that,” she paused and glared at me, “who knows? I’m not a bloody fortune-teller!”

I stood up. The room swirled around me and I took several deep breaths. I made my way unsteadily to the door and pushed through it, leaving it swinging open behind me. I hurried as fast as I could down the stairs, afraid I would die if I didn’t get some air. Outside, I leaned against the wall of the building. Suddenly, Dom was beside me.

“It’s not what it looks, Nora,” he began.

But I turned away from him. “Don’t bother, Dom. I know what I saw with my own eyes.”

Somehow, I found the strength to walk away.

I wandered along the streets, not knowing or caring where I was going. I felt sick to my stomach. I could hardly take in what had happened, and just then I didn’t want to. I tried not to think of anything at all.