It was too much for me to take in all at once. I slid out from under his grasp and fled down Fifth Avenue.

My visit with James Sullivan had scared the living daylights out of me. After I’d locked myself in my hotel room, I tossed and turned all night, wondering if finding Delia was worth the risk of taking up with him. He was a dangerous man. Who knew what this “proposition” was that he had in mind? And what else might he expect me to do? Was I to be his “companion,” like that frightful Annie? What in God’s name was I getting myself into? But the more I thought about it, the more my desire to find Delia grew. Fear was not going to stop me. I was reminded then that stubbornness had always been one of my strongest traits.

* * *

On Friday night James Sullivan himself opened the front door. He showed no reaction to my arrival, just stood to one side and waved me in. The old bugger was so sure of himself he knew I’d come, I thought, and for a moment I wished I hadn’t, just to spite him. But it was too late; I was here now, and he knew he had the upper hand.

“Annie’s laid up feeling poorly tonight,” he said, “so I must fend for myself.”

He left the room and returned with a bottle of whiskey and two glasses.

“Shall we have a toast to our success, Nora?” he said, raising his glass.

How dare he call me Nora? I thought. It’s another way he’s showing me who’s in charge. Well, I can give as good as I get.

“You’re putting the cart before the horse,” I said. “I don’t even know what your proposition is yet.”

“Touché, Nora!”

I had no fecking notion what “touché” meant, but I could see he was impressed.

“I like feisty Irish women. I think you will be very suited to my plans.”

He was like a cat toying with a mouse. I hadn’t the patience for it.

“Get on with it, then; let’s hear them.”

He got up and poured another glass of whiskey, and I allowed him to fill mine. Maybe it was the whiskey that gave me the courage, but I meant to go toe to toe with him.

“Ah, you’re forgetting our bargain, Nora. You tell me your whole story, so I can know what’s driving you. In exchange, I will tell you where in Texas Aidan, Lily and your sister are. Oh yes, I knew from the previous servants that she’d gone with him, I just didn’t want to tell you at the time.”

I wanted to slap the smug look off his face. Instead, I took another sip of whiskey and told him my story, beginning with the letter from America and my near drowning on the Titanic.